GREECE - A CULINARY JOURNEY

In the greek shoreline, food is a ritual of its own.

Food nourishes more than just the body. It sustains us, transforming us energetically and filling a deep human need for connection, comfort, indulgence and delight. In the greek shoreline, food is a ritual of its own. It’s one that invites a slow, easy pace and leisurely hours under the sun, picking up energy throughout the day and transforming into a nightly celebration.

Food is directly connected to our memories.

Philoxenia (or hospitality) is integral to Greek food culture; food is meant to be shared in good company around a full table. Here, eating is just as much about the social aspect as about sustenance itself.

That is mainly why, when you order food in Greece, it is put in the middle of the table. Everything is meant to be shared (meze).

Greek food is rooted in Eastern Mediterranean cooking traditions, and I had the pleasure to have found an extraordinary braiding in inspirations also from around the world. I’ve been experiencing dishes that meld the bounty of the surrounding Greek islands with cooking techniques from afar. Food that loosely embraces an eclectic mix of different cultures.

The Greek cuisine, of course, has much in common with that of its Turkish neighbours, and the long domination of the Ottoman Empire deeply influenced not only the style of cooking but also the very way meals are consumed in Greece. In the Ionian Islands, as on the mainland, dining is all about meze, lots of little taster plates to be shared convivially by friends and all the family - Greeks expect children, however young, to accompany their parents.

The strategic position of the Ionian Islands off the west coast of Greece at the base of the Adriatic Sea has brought invaders, traders and culinary traditions from all over the Mediterranean basin. Even Venetian influences can be found in the type of dishes.

As one would expect from an archipelago, fresh fish and seafood are plentiful. In the interior of the islands, fish is less common but not missed, thanks to the abundance of lamb, cheese, and a host of locally grown vegetables. Indeed, vegetarians are generally well catered for thanks to the islands’ wonderfully tasty vegetables, which are transformed into numerous dishes, including:

kolikitho keftedes (courgette fritters)
psitalaxanaka (grilled vegetables)
maroulli salata (lettuce, spring onion and dill salad)
melitzana sto fourno (roast aubergine with tomatoes and feta)
kritama (rock samphire salad)

The whole nature of a Greek meal differs compared to a northern European culinary experience. Each dish is invested with time, care, slowness and generosity — the same principles that go into enjoying them. These are time-honored Greek family traditions that have a permanent home in the authentic greek kitchens. Meze starters and large feasting platters are geared towards trying a little bit of everything, versus sticking with one individual portion. It’s difficult to stay strangers for long, if you’re breaking bread with new companions and heartily digging into a shared feast.

TOP DISHES TO TRY IN THE GREEK ISLANDS

Starters

Taramosalata - a fish roe dip made with garlic, onion, oil and lemon juice
Tzatziki - a garlic and yogurt dip with cucumber and occasionally carrot
Melitzanosalata - an aubergine dip made with garlic, onions, lemon juice and oil
Tirokafteri - a spicy cheese dip made with feta, yogurt and peppercorns
Skordalia - for serious garlic lovers! This dip is made from mashed potato and garlic and often served as an accompaniment to fish
Dolmades - stuffed vine leaves often served with an egg and lemon sauce
Tiropita - cheese pie made with filo pastry
Spanokopita - spinach and feta cheese pie made with filo pastry
Saganaki - deep fried cheese served with a wedge of lemon
Gigantes - butter beans cooked in a tomato sauce
Kolokithakia - deep fried courgettes
Melitzana - deep fried aubergines

Main courses

Mousaka - layers of aubergine or potato & minced meat topped with béchamel sauce
Papoutsakia - baked aubergines filled with minced meat and topped with cheese
Pastitsio - macaroni and minced meat in tomato sauce topped with béchamel sauce
Keftethes - meatballs flavoured with garlic and herbs
Stifado - meat stew flavoured with red wine, garlic, bay leaves, onion & tomato
Yemista - stuffed vegetables, mostly tomatoes or peppers. Sometimes the filling includes mince but not always. Check before you order if you are vegetarian
Yuvetsi - lamb and very small pasta pieces cooked in a dish, topped with a tomato sauce, baked in the oven
Kleftiko - lamb with vegetables, slow-cooked in a parcel or stone dish
Souvlaki - grilled pork or chicken kebabs on a skewer with tomatoes and peppers

Desserts

Baklava - layers of filo pastry with chopped walnuts, cinnamon and topped with honey syrup
Kadiafi - resembling shredded wheat; it is filled with almonds, cinnamon and topped with honey syrup
Galaktobouriko - milk custard pie with slight orange flavour enclosed in filo pastry and dusted with cinnamon
Halva - a very traditional sweet made with wheat, olive oil and almonds
Yaorti - yogurt served with walnuts and honey
Karidopita - walnut sponge cake soaked in syrup
Ravani - sponge cake soaked in syrup and sprinkled with walnuts

Greece also stands out for its wine production. Greek wines are among the most interesting realities in winemaking today. In recent decades, Greece has experienced a renaissance in the production of high quality wines, earning a prominent place on the international stage.

Greece has a Mediterranean climate that is dry, arid and windy. The Cyclades Islands are characterized by volcanic soils and schist rocks that impart minerality to the wines. The regions around the capital Athens, are the most productive wine-growing areas nationwide. The climate is among the warmest and driest in the nation, ideal traits for high yields. But there is certainly no absence of quality: this is where Savatiano production is concentrated. The Greek Savatiano variety is an aromatic white wine that combines the sweet flavor of honey with the refreshing acidity of lime and green apple.We also find Assyrtiko, which is one of the most popular Greek products and recognized wine varieties in Greece and can be found all across the country since its production is not limited to one specific region but rather covers the majority of the land.

Contemporary taste also rewards the production of passito wines, which is quite extraordinary in Greece.