National cuisine of Greece. What to try from traditional Greek cuisine. What dishes to try in Greece

She made an invaluable contribution to European culture. Literature, architecture, philosophy, history, other sciences, state system, laws, art and myths of ancient greece laid the foundation for modern European civilization. Greek gods known all over the world.

Greece today

Holidays in Greece

Property in Greece

Russian Greece

Greek cuisine, national and local: what to cook and where to eat. Recipes, cooking methods, snacks, desserts, hot dishes and drinks of Greece.

• Tours for May to Greece
• Hot tours to Greece

Greek cuisine is tradition plus olives, feta cheese, wine, as well as a lot of vegetables, seafood and meat. All this generously seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, rigani and other spices has a divine taste. Perhaps this is not least due to the fact that the Greeks practically do not produce products for export - everything is just for themselves. The meal in the life of the Greeks has long occupied a very important place. For them, this is both rest, and communication, and the whole life. Dinner is the time when the whole family gathers, business is discussed and, where without it, politics.

Where and what to eat

You can eat inexpensively and tasty in the tavern: a wide selection of dishes from meat, fish and vegetables. Here you can taste the famous "moussaka" - eggplant, potatoes and minced meat, laid in layers under bechamel sauce or "pastizio" - pasta with minced meat under the same sauce. As well as numerous snacks and salads: "melizanosalata" - a salad of baked eggplant, "tzatzyki" - thick yogurt with cucumbers and garlic.

To prepare moussaka for eight you will need: 500 gr eggplant, 800 gr minced meat, 500 gr potatoes, 500 gr zucchini, 250 gr tomatoes, 500 gr sour cream, 150 gr grated cheese, 5 ml of white wine, as well as salt, pepper, garlic and oregano to taste. Tomatoes need to be cut into circles 1 cm thick. Fry eggplants, potatoes and zucchini in hot oil until golden brown. Dry them so that the dish is not very greasy. Stew onions and minced meat with wine and tomatoes. At the end, add salt, pepper, garlic and oregano. Next, lay out the layers of potatoes, eggplant and zucchini in a pan, sprinkle with grated cheese and lay out a layer of ground meat, repeat this several times. The more layers this dish has, the tastier it is. At the end, the dish is covered with sour cream and sprinkled with the remaining cheese. Bake at 200 degrees until the dish is golden brown.

Whether the tourist wants it or not, he will still try feta sheep cheese sooner or later. And absolutely not in vain! Delicious cheese usually served with rustic salad (horiatiki lettuce, and in our opinion the same "Greek salad") - cut into large slices fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, Green pepper, onions and olives. Many taverns will offer "specialites" - dishes of the cuisine of the Greek islands, Asia Minor cuisine and even ancient Greek.

To prepare pasticio for 4 people, you need to take 250 g of pasta, 6 teaspoons of olive oil, 1 onion, 1 clove of garlic, 500 g of ground beef, 1 cup of broth, 2 tsp. tomato paste, 2 tbsp. l. butter, 2 tbsp. l. flour, 2 cups milk and 1/2 cup yogurt, 200 gr grated kefalotiri cheese, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp mint, and salt and pepper to taste. First you need to boil the pasta and rinse them. Now let's start preparing the bolognese sauce. Heat oil in a frying pan and fry finely chopped onion and grated garlic. Next, fry the meat in the same pan. When browned, add broth tomato paste, cinnamon, mint, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until the liquid has evaporated. Next up is the bechamel sauce. Melt butter. Add flour and keep on fire for about a minute. Then, while stirring, gradually pour in the milk and yogurt. Leave on the stove for another 5 minutes. Now we mix everything. On a baking sheet, greased with butter and sprinkled with breadcrumbs, put half of the pasta, sprinkle with cheese, then add the bolognese sauce, cheese again and the second half of the pasta. Pour everything with bechamel sauce. Sprinkle melted butter and sprinkle with cheese. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for about 40 minutes.

In fish taverns (psarotaverna), as you might guess, you can taste very delicious fish: fried, steamed, boiled, or, most often, grilled. Here you can try other seafood: oysters, mussels, octopuses. Fish taverns, as a rule, are located near the coast or harbor, a dinner for two will cost 30-50 EUR.

In inexpensive psistaria taverns, only meat fried on coals or skewer is served: pork chops (“brizola”), lamb ribs(“paidakya”), chicken (“kotopulo”), cutlets (“bifteki”). For lunch here you will have to pay around 10-15 EUR for two.

