Everything needed for an authentic Horiatiki — the Greek village salad — except the vegetables. Roussas barrel-aged PDO feta from Thessaly, Sparta Gourmet Premiere high-polyphenol EVOO from Laconia, and the Eliovi Greek herb blend. Three components. One table.
The Horiatiki is not a composed salad. It is chunky-cut tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and Kalamata olives dressed in cold-pressed Greek olive oil — finished with a thick slab of feta and a generous hand of dried oregano. Every element of that dish is determined by the quality of the ingredients. This kit sources the three that most people compromise on.
What's in the Kit
Roussas Barrel-Aged PDO Feta — 200g / 7 oz
Made in Thessaly from a minimum 70% sheep's milk blended with up to 30% goat's milk, aged 3–4 months in traditional beech wood barrels. The PDO designation is a legal guarantee — not a marketing claim — that this cheese was made in Greece, by Greek producers, using the methods that define the category. The Roussas family dairy has been producing in Almyros, Thessaly since 1952. Barrel aging in beech wood develops the tangy, creamy complexity that metal-tin feta cannot replicate. Place it whole on top of the salad — do not crumble it. See full feta details →
Sparta Gourmet Premiere Koroneiki EVOO — 500ml
Lab-certified 522 mg/kg total polyphenols — verified by the World Olive Center for Health (Certificate C2526-00733, February 2026). Single-origin Koroneiki from Laconia, November 2025 early harvest, milled by Sparta Gourmet. Cold-extracted at low temperature. EU Certified Organic. This is a finishing oil: drizzle it raw over the feta and salad just before serving to preserve its phenolic profile intact. The peppery finish you will notice at the back of the throat is oleocanthal at 176 mg/kg. See full EVOO details →
Eliovi Greek Herb Blend — 1.8 oz
Alpha Omega Imports' own herb blend — Greek mountain oregano, thyme, and sea salt — formulated for exactly this use. Crush it between your fingers directly over the feta and salad at the table. The oregano releases its volatile oils on contact; it should smell sharp and medicinal the moment you open the jar. Sprinkle generously. This is not a garnish.
How to Build the Horiatiki
Cut tomatoes into thick wedges, cucumber into half-moons, red onion into thin rings. Add Kalamata olives. Season with sea salt and dried oregano, dress with a generous pour of the Sparta Gourmet Premiere EVOO, and toss. Place the Roussas feta as a whole slab on top — never crumbled in advance. Drizzle the EVOO directly over the feta. Finish with the Eliovi herb blend. Serve immediately with crusty bread for the juices at the bottom of the bowl. That is the dish.
Beyond the Salad
Each component holds its own outside the kit. The Premiere EVOO is the finishing oil for grilled fish, soups, warm bread, and legumes — anywhere you want its polyphenol profile to reach you raw. The Roussas feta crumbles over grain bowls, folds into spanakopita, whips into a dip, or bakes whole in the oven with olive oil and chili. The Eliovi herb blend seasons lamb, grilled chicken, roasted potatoes, and any marinade that calls for Greek oregano.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is PDO Feta and why does it matter?
PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) is the EU's strictest geographical certification. For feta, it means the cheese was made in specific Greek regions — including Thessaly — from sheep's milk or a sheep/goat blend, using traditional methods protected under EU regulation since 2002. Cow's milk feta labeled "feta-style" or "Greek-style" in American supermarkets is a legally distinct and materially different product.
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What makes the Sparta Gourmet Premiere different from standard EVOO?
It is lab-certified at 522 mg/kg total polyphenols by the World Olive Center for Health — above the 250 mg/kg threshold that defines the high-polyphenol category under EU Regulation 432/2012. The difference is measurable, documented, and tasted immediately in the oil's peppery finish.
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Should I crumble the feta over the salad?
No — authentic Horiatiki places the feta as a whole thick slab on top of the dressed salad. It is then drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with oregano at the table. Crumbling feta into a salad before dressing is a departure from the original dish.
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Is this kit a good gift?
Yes — for home cooks who take ingredients seriously, for anyone who has eaten a proper Greek salad in Greece and wants to recreate it, and for Mediterranean diet enthusiasts who want to understand why the research behind that diet used specific, high-quality olive oils rather than standard supermarket EVOO.
