A Taste of Old Athens: cookbook Preserves Culinary Heritage Amidst Gentrification
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A new cookbook, “Athens: Food, Stories, Love,” by celebrity chef Diane Kochilas, arrives as a poignant reminder of a disappearing Athens, offering both a party of its rich culinary traditions and a lament for their uncertain future. The book, published by St. Martin’s Griffin in October 2025, features a recipe for a remarkably simple yet flavorful chickpea soup – an homage to the legendary revitahada served at the historic Diporto taverna.
The Soul of Athens in a Bowl of Soup
Kochilas’ recipe, utilizing just olive oil, onion, garlic, chickpeas, Greek oregano, and lemon juice, embodies the ethos of Diporto, a restaurant opened in 1911 that has long been a bastion of authentic Athenian cuisine.The soup’s simplicity belies its depth of flavor, a testament to the quality of ingredients and the enduring power of conventional techniques. As Kochilas notes, sometimes the simplest recipes deliver the richest flavors.
A City Under Pressure
However, the cookbook’s release is shadowed by concerns over the fate of Diporto itself. The 115-year-old taverna, one of the few remaining original establishments in Athens, faced potential closure in 2024 after reports surfaced that the building housing it had been sold to foreign investors. While its future remains uncertain – it may be razed, renovated, or allowed to continue – the situation highlights a broader trend of gentrification sweeping through Athens.
“Gentrification, prodded on by foreign investors, has been sweeping through Athens, replacing its hidden charms with bland boutique hotels for more and more tourists to fill,” Kochilas writes, capturing the anxieties of a city losing its character. The potential loss of Diporto is symbolic of a larger cultural shift.
Diporto’s Revithada: A Recipe for Remembrance
Recognizing the precariousness of diporto’s existence, Kochilas includes her interpretation of Barba Mitso’s recipe for revithada, ensuring that even if the taverna disappears, its culinary legacy will endure.
PEA SOUP THAT EMULATES DIPORTO’S LEGENDARY REVITHADA (Excerpted with permission from “Athens: Food,Stories,Love: A Cookbook” by Diane Kochilas,St. Martin’s Griffin, October 2025)
In case diporto does not survive gentrification, here is my version of Barba Mitso’s recipe for the absolute best chickpea soup in Athens. It’s epic.
Makes: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup extra-virgin Greek olive oil,divided
- 1 large onion,minced
- 2 garlic cloves,minced
- 1 pound dried chickpeas,soaked overnight and drained
- Salt to taste
- 2 teaspoons dried Greek oregano
- Strained juice of 1 large lemon
Directions:
- In a large pot,heat 1/3 cup of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until wilted, 7 to 8 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas and enough water to cover by about 2 inches. Bring to a simmer, partially cover the pot, and cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the chickpeas are very tender.
- Using an immersion blender and a good eye,puree about 1 cup of the mixture inside the pot. Alternatively, transfer 1 cup of the chickpeas to the bowl of a food processor and puree, then return the pureed chickpeas to the pot.
- season to taste with salt, bring back to a simmer, and stir in the oregano, lemon juice, and remaining 1/2 cup olive oil. Serve.
“athens: Food, Stories, Love: A cookbook” by Diane Kochilas is a beautifully written love letter to a city at a crossroads, a culinary tradition facing an uncertain future, and a reminder that even the simplest dishes can carry the weight of history and culture.