The secret to making authentic Greek tzatzyki. You will need 500 gr of thick yogurt, 1 head of garlic, 1 large cucumber, 1 bunch of dill, 1 tsp. wine vinegar, 1 tsp olive oil, salt, black pepper, mint. Grate the cucumber and move with yogurt, crushed garlic, chopped mint, olive oil, wine vinegar and other seasonings. Mix everything thoroughly and leave in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Tzatziki should be served cold.

Barbecue (suvladzidiko) - a small tavern where they usually offer takeaway dishes: shish kebab (suvlaki) in Greek pita. Yes, yes, something like our shawarma. In uzeri, you can try a lot of snacks (“mezedes”), which are served with ouzo - Greek aniseed vodka. It is usually diluted with water, which makes it white.

And the Greeks are very fond of french fries!

Almost no Greek dish is complete without olive oil. One of the best pressed in the Peloponnese, in the region of Kalamata. The famous Kalamata olives are also grown there. Olive oil is the first cold pressed (Extra virgin, the best), refined oil (Refined, or Pour) and oil from the pits of olives (Pomace).

Previous photo 1/ 1 Next photo

desserts

Greek yogurt (10% fat), which is made from whole cow, sheep or goat milk no added preservatives. Thick, extremely nutritious and healthy, yogurt is used both as a delicacy with honey and nuts, and as a dressing for salads.

As well as many other sweets, mostly flour. Vasilopita is a pie that is prepared on the eve of the New Year. And, of course, baklavas (baklava) and loukoumades.

True Greek loukoumades starts with the right ingredients. For the test, you will need 650 grams of flour, 1 glass of water, 1 tbsp. l. yeast, 40 g sugar, 10 g salt, vegetable oil. For syrup - 2 cups sugar, 1 cup honey, 1 cup water, 1/2 tsp. vanilla, cinnamon. Now mix flour and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the flour and pour in the yeast diluted in warm water. Knead the dough, add more if necessary warm water to make it neither thick nor runny. Cover the dough with a towel and place in a warm place to ferment. When the dough is ready, it will rise and bubbles should appear on the surface. Pour a large amount into a deep saucepan or frying pan. vegetable oil and set on fire. With wet hands, remove the dough from the bowl, divide into small pieces of equal size, giving them the shape of balls. Then throw one at a time into the oil. Once the donuts are golden brown, take them out with a slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet. Before serving, the dish is poured abundantly with syrup made from sugar, honey and water, and sprinkled with cinnamon on top.

Beverages

The main alcoholic drink of the country is crayfish - grape vodka with a tart aftertaste.

Greek wines, which, unfortunately, you can hardly find in Russia:

• retsina (Greek "resin") - the most famous and ancient Greek wine. To date, this is the only wine that has the aroma and taste of resin. This is a white or pink drink with a strength of 11.5 °. Drink chilled, served with snacks
• assyrtiko - one of the most refined Greek varieties white grapes, "King of Santorini"
• muscat (it is worth trying the muscat wine of the island of Samos, which can be bottle-aged for decades, one of the finest wines in the world)
• Robola is a wonderful grape variety from the Ionian Islands. After a late harvest, the Robola variety produces strong, high-alcohol wines. From less mature grapes sparkling wine With pleasant aroma and lemon flavor
• savatiano - the most common variety
• moschofilero ( pink variety grapes) is distinguished by its lightness and floral aroma. It is worth trying the wine of the Mantinea brand (a city located in the very center of the Peloponnese)
• agiorgitiko (red grape variety)
• Mandilaria is a popular red grape variety that produces wines of exceptionally rich color.

Other common Greek wines are naoussa (red), rapsani (red), tsantali (red and white), nemea (dry red), mantinia (dry white with fruity aroma).

Note to housewives

Having tried all these wines, in the morning you will most likely have to resort to "patsas". Patsas soup is not a tourist dish, it is not cooked in hotels and tourist places. However, it is an essential traditional dish. Greek cuisine(Which saves well after a stormy night of drinking). Establishments serving patsas are called patsadzidiko (usually open around the clock). The oldest patzatzidikos are found in Thessaloniki and Athens (for example, at the central market).

