The olive fields, lemon trees, and vegetables splashed across the Greek landscape bear testimony to a rich, varied and dynamic cuisine connected to the environment. The Greek lifestyle is reflected in its cuisine – full of flavor and nothing pretentious. The fresh products which end up on Greek stoves demonstrate the care and passion that they put into their selection of raw ingredients. Greek cuisine is based on the Mediterranean diet, although it has both eastern and western influences.
Although the basic ingredients of Greek cuisine are olive oil, spices and condiments, fresh vegetables, fish and meat, Greek cuisine is so varied that there are wide-ranging differences between the various regions of the mainland as well as between the different islands.
Vegetables are a constant: Tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, green beans, onions, peppers, artichokes and spinach. The most highly valued olives are the “kalamatas”. Fish dishes are most notably eaten in coastal regions and on the islands. Lamb is the Greek’s favorite meat. It is prepared in a casserole with vegetables and during the main festivals, roast lamb is one of the most popular dishes. Lamb “pilafs” are dishes made with stewed lamb which is placed in the center of a crown of rice (“pilaf”).
Minced veal or pork is present in many dishes alongside vegetables. These dishes are scented with lemon sauce, “avgolemono” sauce (a mixture of lemon and egg) or tomato sauces seasoned with coriander, pepper and cumin. The minced meat dish par excellence is “moussaka”, a rectangular pie which combines layers of minced meat with aubergine and it is cooked au gratin with cheese. Cheese, in fact, is also highly consumed and appreciated in Greece, and there are endless types: feta, kefalotyri, kayseri and mizhitra are some of the best known.
If you visit Greece, you must be aware that there are various kinds of restaurant; there are Tavernas, which open at midday and in the evening until after midnight, serving “mezedes” – a selection of appetizers and fish sold by weight.Psistarias – bars specialized in barbecues and grilled lamb, chicken and pork dishes. Galaktopolias for breakfasts, coffee, desserts and dairy products. Zaharoplastios – bakeries with bar service. Kafeneios – cafés particularly frequented by men which symbolize the center of social life in towns. Naturally, there are also classic restaurants: three types of main dishes exist. “Mayirefta”, dishes prepared beforehand; “tsiroras”, cooked on the grill, which have a subcategory – “stakarvouna” (“instantly”) for grilled meats which are served immediately; and fish. You can choose from a wide range of dishes and wines, of which there are many categories and prices.
Right, so how about a nice pilaf or an mouthwatering moussaka?
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