Enjoy the Greek Culinary Delights and Gastronomic Customs

Greek Cuisine and Food Culture

Greece is located in the southern Balkan Peninsula of Southeastern Europe, which covers a total area of 50,962 square miles. The population of the country numbers around 10 million and the capital and largest city is Athens. The basic monetary unity is the drachma. The Greek soul is spiritually nourished by the mystically dazzling landscape of endless blue skies, the clarity of a strong white sun, and the warmth of rustic red earth. The Greek Traditional Cuisine has attracted many foreigners like a magnet.

Greek cuisine is typically Mediterranean. It has characteristics similar to the cuisines of Southern France, Italy, the Balkans, Anatolia and the Middle East. Olive oil holds a major place in Greek cuisine which is produced from the trees prominent throughout the region. Wheat is the basic grain. Important vegetables include tomato, aubergine (also called eggplant), potato, green beans, okra, green peppers, and onions. Honey is mainly flower-honey from the nectar of fruit and citrus trees like lemon, orange and bigarade trees, thyme honey and pine honey from conifer trees. Matic (harvested for its aromatic resin) is grown on the Aegean island of Chios.

There are Greek Dishes which have been influenced by Turkish Cuisine. Typical Greek food is simple, colorful and packed with robust flavors.

Appetizers and Party Food Greek Garlic Dip (skordalia) Greek Fried Cheese (saganaki) Tiropetes (cheese-filled triangles)

Soups and Stews Faki Soupa (greek lentil soup) Greek Lentil Soup (soupa fakez) Greek Easter Soup with Avgolemeno Sauce

Greek Spices & Special Ingredients

While the main ingredients of Greek cooking are basic and few – olive oil, honey, yoghurt, fresh fruits and vegetables, lamb and fish – the manner in which they are prepared seems to have an endless variety and taste. There is also an additional delight, pretty much unique to Greece, of being invited into the kitchen to view the offerings and make your selection. There is as well a wonderful benefit that the Greek Diet provides, whether you eat meat or are vegan: it is arguably the healthiest diet on the planet as well as user-friendly to those who want to eat well while not having to worry about putting on weight.

Here food is nearly always prepared with the tastes of the guests in mind. The preparation of overall course of the food is closely monitored in Greek cuisine and food culture. For the lovers of sea food you will find a lot of fresh fish, octopus and squid. All of the Greek food goes very well with Greek wine either white, roze, red, the traditional white wine (retsina), ouzo or tsipouro. Greek cuisine also offers sweets like, baklava, milk pie, bougatsa, kataifi and many more. For those that prefer more natural tastes try Greek fruits like red water melon, yellow melon, pears, grapes, figs and many more.

Main Dish Seafood Greek Shrimp Greek Style Shrimp Garides Me Feta (shrimp with feta cheese)

Sauces and Condiments Greek Seasoning Blend Skorthalia (garlic sauce)

Greek Specialty Cookwares and Kitchen Appliances

Greek food preparation doesn't require many specialty utensils, but it does demand durable items for the tasks common to many dishes. But there are some items that might make your experience with Greek cooking a bit easier, more convenient, or authentic. For preparing Greek cuisine there are a number of cooking utensils used by this community to meld the ingredients into a delectable meal. The Greek-leaning kitchenware and utensils ease the cooking experience by making the food's creation more convenient and, sometimes, more authentic. Here are some of the utensils used in Greek cooking are herb cutter, olive platter, olive oil cans, cheese graters, mortar and pestle, spice grater, pastry brushes, straight rolling pin and honey dipper.

Salads and Dressings Greek Goddess Salad Athenian Salad (salata athenas) Greek Hot Potato Salad Greek Salad Greek Salad Dressing Greek Twirls Salad Horiatiki (greek country salad) Xoriatiki (greek village salad)

Main Dish Meats Beef and Onion Stew (stifado) Moussaka Greek Beef Over Zucchini Greek Meatballs Beef with Thyme and Oregano Butter Traditional Greek Lamb in Egg Lemon Sauce

Main Dish Poultry Chicken Gyros with Dill Sauce Chicken with Tomatoes & Olives (kotopoulo me tomatoes kai elies) Cinnamon Chicken (kota kapama) Greek Chicken Greek Chicken Phyllo Pie Greek Chicken with Artichokes (kottopoulo me anginares) Greek Chicken with Rice Kotopoulo Me Elies (chicken casserole with olives) Revanie (yogurt cake) Zesty Chicken Oregano (kotopoulo me riganates skaras)

Rice, Pasta and Grain Dishes Greek Spaghetti Greek-Style Lasagna Pastitsio (baked macaroni) Greek Pasta Sauce Greek Rice with Feta Rice with Garbanzos & Currants Baked Macaroni with Beef and Cheese (pasticcio)

Vegetable Side Dishes Artichoke-Parmesan Phyllo Bites Kolokythia Krokettes (zucchini pancakes) Athenian Stuffed Peppers Greek Croustade Greek Spaghetti Imam Bayaldi (stuffed eggplant) Spinach with Lemon Dressing (horta) Spanakopita (spinach-cheese pie) spinach with rice (spanakouzo) Spanakorizo (spinach with rice) Tomato Pilaf Tzatziki Stuffed Grape Leaves (dolmades)

Quick and Yeast Breads Greek Sesame Bread Greek Trinity Loaf Paximadia (zwieback) Greek Butter Biscuits (koulourakia voutirou)

Pastries and Desserts Honey Curls Almond Baklava Apple Baklava Apple Rum Baklava Apricot Baklava Baklava Cheese and Honey Pie Greek Cinnamon-Nut Sticks Greek Honey Cream Greek Rice Pudding Greek Saint Fanourios Cake (fanouropita) Honey Cookies (traditional greek christmas cookies) Greek Walnut Cake Hawaiian-Style Baklava Koulourakia (greek butter twist) Melomacarina (greek cookies) Rolled Baklava Pontica (orange cake in syrup) Strava Galaktoboureko Melomakarouna - Honey Cookies Stuffed with Dates and Nuts