Patsas' homeland is Constantinople (now Istanbul), translated from Turkish means "belly, entrails", from which the soup is prepared. Classically, it is made from lamb stomachs, you can also use beef, lamb or goat legs, with garlic sauce or without it. Let's try to cook patsas of beef legs with garlic sauce (skordostupi, or scordoksido).

If the hostess decides to cook patsas, she should have 2 beef legs on hand (for a 6-liter pan), 2 glasses of wine vinegar, 2-3 cloves of garlic, salt, pepper and, of course, water. Wash the legs thoroughly and immerse them for an hour in water with vinegar. Pour fresh water into the pan, immerse the legs. As soon as the water boils, drain and fill the pot again with fresh water, but not cold. Bring to a boil, skimming frequently. Turn off the gas and continue to cook for about 4 hours. Salt in the middle of cooking. As soon as the legs are cooked, remove them from the broth, remove the bones, finely chop the meat. For the sauce: crush 2-3 cloves of garlic and add 1-2 tablespoons of vinegar. Put finely chopped meat with a spoonful of fast access into a plate and pour hot broth, add pepper to taste.

Greek dishes are nutritious and easy to prepare from natural products. There are always bread, cheese and olives on the tables, as well as Greeksauce , which includes mashed cucumber, yogurt and chives. Greek cuisine is pasta different dishes, which include various vegetables, and cold snacks from small fish and crabs.

Quite often, a Turkish dish is presented as national, due to the proximity to the Ottoman state, under the influence of which, among other things, the traditions of Greek cuisine were formed. This also applies to desserts that resemble oriental sweets. They always put almonds, pistachios, walnuts. Truly national are considered air cake from semolina ravani and baklava, (baklava ). It is especially pleasant to eat them with a cup of Turkish coffee, which is brewed in a Turk.

Greek, like any Mediterranean cuisine, contains recipes based on fish and seafood.Especially revered in the country delicious squid, they are fried in olive oil previously rolled in flour. The mussels freshly caught in the sea, which are then cooked in tomato sauce, have an excellent taste, and juicy meat octopus fried with herbs on coals.The Mediterranean diet is considered very popular, which consists in the use of olive oil, honey and starchy foods. The Mediterranean type of diet reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.Psarotavernas (Greek fish taverns) prepare delicious food from fresh catch. Here you can taste fried and baked fish, stewed and stuffed, dried and smoked, pickled and salted, etc. The menu always contains the most popular dishes from:

• squid with cheese filling, which are baked on coals;
• grilled shrimp;
• steamed mussels;
• lobsters with spaghetti.

Where without meat

The national cuisine of Greece is not complete without meat food. Dishes are prepared from lamb and pork, beef and poultry. Greek meat dishes are a lot like international food, butit hasits own characteristics

Little skewers - receive special taste thanks to the marinade in which chicken or pork meat is aged.

Meat with bone grilled, just like lamb ribs paidakya.

Greek shawarma sounds likeGreekhow , and minced meat cutlets - .

Meat with vegetables clay pots in Greek is , and rabbit stew - .

But the most famous Greek dish is considered .

The classic moussaka recipe for four calls for:

250 g eggplant

400 g minced lamb

250 g potatoes, the same amount of zucchini

125 g tomatoes

250 g sour cream

75 g grated cheese

2.5 ml white wine.

Salt, pepper, garlic and oregano are added to taste.

Tomatoes are cut into circles about 1 cm thick. In olive oil until golden brown fry eggplant, potatoes and zucchini and spread on a napkin to remove excess fat. Onions, tomatoes and minced meat are stewed with wine and (at the end) salt, pepper, garlic and oregano. All cooked vegetable Greek products are laid out in layers on a deep baking sheet, ending with minced meat and grated cheese, several times. At the same time, it is important to observe the principle: more layers - a tastier dish. The topmost layers will be sour cream and grated cheese. For baking moussaka to a golden hue in the oven, a temperature of 200°C.

In addition to the traditional dish, there is the preparation of moussaka from vegetables. Its taste will be appreciated by adherents of low-calorie food.

Fruit and vegetable mosaic

The geographical position of Greece favors the cultivation of fruits and vegetables in favorable conditions. Therefore, it is impossible to imagine traditional Greek dishes without abundance vitamin products. Eggplants and olives, artichokes and tomatoes, cucumbers and green beans, onions and peppers - this is an incomplete list of vegetable varieties that are used in the preparation of delicious dishes. Herbal mixtures, spices and spices are generously added to food - cinnamon with basil, white pepper with nutmeg. Vegetables are stewed, baked, eaten in abundance fresh.

