Table of Contents:
MEZE.
SPREADS.
ENTREES.
VEGETABLES.
DESSERTS.
GREEK COFFEE.
Wines of Greece, Greek Beers, Greek Spirits.
You are in Greece. PLEASE, don’t eat American imports. Furthermore, as I learned from one of my guests, “Asian food here sucks”. (Probably the same as looking for saganaki in Nagasaki.) When in Greece, taste Greece!
I present a list of some of the most traditional foods and varied tastes Greece has to offer. In Athens, you will find them all. In smaller towns, you will discover some, plus local specialties.
Kalí órexi! (kah-LEE OR-ex-ee) Kali (good) Orexi (appetite) ie: Bon Appetite.
Greek Cuisine and Meze. – (meh-ZEH)
In general, small dishes, some are finger food. Also, they serve them with a glass of ouzo or raki.
Mezedes. – Small casual eateries where you can find meze.
- Olives or elies. – (el-YES) Try green, pink, plum, and black. When in Greece, taste Greece. Olives taste better in this magical land.
- Greek Cheeses. – Greek cheeses use milk from cows, sheep, goats, or a combination. For example, Kefalotyri, Graviera, Kasseri, Manouri, and Myzithra are worth trying. Also, you will not taste feta like this.
- Keftethes. – (keh-FTEH-thes) savory meatballs traditionally made with beef, garlic, and mint. Then they fry them in oil.
- Kolokythakia tiganita. – (koh-loh-kee-THAHK-yah tee-ghah-nee-TAH) Crispy zucchini strips, with a batter coating, Then they fry them in olive oil.
- Saganaki. – (sah-ghah-NAH-kee). They pan-sear Greek Cheese in a sagani pan. Note, only in America do they “flame” the cheese tableside.
Pies.
You have to love a place that serves pies at breakfast,
- Tiropitas. – (Tee-RO-pee-taare) phyllo dough triangles with a cheese and egg mixture filling.
- Spanakopita. – (spah-nah-KO-pee-tah) phyllo dough filled with spinach (spanaki) and feta cheese.
- Hortopita – Opita (pie) with a cheese and local greens (hort) filling. As greens are more commonplace, you will find more of this in the non-touristy areas.
- Dolmathakia. – (dohl-MAH-thes) Grape leaves with fillings of rice and herbs. As an entrée, they may add some meat and a lemon and egg sauce.
Are these all the Greek appetizers? Hardly. There are more appetizers than there are Greek islands. These are the traditional ones you should find on almost any menu. You can make a meal just out of appetizers.
Spreads. A taste Greece has made special.
- Fava. – A dip they make of yellow split peas. (In Greek, split peas are Fava.) (They call Fava Beans Koukia) Olive oil and onion. Moreover, chickpeas are not an ingredient, but many incorrectly call it hummus. Also, there is no garlic in Fava.
- Melitzanosalata. – (meh-leed-zah-no-sah-LAH-tah) is a dip made by roasting eggplant. You mix the eggplant with garlic, oil, and lemon juice.
- Skordalia. – (skor-thahl-YAH) a dip made with potato, olive oil, and garlic. And then MORE garlic. It also goes by the name of Greek penicillin.
- Taramosalata. – (tah-rah-moh-sah-LAH-tah) fish roe spread with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, or onion.
- Tzatziki. -(cha-CHI-key) a dip traditionally using sheep or goat milk yogurt. Then they combine this with cucumbers, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and dill.
It is not unusual to find these dips acting as an appetizer early in the meal and then as a condiment with the entree. Try them both ways and see what you think.
Greek Cuisine Entrees.
After stuffing yourself on meze, the entrees start hitting the table. Rather than retreat, you pick up your fork with enthusiasm, a crazy look on your face. One dish should be off a grill or spit. The most popular being local free-range lamb and pork, but try young goat if someone makes the offer.
- Souvlaki. – (soo-vlah-kee) Taste Greece fast food in these “little skewers” of meat, usually pork. After grilling, they serve it on pita with a sauce. Also, they do it as an entrée. In this case, a vegetable accompanies the meat.
- Paidakia. – Is lamb chops they marinate and grill. They may be a few large chops on a plate. Usually, they are a platter of thin chops a little larger than a baby back rib.
- Kleftiko. – The current cooking of this lamb dish is in parchment paper. Think lamb pot roast. Bits of lamb, potato, onion, peppers, tomato, garlic, and oregano in a slow cooking style. Fall apart goodness.
