Famous for her portrayal of Tracy Togs, owner of a boutique on HBO’s “True Blood,” Anastasia Ganias really wants to be known for olive oil.
“I got into the olive oil business by accident,” Ganias says. As a first-generation Greek-American, olive oil was used as a building block for every meal. “My father was raised in a Greek village, and when he passed away in 2019 I used cooking and sharing food as a coping mechanism.
”Ganias’ father, Fotios, was raised in the village of Vavouri, in a mountainous corner of Greece. The landscape is not only beautiful, it’s bountiful and is one of a handful of so-called Blue Zones around the world, where people often live 100 years or more.
“In the process of grieving and returning to my father’s roots, I began sharing the classic Greek peasant recipes with friends,” Ganias says.
Her copious online network (currently 100K+ on Instagram) and hive of actor, model, and athlete friends ate it up. But more importantly, Ganias built a community of like-minded strangers who were also healing grief with the healthy, nourishing recipes she shared.
“They kept asking me where they could get really good organic Greek olive oil.”
Ganias realized she didn’t have a great answer. With two best friends from childhood, she set out through Greece to find the right olive farm. “I wanted to work with one producer who farmed organically,” she says.
She found the ideal olive grove in Lechania, with a unique micro-climate ensuring consistent ripening, and an olive oil that can be used for cooking, drizzling, and both sweet and savory applications.
“Part of my mission is simplifying things for busy people,” she explains. “I wanted to produce one olive oil that people can use for everything. I also decided to create other pantry essentials from the same region.”
She named the line Fancy Peasant in honor of her father, who was born into a country lifestyle, and then moved to the United States at 16, where he became a doctor, and ultimately a philanthropist. Since first releasing the olive oil, Ganias says she has been overwhelmed by the sense of community she’s found.
“Every day I get emails from mothers who say Fancy Peasant has created opportunities for their families to enjoy mealtime to-gether,” she says. “To me, that’s everything.”
Ganias offers a range of giftable and pantry-ready boxes, such as the Peasant Pantry Starter Kit and the Dinner Table Essentials.
Check out Ganias’ social feed for seasonal recipes—and stay hungry, because her seasonal organic honeys and chile oil are coming next.