The famous Greek saladhoriatiki:

made up of chopped fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, red onions. Olives, dried oregano and olive oil. After salting the composition and mixing, chopped pieces of feta cheese are placed on top of it, the recipes of many dishes in Greece contain this product.

Eggplant dishes are also held in high esteem by the inhabitants of Hellas. This vegetable is found in many complex recipes and not just vegetables. Here are some of them:

eggplant vegetable cutlets include tomatoes, mushrooms, zucchini and mutton peas;

fried eggplant -melizanes tiganites

baked eggplant -melizana psiti , which includes feta cheese and tomatoes.

Feta

Recipes with feta cheese, made from sheep's milk and then stored in special wooden barrels, allow guests to enjoy a great product in numerous salads: this cheese is salty, and you can’t eat a lot of it alone. It is also included in recipes.meze - traditional hot and cold snacks, which are certainly present on the table of the Greeks, as well as in the cuisine of Cyprus.

One of the easy recipesmezecontains:

olives with a piece of feta in the middle, sprinkled with oregano and seasoned with olive oil. Served with bread.

By the way, olive oil, without which the national cuisine of Greece is indispensable, is called in the country none other than Greek oil.

Greek drinks of the god of winemaking Dionysus

Vast plantations of vineyards make it possible to produce many varieties of wine in Greece. They are little known to Russian gourmets, so it is a must to taste the local tart product during your vacation.

The most popular wines are:

1. Retsina - white or rosé wine with a taste of pine resin. It is served chilled with appetizers.
2. moschato - sweet muscat, which is released on the island of Samos. This wine has a delicate taste and aroma.
3. Nemea andrapsani dry red wines.
4. Robola - strong white wine with an unforgettable aroma. Sparkling wines with a pleasant aroma and lemon flavor are produced from unripe grapes.
5. Savatiano considered the most common grape variety from whichwine bright, rich, fragrant taste the same name.

Used by Greeks and more strong alcohol. The visiting card of the country has becomemetaxa , A 40-degree drink does not have an exact definition, since it merged together taste qualities cognac and brandy. And the wines of Cyprus can boast of a sweet strong drinkcommandaria .

Of the other strong wines in Greece, it is customary to drinkouzo - anise vodka, which is diluted with water, and crayfish - grape vodka with a tart taste.

What's for dessert?

In the tradition of Greek cuisine - the consumption of desserts. Greek yogurt is 10% fat. It is made from cow, sheep or goat milk without the inclusion of preservatives. Nutritious and useful product consumed with honey and nuts, they are also seasoned with salads.

The indispensable sweetness of the Greeks is considered orbaklava.

It requiresphyllo dough - a kind of puff option

For 500 g of filo you will need - 150 ml of melted butter

up to 5 cups ground walnuts

100 g sugar

2 tbsp. l. lemon juice

50 ml water

1.5 st. l. honey.

Lubricate the baking dish with oil and spread 1 sheet of filo, on it - nut filling, to which you need to add orange zest, cinnamon and nutmeg. And so several times until the end of the test, the sheet of which crowns the pie blank. Lubricated with butter or sweet water, her for 75 min. sent to heated up to 170°Coven.

Ready and cooled baklava is cut into rhombuses and poured with hot syrup.

It is boiled for 4 minutes. from water, sugar and lemon juice, remove from heat and add honey.

Greek recipes with photos will also help Russian housewives cook amazing food for residentsHellas.

It is easy to plan a family vacation in Greece: in the morning and in the afternoon - the beach, during the hot hours - sleep, and in the afternoon and evening - a meal in a tavern and an attempt to decide which national dish of Greece is the most delicious.

Children can also take part in the discussions, as the traditional cuisine of this country is suitable for children's stomachs. Kidpassage has collected all the information about what you need to try while traveling to Hellas and what to feed your child.

The specifics of Greek cuisine

Greek cuisine has absorbed all the traditions of Mediterranean cooking: it generously uses fresh vegetables, spices, olive oil, seafood.

The cooking methods that the Greeks prefer make food healthy and healthy, which is so important for children's nutrition. And Greek cuisine has its own secrets, thanks to which simple, unsophisticated dishes have a special taste.