- Biftekia – These ground beef patties are similar to mini meatloaves. They add egg, soggy bread, onion, hot mustard, fresh parsley, and other seasonings to the beef. They do not put catsup on the top. However, a delicious mixture of chopped tomato, garlic, and olive oil is not unusual to find over the patty.
- Gyros. – (YEE-roh) traditionally pork or chicken, they cook it on a vertical rotisserie spit and then shave off thin strips of meat. They serve it on pita bread. Garnish includes raw tomato, onions, and tzatziki sauce.
Casserole-Like Entrees.
Layering ingredients goes back to the days of putting in whatever you could get your hands on.
- Mousaka. – (moo-sah-KAS), a casserole with layers of eggplant and spicy meat filling. Then they top it with a creamy béchamel sauce. Some call it Greek lasagna, but there is no pasta.
- Pastitsio. – (pa-STEE-tsee-oh) is Also a casserole but with layers of pasta, meat filling, and béchamel. Probably starting on Syros during the Venetian occupation, it also includes a pinch of cinnamon from the Ottoman visit. To me, this is the closest thing to a “Greek” lasagna.
Greek Cuisine Seafood.
With all the seas around, your dish will not be a “fish out of water” for very long. Of course, there are too many choices to name here (and everyone has a different recipe for them.)
Barbounia. – These small red mullet are delicious when they fry them. However, there is more picking the meat off the bone than peeling shrimp. Best to share as an appetizer, and the taste is worth the effort.
Lavraki. – Is the greek name for European sea bass. Like most local fish, they grill it with a little olive oil and lemon.
Other popular treats from the sea include Calamari (Squid) Octopus, Shrimp, Mackerel, and FRESH sardines. To taste Greece’s fresh seafood near the water is an experience.
Greek Cuisine and Vegetables.
- Yemista. – (yeh-mee-STAH) means “stuff”. As a result, they stuff tomatoes, zucchini, and bell peppers with rice, herbs, spices, pine seeds, and tomato sauce. Then they grill the red peppers. Another way is with ground meat. As a result, they usually serve it as an entrée.
- Papoutsakia. – begins with an eggplant they season and bake. They fill (stuff) the shell with a tomato-based meat sauce, cover with a cheesy bechamel sauce and then bake.
- Lahanodolmathes. – Are similar but use cabbage to “wrap” the stuffing. It is not unusual to serve them in a light broth or, sometimes, Avgolemono soup.
- Tiganites Patates. – These are not French fries. They are Greek fries. Certainly, the olive oil is part of the magic, but they also pan-fry versus deep frying. They use fresh potatoes, and the taste and texture are amazing. The tourist joints with the food pictures are serving french fries in old cooking or palm oil.
Mostly Vegetarian.
It is always wise to check on ingredients when following a strict diet or you have a food alergy.
- Horiatiki Salata. – (hoh-ree-YAH-tee-kee sah-LAH-tah) It has ripe tomatoes, red onion, cucumbers, bell pepper, olives, and feta, which they toss in olive oil. Then a drizzle of vinegar on top. With every bite, you taste Greece. Of course, we call it Greek Salad.
- Fassolakia Lathera. – (fas-oh-lak-ya lah-the-RAH) Green beans with olive oil and tomatoes.
- Horta Vrasta. – (HOR-tah vrah-STAH) boiled greens with a bit of olive oil and lemon for the dressing.
Soups.
Look for these more in northern (mountainous) areas and in the cool months.
- Fassolatha. – (fah-soh-LAH-tha) a White Bean Soup with tomato (red). Another option is with lemon juice (white version).
- Rivithia. – (reh-vee-thya) a chickpeas soup with lemon juice and olive oil.
- Avgolemono Soup. – (av-goh-leh-mon-oh sou-pah) Traditionally, a chicken soup made from chicken broth and shredded chicken with egg and lemon. Another way is with beef broth.
Many people do not think of soup when talking about greek cuisine, but they do make it. Of course, it is more popular in cooler months and the mountainous areas.
Greek Cuisine and its Sweets.
Because they WILL show up, and you WILL eat them… Just “one” bite. Moreover, how can you taste Greece and not try one dessert?
- Baklava. – (bahk-lah-VAHS). Phylo layers with a cinnamon nut filling and soaking in sweet syrup.
