Stamnagathi, (wild spiny chicory) is essentially a variety of wild radish with a distinctive bitter-sweet taste that grows mainly on the steep Cretan mountain tops but can also be found on secluded rocky beaches, where it acquires a special salty aftertaste. High in nutritional value, rich in Vitamins E and C, Omega-3 fats, with a high concentration of calcium and iron, Stamnagathi has antiseptic, anti-rheumatic and slimming properties.

It can be used in stews and pies but we invite you to taste it raw, with olive oil and a touch of lemon, in one of the trademark recipes of the Cretan cuisine.

Wild spiny chicory is rare to find and its cultivation in farms is considered difficult and labour intensive. Moreover, after the second or third year of consecutive cultivation, the plants lose their wild characteristics and degenerate into radish.


Fortunately, there is some good news, for those of you who want to taste the real thing; Hellas TUV, has introduced the first international certification for the cultivation of stamnagathi (spiny chicory), based on the protocol GLOBALG.A.P. v4, a key reference for good agricultural practices, on account of the company, Cretan Gaia.

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