The first secret of the national cuisine of Greece is in a set of herbs and spices. garlic, onion, Bay leaf, oregano, thyme, basil, thyme, dill, mint, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves - not a complete list.

The second secret is vegetables and legumes warmed by the Greek sun: tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, zucchini, green bean, nut.

The third is the frequent use of cheeses from sheep and goat milk in dishes: feta, manuri, halloumi, kefalotiri, kaseri and others.

Fourth - the widespread use of goat and lamb in cooking meat dishes; pork, beef and poultry are also used.

Fifth - love for fresh fish and seafood dishes.

Sixth - ways of processing products that retain maximum nutritional properties. The most commonly used is baking; there are also many boiled and stewed dishes.

And the last of the secrets is the reverent attitude of the Greeks to olive oil. The oil is often pressed on its own, by hand, and its taste depends not only on the method of preparation, but even on the region where the olives grew.

In Greece, only olive oil is used for frying food.

To taste traditional Greek dishes, you should bypass tourist-oriented establishments with local dishes. Real Greek cuisine is in those taverns where Greeks gather in the evenings with their families to have a hearty dinner and chat.

National dishes of Greece

Let's start praising the national food of Greece not with meat, fish or vegetables, but with marvelous Greek olives. Large and dark fruits of the “kalamon” variety, small green “halkidiki” with an oily sheen, dried olives from the island of Thassos - the Greeks themselves grow olives and salt and pickle them themselves.

Each tavern has its own recipes and secret knowledge, what herbs to put in the marinade and what to put in fruits instead of seeds.

Yogurt- product number 2 in the list of national food in Greece. It is made from cow's, and more often from sheep's milk. Greek yogurt has a thick consistency and is similar to soft cheese. It is added to salads and pastries, used for stewing and baking, and ice cream is prepared on its basis.

Often yogurt topped with honey or fruit syrup is served as a dessert. By the way, the same healthy sweetness you can make your own from soft anfotiro cheese, reminiscent of homemade cottage cheese.

Well, now let's talk about the most popular dishes that are prepared everywhere in Greece:

• Moussaka- eggplant casserole with meat, often lamb, with bechamel sauce.
• Stifado- stewed meat in a thick onion sauce.
• Kleftiko- lamb cooked in a clay pot.
• pastitsio- pasta casserole with meat, cheese and egg.
• Paputsakya - stuffed with meat eggplant.
• Gemista- Peppers or tomatoes stuffed with minced meat.
• Lukanika Horiatika- homemade sausages, in which, in addition to meat, various other products are added. Among the unusual additives are oranges or olives.
• souvlaki- small skewers on wooden skewers.
• Pites- puff pastry pies different fillings: with cheese and spinach (spanakopita), with meat (creatopita), with cheese (tiropita). At Christmas they prepare a special sweet pie vasilopita.
• Dolma- cabbage rolls in grape leaves.

A complete list of dishes would be much longer, but we have selected those dishes that are suitable for baby food. When deciding what to try from Greek cuisine, consider the characteristics of the preparation of different dishes.

Offer children boiled, stewed, baked foods, and try to avoid fried foods.

How to whet the appetite

A typical Greek meal begins with appetizers, which are called "meze" in Greece. This concept includes light vegetable dishes. Here are just a few of the most popular snacks.

• Tzadzyki- yoghurt sauce with garlic and grated cucumber, which can be spread on bread or picked up with crispy skordopsomo croutons.
• Melizanosalata- caviar from baked eggplants.
• Dolmadacya- grape leaves rolled up in an envelope and prepared in a special way.
• Hummus - gentle puree from chickpeas with the addition of oil and spices.
• Keftedes- meatballs from zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, mushrooms.

All this is unusually tasty, but still it is only a warm-up before the main course. We do not recommend leaning on snacks, because a large portion of the main course is waiting for you.

If you are not too hungry or have a meal with a child, you can order one serving for two or three people. And if you are very hungry - order different dishes for everyone to try a little of everything.

Greek salads

Salads in Greece are also a kind of snacks. But sometimes such an appetizer can replace lunch, since salads, in addition to vegetables, often include cheese (feta, mizifra).

The famous Greek salad (in Greece it is called “village” - lettuce horiatiki), you must try it: firstly, these are fresh vegetables, secondly, delicate feta cheese soaked in tomato juice, coarsely chopped sweet onions, elastic oily olives - it’s just extraordinarily tasty.

