The Hellenic Navy (HN) (Greek: Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence. During the periods of monarchy (1833–1924 and 1936–1973) it was known as the Royal Navy (Βασιλικόν Ναυτικόν, Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviated ΒΝ).The total displacement of all the navy's vessels is approximately 150,000 tons.The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "Μέγα το της Θαλάσσης Κράτος" from Thucydides' account of Pericles' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War. This has been roughly translated as "Great is the country that controls the sea". The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of an anchor in front of a crossed Christian cross and trident, with the cross symbolizing Greek Orthodoxy, and the trident symbolizing Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology. Pericles' words are written across the top of the emblem. "The navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory."...............The Hellenic Merchant Marine refers to the Merchant Marine of Greece, engaged in commerce and transportation of goods and services universally. It consists of the merchant vessels owned by Greek civilians, flying either the Greek flag or a flag of convenience. Greece is a maritime nation by tradition, as shipping is arguably the oldest form of occupation of the Greeks and a key element of Greek economic activity since the ancient times. Nowadays, Greece has the largest merchant fleet in the world, which is the second largest contributor to the national economy after tourism and forms the backbone of world shipping. The Greek fleet flies a variety of flags, however some Greek shipowners gradually return to Greece following the changes to the legislative framework governing their operations and the improvement of infrastructure.Blogger Tips and Tricks
This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς....This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς.........

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Looking for fresh food, natural settings..[ 1566 ]

'Farmers' restaurants' popular with city slickers looking for fresh food, natural settings

An example of the chef's recommendation of the day at farmers' restaurant Roshi in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture. (Mainichi)
An example of the chef's recommendation of the day at farmers' restaurant Roshi in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture. (Mainichi)

(Mainichi Japan) August 1, 2010
An increasing number of farmers nationwide are running their own restaurants, offering both fresh local vegetables and beautiful rural landscapes to city-dwelling customers.
Farmers' restaurants are especially popular among young women, who are becoming more aware of health and food safety today.
One such restaurant is Roshi, located in the midst of the paddy fields in the Gunma Prefecture city of Takasaki, about 15-minutes' drive toward Mt. Haruna from Annaka-Haruna Station on the Nagano Shinkansen bullet train line.
Reiko Takahashi, the owner of farmers' restaurant Roshi, is pictured in her vegetable garden. (Mainichi)
Reiko Takahashi, the owner of farmers' restaurant Roshi, is pictured in her vegetable garden. (Mainichi)
The restaurant is the 60-year-old former residence of a family of raw silk producers, remodeled as a quaint dining establishment. Inside the entrance with its indigo blue curtain, there is a spacious earth floor connected to a 22-tatami-mat living room. A refreshing breeze blows through the open window of the white-walled house with thick wooden pillars. Bird and frog calls from the garden will remind its customers of their childhood summer holidays.
Roshi offers only one menu item -- the chef's recommendation of the day (1,000 yen). As the restaurant uses different kinds of fresh vegetables available each day, customers will not know what they will be served until they actually sit at the table.
The menu of the day usually includes about 10 items using vegetables such as cabbage, egg plant, potatoes, olives and carrots, which come with salad, brown rice and a bowl of miso soup. All vegetables are either grilled or boiled, and seasoned mainly with salt or soy sauce. The recipes are simple, allowing customers to enjoy the natural flavor of the ingredients.
Farmers' restaurant Roshi. (Mainichi)
Farmers' restaurant Roshi. (Mainichi)
"Simple cooking is the best way to experience the real taste of local vegetables," says restaurant owner Reiko Takahashi, a former indigo dyeing teacher. She opened her own restaurant in 2005, encouraged by the voices of her students, who praised the miso soup and the rice balls Takahashi offered for their lunch.
While growing vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, potatoes, carrots, and various kinds of herbs at a nearby farm, she also buys ingredients from two local organic farmers.
On weekends, people come to her restaurant all the way from the Tokyo metropolitan area.
"I hope a quiet time with fresh vegetables and a country view will help people refresh themselves in body and soul," Takahashi said. The restaurant is open during lunch hours and only accepts five groups of customers per day. Reservations are required by the day before the visit. The restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Reservations and inquiries can be made at (027) 374-4233.
A farmers' restaurant is defined as a restaurant which offers dishes using vegetables produced by the restaurant operator or local farmers. There are various types of such restaurants, including those run by guesthouse or farm stand operators. The number of farmers' restaurants has jumped over the past 10 years. According to a government survey conducted in 2005, there are 826 farmers' restaurants in the country, with a total of some 8.43 million customers per year.
"Today, more people are interested in the local food movement," says a public relations official at the Organization for Urban-Rural Interchange Revitalization.
In additions to the recommendation of the day, farmers' restaurants often offer a buffet-style menu, dishes with Italian or French twists or soba buckwheat noodles.

Information about farmers' restaurants nationwide can be found at the organization's website "Green Tourism"
(http://www.ohrai.jp/gt/restaurant/index.html).
Public Relations firm Gram 3 Inc. also launched the search site "Kokokichi" (http://www.cocokichi.jp/) for vegetable lovers in November last year, which currently introduces 225 farmers' restaurants across the country.

"Farmers' restaurants are attracting many people because they also allow visitors to see the local landscape, life and culture. I hope people will come to pay attention to Japan's agriculture through the experience of visiting farming villages," said a company official.
Click here for the original Japanese story

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