Jeff Lansdale, The Connoisseur

The president of the American Farm Schoolis well aware of the fruits of the earth. How would it be possible for him to ignore retsina, especially since he is a Thessalonian "by choice", a native of the city until he was eighteen years old?

IN CONTACT WITH EARTH.

Retsina is produced from the vine and the pine, two characteristic plants of the Greek land. And it is right there, on earth, where at the end of the day it all tracesto. Is it possible, therefore, that a man like Jeff Lansdale, the president of the American Farm School, does not have an opinion about retsina, this product of the earth? Much more so, when dr. Lansdale (who already counts more than 45 years of experience in development and educational programs in the four corners of the planet) is (for less than two months) a native of Thessaloniki – the child of the legendary, for 35 years president of the American Farm School, Bruce Lansdale, himself born in Thessaloniki and raised in the city until the age of 18? The answer is probably self-explanatory...

"Today I hardly drink retsina. Now, Greece has a lot of good wines, which makes retsina look like it's a bit of a thing of the past..." says dr. Lansdale. "Retsina is a drink that I have associated in my mind with the sea and the villages. You could find retsina in a bottle, but more often in demijohns – you could find it in any village you went to. Obviously, it is best consumed near the sea – eating fish, octopus, cheese, olives, choriatiki salad and retsina is the best. I did this while I lived in Greece. I left in 1969 to study, but I came in the summers. I came back in 1976".

And what about taste? It is the same wherever you consume it: "Retsina is consumed in Greece and has a special taste",explains the president of the American Farm School. "It's not the same if you drink it abroad. It needs all the 'microclimate', the saltiness of the sea and the Greek food, to be enjoyable. You go to drink retsina abroad and it's difficult – it doesn't have the mezes and neither does the environment. And, of course, retsina is drunk in the company of friends. I remember going with Americans who participated in the 'Greek Summer' program to the villages and, because the Greek is hospitable, we ended up drinking retsina with the president of the village in the traditional coffee shop. We have always told Americans that 'you may not like it very much at first sip, but you will'. Quite a few of the Greek Summer kids were drunk. They enjoyed it and we enjoyed retsina".

SO? "YES" TO RETSINA?

"As I mentioned before, Greece today has a wide variety of very good wines. The Greek wants to try. And our graduates are excellent winemakers.Retsina, however, took a back seat, went to the side", says Jeff Lansdale. "However, I remember that once I went to Thermi for food, they offered me a bottle of retsina and I said, 'Why not?' When I go out, I prefer to get a bulk wine from the store, it doesn't have to be retsina".

And as for the geography of retsina? "There are many places, for example in the Peloponnese, Karpenissi and the islands, where you expect to find retsina. Here in Thessaloniki, I find that retsina is very popular mainly because there are students who like to discover small, quaint taverns. But even in the suburbs you will find retsina and enjoy it. It is retsina of the group".

GREECE EQUALS WINE.

After all, is the president of the American Farm Schoola wine-lover? What place does wine have in his daily life? "Anyway, drinking either retsina or a little wine brings you joy and, together with food, will allow you to enjoy it. Especially with company – not alone – you'll enjoy it and have more fun. However, 'everything in moderation' - although a glass or two of wine is good. Either way, Greece has been identified with wine since ancient times".