Dakos- a popular salad in Crete. It is made from finely chopped tomatoes and mizithra cheese seasoned with olive oil, oregano and basil. Dakos is served on a piece of toasted bread.

Angurodomata- a salad for picky children. It consists of tomatoes, cucumbers and sweet red onions. There are no unfamiliar seasonings and cheeses in it.

Horta- a traditional dish in Greece. It is prepared from young dandelion leaves and chicory. Dressing is olive oil and lemon.

Dishes from fish and seafood

Fish dishes are best ordered in taverns on the coast - this guarantees the freshness of the product. In such places, it is customary for the visitor to choose the fish and seafood for the dish.

The easiest way to cook is roasting on charcoal, but there are a huge number of recipes. To help you navigate the menu, here are the names of the most popular dishes:

• xtapodi sharas- grilled octopus tentacles;
• kalamaria yemista me tiri- baked squids;
• midya akhnista- steamed mussels.

Dishes to try for kids

What to offer a child from hearty food? First of all, of course, delicious moussaka. For lovers of homemade meatballs, order fragrant keftedes or suzukakya meatballs, which are great with baked vegetables as a side dish.

Stifado or cokinisto stew is paired with potatoes or rice, and is often served with boiled carrots or broccoli.

A child who prefers pasta will be happy to have a serving of pastitsio for lunch. And the simplest meat dish that you can eat without the help of cutlery is shish kebab souvlaki.

But if the child does not twist his nose at the word "soup" (and if he does, even more so), offer him something from the first courses. Avgolemono - boiled on chicken broth soup with the addition of small orzo pasta in the form of rice grains - light and nutritious.

Translated from Greek, this name means "egg and lemon." Fasolada - thick bean soup with the addition of tomato sauce. Fakes lentil soup is also very popular in Greece, but it is rarely prepared in taverns - you can try this when visiting local residents.

If you are having a meal with a baby who has just begun to join the adult table, the tavern will not refuse to cook simple meals for a small guest - boiled meat, fish, vegetables.

From vegetable dishes children can be offered briam- potato stew, zucchini, bell pepper and other vegetables. Also try with your child bamies- a dish of stewed okra pods.

This plant is rich in vitamins and minerals, eating its fruits is a good prevention of digestive problems.

desserts

For desserts, any child will certainly leave room in the stomach. Many sweets in Greece are made using nuts and honey:

• melomakarona- sweet cookies with honey;
• loukoumades- donuts sprinkled with honey;
• baklava - puff pastry with nuts.

Lukum will also please the soul of the sweet tooth (jelly-like sweetness, which is prepared from starch and sugar with the addition of all kinds of flavors).

In different regions there are own recipes baking. For example, katimeria bagels are baked, which are poured over with honey syrup. The highlight is a xerotigan bun in the shape of a rose. And they make almond nougat mandolato.

A wonderful alternative to baking will be fragrant Greek fruits - apricots, peaches, strawberries, cherries, figs, grapes, melons and watermelons. Interestingly, the Greeks love to eat watermelon with halloumi cheese.

Beverages

Tea, as we are used to, is almost never drunk in Greece - here it is considered a healing drink. Greeks prefer coffee, especially frappe - chilled coffee with foam.

A bottle of water will be served with every meal, while children can order freshly squeezed water as a drink. Orange juice(the unprepossessing Greek oranges used to make it are actually delicious).

Where to try Greek food

National dishes of Greek cuisine are served in hotels and restaurants. But to appreciate the nuances, it is best to go to the tavern. The inscription TAVERNA does not necessarily flaunt above it - often RESTAURANT is written on the sign.

You will recognize a real tavern by looking inside and seeing a simple interior, a minimum of staff and a maximum of local residents at the tables.

It is important to note that you can eat in taverns without fear - the owners, who receive guests as their friends, are very careful about the quality of food.

What children will certainly like in Greek taverns is the lack of strict etiquette. Here you will not get confused in forks and knives - there is a minimum of cutlery, and in some places some dishes are laid out directly on a table covered with clean paper.

Such a little hooliganism, when the table serves as a plate, will be appreciated by the children and will awaken their appetite.

Note that taverns can have a specialization. The best dishes Greece, prepared from fish and seafood, you will be served in coastal psarotavernas. The khasapotaverna menu consists almost entirely of meat dishes.

