Cretans are masters at taking a few simple ingredients and turning them into something magical, says Fiona Faulkner....

I asked Koula what makes Cretan food so special. The answer? Olive oil. "People don't realise that we consume more olive oil per person here than any other country in the Mediterranean – three times more than Italy, for example. Here it's considered as nutritious as a mother's milk. Because of the economic crisis, there is less money. But nearly everyone owns some land, so we are a self-sufficient culture – for the basics at least. But the basics include olive oil, the freshest of vegetables, and wine. The economy has made us appreciate what we have even more."