- Kataifi. – This dessert is similar to baklava but uses kataifi dough, which is phyllo that they shred. The result resembles Shredded Wheat in appearance.
- Loukoumades. – (loo-koo-MAH-thez). Balls of dough go into the fryer, then into honey with cinnamon.
- Bougatsa. – (boo-GHAHT-sah). Phylo layered with custard (for breakfast or dessert). Also, in the northern part of Greece, you can find savory Bougatsa for snacks.
- Galaktompoureko. – Think of a phyllo pie with bougatsa in the filling. However, the custard is thicker in this pie, and the pastry is taller. They cover it with sugar, water, lemon, and brandy syrup.
Other Greek Treats.
Not everything had phyllo or custard in it.
- Spoon Sweets. – This sugar rush is usually at the end of a meal with coffee. But more and more, I see them on breakfast buffets to spoon on bread. Think whole fruit or citrus peels that they slowly cook in sugar. Sweet like a jam, but the fruit is usually intact. And then, to throw you off, you come across a spoon sweet with a vegetable instead of fruit. I have seen a carrot spoon sweet. I did not try it.
- Yiaourti – Greek yogurt is not like what you buy in stores, even if it says Greek on the label. In Greece, it has a unique texture that is part thick, part creamy. And the flavor is just different. Nuts, honey, and spoon sweets are good accompaniments.
Meli. – The Greek word for honey. Is it different than honey anywhere else? I don’t think so. But they use it in place of sugar in many more recipes than in other countries. With yogurt, in Baklava, well, probably in half the Greek desserts and bakery goods.
An assortment of Greek Desserts.
This is only a small selection of traditional sweets and desserts. Each town and each grandmother has its own traditional recipe, and all are correct.
Greek Coffee.
Indeed, no discussion about Greek Cuisine would be complete without mentioning Greek Coffee (Ellinikós kafes). In addition to the type of bean (Arabic), there is the roast (light.) Even the fine grind contributes to the unique flavor of Greek coffee.
PREPARING.
Another difference includes boiling it in a small pan called a briki instead of seeping. Consequently, the boiling creates the three parts of a Greek Coffee:
- The grounds (dregs), which you need to let settle to the bottom of the cup.
- The liquid coffee, strong and thick.
- The kaimaki (kaee-MAH-kee), the creamy foam that forms on the top.
The traditional way to serve coffee is straight (black) in a demitasse. This small cup holds 2-3 oz of coffee or espresso. You can also enjoy coffee sweet. However, you need to let them know when you order as they boil the sugar with the coffee.
- Sketos. – (SKEH-tohss) unsweetened.
- Oligi. – (o-LI-ɡee) ½ teaspoon sugar for half-sweet.
- Metrios. – (MEHT-ree-ohss) 1 teaspoon of sugar for medium.
- Glykys. – (ghlee-KOHSS) 2 teaspoons of sugar for sweet. In other words, think glucose spikes with all this sugar.
During the boiling, no stirring takes place so that the foam can form. When ready, they pour the coffee quickly into your small cup.
DRINKING.
If you learn nothing else from this explanation, at least remember this part.
To begin with, let the coffee SIT for a minute or two. This sitting allows the grounds (still in there) to settle.
Then, SIP the coffee. Please do not confuse it with an espresso shot.
Also, when you have sipped down to the grounds – STOP sipping!!!
You do not gulp down Greek coffee; you savor it. In other words, if all you need is quantities of caffeine, most restaurants will have hot espresso, cappuccino, or Nescafe. It is the closest thing to American coffee.
Caffè Americano is an espresso with hot water added. I would stick to a hot Nescafe.
When ordering a cold espresso or cappuccino, say Freedo – (free-do) first, i.e., freedo espresso.
For a cold coffee, you order another Greek treat, a Frappe.
It consists of instant coffee shaken with ice giving you a chilled (iced) coffee with foam. Like Greek coffee, you order your sugar, and in this case, also milk.
- With milk: me gala.
- Without milk: horis i gala.
For instance, if you want a frappe with mild sugar and milk, you would say: “Frappe Oligi me gala.” (Frappe, sugar, milk).
Greek Cuisine by Region.
MAINLAND GREECE.
PELOPONNESE PENINSULA.
GREEK ISLANDS
CYCLADES.
DODECANESE
IONIAN.
NORTH AEGEAN
SARONIC.
SPORADES
GREEK ISLANDS – OTHER
Other Greek Cuisine Resources.