And establishments called girodiko and suvladzidiko are considered fast food restaurants, while they cook the most that neither is national food Greeks: souvlaki skewers and gyros wrapped in pita, reminiscent of shawarma.

Whatever the name of the tavern, there will definitely not be desserts on its menu. You can drink coffee, which is idolized in Greece, in kafenia, eat a cake - in tiropitadiko, taste Greek sweets - in zacharoplastio, and enjoy a milk dessert - in galaktopolio.

In conclusion, it remains only to wish: “Kali oreksi!”, Which means “Bon appetit!”

Ancient Hellas did not have many products typical of modern Greek cuisine. The ancient Greeks did not have tomatoes and lemons, or eggplants with sweet peppers. But the fundamental precepts of the culinary tradition of Greek cuisine remain unchanged today. First, it is impossible to imagine a Greek meal without the "holy triad" - bread and olives. And secondly, a real feast for the Greeks is not a simple process of eating delicious food. First of all, this Greek cuisine is a ritual.

Those gathered, tasting various dishes, talk a lot, of course, speak about dishes and exchange opinions. For the Greeks, it is of great importance what kind of olive oil was used, from which region of the country it was brought, in which village feta cheese was made, in which fields the lamb grazed. From such culinary discussions. The conversation flows smoothly to higher matters.

Greek cuisine is one of the oldest in the world. Of course, over the millennia, it has undergone numerous changes. The Middle Ages in Byzantium were distinguished by recipes unimaginable today. Something like tender fillet baby goat stuffed with figs, garlic, pomegranate seeds, leeks, seasoned honey sauce from marinated fish.

It is not surprising that in modern Greece no one prepares such dishes, and does not eat. The Greeks returned to the simple, but really delicious meals. The true splendor of Greek cuisine lies precisely in the quality of the products and in the exact observance of the ingredients. Greek cooking is one of the many variants of the Mediterranean. Of course, it is impossible to imagine it without high-quality olive oil, fresh fish and seafood.

Greece, like all Mediterranean countries, is characterized by the consumption of a large amount of vegetables, fruits and herbs. But there are also significant differences. So beloved by Italians and French, raw crustaceans and mollusks are not particularly favored by Homer’s countrymen, not to mention eating raw meat - it is usually cooked for a long time, so you can’t count on a steak with blood in Greece. In addition, there are practically no complex sauces in Greek cuisine.

And in the 15th century, expelled people began to settle in Thessaloniki, and brought bright features of North African cuisine to the Greek local cuisine.

And in Greece itself, there are many regional variants of one dish, due to climatic differences and lifestyles both in the continental part of the country and on numerous islands. The sunny climate of arid Crete has a completely different Greek cuisine than the snowy winters and wet summers of mountainous Epirus. In addition, Greek diasporas exist all over the world - in Europe, America, and Australia. And, of course, emigrants living abroad, but keeping in touch with their homeland, constantly bring something new to their native Greek cuisine.

Greek cuisine is characterized by the preparation of meat dishes on a spit and coals. Greeks eat many dishes cold, but tourist-oriented restaurants always serve hot. If the temperature of Greek cuisine food does not suit you, you can ask to heat it up. In Greek it sounds - zesto.

The Greeks are very sensitive about nutrition, so it is almost impossible to find frozen vegetables or semi-finished products. In Greece, Greek cuisine is always prepared from fresh food! Regardless of social status, Greeks visit restaurants quite often. It has become part of their culture. The highest happiness for the Greek is the enjoyment of life, which is impossible without good feast in the circle of the closest people, family and friends.

According to Greek law, every catering establishment is required to display its menu with fixed prices.

Bread is always served on the table, its price can be from thirty to ninety euro cents, this is determined by the category of the restaurant.

List of dishes and cheeses of Greek cuisine

Of course, to describe here all the diversity national dishes Greek cuisine is not worth trying, however, we hope that short review It will be useful for novice tourists to navigate the Greek menu, although this is not easy!

