The faded 1967 Opel Kadett station wagon parked outside the Bakogiannis dairy shop in Ilioupoli, a southern suburb of Athens, is more than just an old car. It’s a silent sentinel, a relic of a bygone era, and a poignant tribute to Vasilis Bakogiannis, the family patriarch who once navigated the streets of the Greek capital, delivering fresh milk and yogurt door-to-door. His grandson, Giannis, now at the helm of the family business, contemplates its restoration – a project that would honor the man who, armed with little more than persistence and an unwavering faith in his craft, built an enduring legacy from humble beginnings.
The stories of Greece’s old milkmen, much like the Bakogiannis saga, often begin in the countryside. They were men raised among mountains, flocks, and sheepfolds, where the daily ritual of boiling milk transformed it into yogurt, cheese, or butter. This was a craft learned at home, a process that felt natural and inevitable, where nothing was wasted. Sheep provided the sustenance that nourished families and raised children. Vasilis Bakogiannis, at just 11 years old, walked to Athens alone from his village of Pyra in Phocis, carrying with him only the knowledge of milk. He apprenticed at a dairy shop, but the outbreak of war called him back to his village. Undeterred, he returned to Athens after peace was restored, his determination stronger than ever. In 1954, he finally opened his own small dairy shop at the very same location where the business thrives today.
At that time, Ilioupoli was a fledgling village on the outskirts of Athens. Its proximity to Mount Hymettus, where shepherds still grazed their sheep, offered Vasilis easy access to fresh milk. Yet, the local community alone couldn’t sustain his burgeoning enterprise. So, Vasilis took to the streets, first on a motorcycle, then in his trusty Opel Kadett, hawking his products across the city. This tireless effort cemented the reputation of Bakogiannis milk and yogurt.
However, as the city evolved and local flocks dwindled, Vasilis adapted. He forged new alliances with shepherds in the Geraneia Mountains, west of Athens – individuals dedicated to preserving indigenous Greek sheep breeds. These breeds, while not renowned for their prodigious milk production, offered something far more precious: unparalleled quality. And quality was Vasilis’s unwavering pursuit. He understood that embracing these native breeds meant accepting certain limitations; sheep cease producing milk for several months each year, necessitating the shop’s closure from late June until mid-October. Yet, he never once considered compromising on quality just to maintain year-round operation.
This steadfast philosophy was seamlessly passed down to his son, Giannis. In 2011, Giannis made the pivotal decision to leave his career as a mechanical engineer to safeguard and expand the family dairy shop. Having grown up immersed in the business, Giannis introduced new products, such as rice pudding, custards, chocolate milk, and ice cream, all while remaining meticulously faithful to his father’s foundational principles. Each new offering was crafted with the same dedication and care that defined the previous generation.
Fresh milk arrives daily from the mountains, undergoing rigorous inspections and certification in Megalo Pefko to guarantee its freshness. But for the Bakogiannis family, freshness alone isn’t enough. Young Vasilis, Giannis’s son and the third generation now actively involved in the business, explained their holistic approach. “We insist on indigenous breeds because we know they produce the best milk,” he affirmed. “And what matters most is that we’ve worked with the same families for decades. My grandfather started with their fathers, and we continue today with their children and grandchildren.” His words underscore a profound truth: the most crucial aspect of their work often begins far beyond the dairy workshop itself.
A Taste Worth Traveling For
The question inevitably arises: are Bakogiannis products truly worth traversing all of Athens for? The answer, unequivocally, is yes. They are pure, intensely flavorful, and obsessively crafted, a meticulous attention to detail that sets them apart.
The yogurt, in particular, has achieved near-legendary status among their clientele. Thick, rich, and crowned with the traditional creamy skin that forms naturally on top, it is made using a natural starter culture from the previous day’s yogurt. The result is an exceptional flavor profile and high nutritional value, making it one of the shop’s most coveted products, selling out consistently each day. The sheep’s milk commands an equally loyal following, especially among customers who appreciate its naturally lower lactose content.
Regulars also rave about the chocolate milk and chocolate cream dessert. Here too, the family charts its own course: instead of sugar, they use honey. The result is beloved by children, offering an indulgent flavor that also delivers substantial nutritional benefits. Crucially, nothing sold at Bakogiannis contains preservatives.
“Here, you taste milk exactly as it is when it’s milked,” young Vasilis explained as he handed me a serving of rice pudding. Freshly made and delicately trembling, with rice that still retained its texture and just enough sugar to allow the sheep’s milk flavor to shine through, it was, without exaggeration, among the finest rice puddings I have ever tasted. The vanilla custard, equally balanced and lightly perfumed, offers a comforting start to the day or a satisfying afternoon treat, imbued with a mysteriously calming quality that, while perhaps unscientific, is undeniably palpable.
The Enduring Charm of Kaimaki
I saved the ice cream for last. Whether it’s the traditional stretchy Greek kaimaki, flavored with mastic and spices, or classic vanilla, the freshly made batches that appear each afternoon feel like small, edible miracles. Giannis proudly recounted how celebrated Greek pastry chef Stelios Parliaros once singled out their kaimaki as the best in Athens. It’s easy to understand why. Perfumed with mahleb, an aromatic spice derived from wild cherry seeds, and tears of Chios mastic – the famous resin harvested exclusively on the Greek island of Chios – the ice cream delivers an authenticity of flavor that even Istanbul’s historic Greek community, known as the “Polites,” would undoubtedly envy. Even if you visit solely for the yogurt or milk, leaving without a cup of their ice cream would be a missed opportunity.
During the hours I spent at the shop, customers flowed steadily through the door. The old display refrigerator, more than 50 years old, slowly emptied. Giannis and Vasilis greeted most patrons by name, chatting warmly as if welcoming family into their home. Neither expresses any desire to relocate to a more fashionable neighborhood or to renovate the shop to project a modern image. They cherish their routine exactly as it is. And they continue to close for four full months each year, a steadfast commitment to their principles and to the generations of customers who have placed their trust in them for over seven decades. Occasionally, Giannis also makes butter – the kind that imbues pastries with the nostalgic aroma of desserts once baked by Greek grandmothers.
I have grown weary of the romanticization of the past, as if earlier times were without flaw. Yet, places like Bakogiannis restore my faith in those who move forward with stubborn devotion and purpose. I have always believed that dreamers and madmen are the ones who ultimately save the world. And standing inside the Bakogiannis dairy shop, observing three generations meticulously preserving recipes that have nourished generations of children, I found myself believing it once again.
Source: https://www.tovima.com/food/athens-dairy-shop-keeps-old-greek-flavors-alive/