• Choriatiki Salata is a traditional rustic salad Greek cuisine better known to the world as " Greek Salad". This salad consists of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, olives, onions, Feta cheese, and, of course, olive oil. Additionally, you can season with vinegar. In some variations of Greek cuisine, Feta may be omitted from the salad. If you do not have enough tender cheese, ask the waiter to add it. In the event that you prefer a salad without any ingredients, also say so.
• Sadziki - Consists of mixed yogurt, cucumber, garlic and salt. Traditionally, Sadzik is served on Greek bread, freshly baked of course!
• Melitzana Salata - tender salad Greek cuisine from eggplant, which is placed on fresh bread.
• Tarama Salata - very unusual dish Greek cuisine. Greek caviar.
• Saganaki is a toasted cheese that can be served with tomato sauce.
• Casseri is a soft cheese reminiscent of mozzarella in Greek cuisine.
• Kefalotiri - variety hard cheese somewhat reminiscent of parmesan.
• Dopio tiri is a type of homemade local cheese. You can find it in the villages.
• Keftedes are perfectly fried meatballs. In different areas of Greece there are regional variations in Greek cuisine: Keftedes and Rvitakeftedes, Domatokeftedes, Tirokeftedes and Fazakeftedes. Despite the different ingredients, the dish is always incomparable!
• Spanakopita is a traditional Greek spinach pie.
• Tiropita is a cheese pie.
• Kreatopita - meat pie
• Lakanika- vegetable salad Greek cuisine with cabbage.

Breakfast

There is a lot of truth in the old joke about a typical Greek breakfast, which consists of a cup of strong coffee and two cigarettes. Indeed, the Greeks have breakfast, usually coffee and cake. However, the hotels serve the usual continental breakfast, which includes tea, coffee, croissants, toast, is popular and Buffet. Some hotels serve an English breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast.

Dinner

In Greece, lunch takes place from 13:00 - 15:00. Depending on your preferences, you can choose a full meal or skip light salad. Many Greeks consider dinner the main meal of the day.

Dinner

Traditionally, Greek dinner starts later than in European countries. Many Greeks absolutely do not think about food until nine in the evening. Given this specific national trait, most restaurants open their doors to visitors only at 20:00. Of course, in tourist centers dinner is served a little earlier.

Classification of Greek establishments

Tavernas is a "rustic" establishment, usually decorated in a rough traditional style. In the capital and large resort towns, taverns are more Europeanized. Usually the tavern menu with Greek dishes can be seen on the door at the entrance or in the window. However, many tavern owners will simply invite you into the kitchen to see for yourself what they can cook for you from Greek cuisine. Greeks also often look into the kitchen to see which version of the selected dish from Greek cuisine is prepared in this tavern.

The freshest fish is brought to seaside taverns early in the morning and in the middle of the day. Chefs, in front of perplexed tourists, beat freshly caught octopuses on the asphalt so that the meat in Greek dishes becomes more tender.

But even mountains of exotic Mediterranean prawns with lemon, fried octopus tentacles and stuffed squid in Greek cuisine, unable to cancel the ancient Greek culinary triad. Hot bread, fragrant olive oil and wine are certainly served at the table.

Most taverns open their doors to visitors no earlier than eight o'clock in the evening. It is explained simply. Greeks prefer a fairly late meal. Taverns close late at night, and often early in the morning. On Sunday the tavern may be closed. Emotional Greeks are not unreasonably known as big football fans, so if you decide to stop by the tavern on the day of the match, you should not expect very attentive service.

In Psistaria you can taste Greek kebabs, roasts and meats fried in variations of Greek cuisine over an open fire.

The restaurant (estiatorio) offers a more elaborate menu than a tavern or psistary. Here, beautiful homespun tablecloths are on the tables, and the menu necessarily includes a version of Greek cuisine in English.

Ready meals are on display at the bain-marie, where you can also order grilled Greek dishes.

Ouzeri serves traditional ouzo. In Greece, drinking Ouzo is considered an art. The uzokatanixi ritual is very popular among the Greeks, and is gaining more and more popularity among travelers.

The literal translation of "Galaktopoleia" is a dairy shop. But it is here that you can buy products such as yogurt, milk, eggs, rice pudding, butter, bread and honey. In addition, here you can enjoy delicious homemade ice cream, which is usually presented in different flavors. The inscription pagoto politiko on the door of the store will help you find out if it is for sale. In most of them you can enjoy a cup of coffee and tea. Also, they usually offer inexpensive breakfasts. Such shops are open from early morning until evening, and this, you see, is very convenient.

Zaharoplasteia sells Greek pastries and sweets, both Greek and European. Sweets, chocolate, sweets, biscuits, coffee, carbonated drinks, including soda - this is a typical assortment of zacharoplastia, in some you can buy alcoholic drinks in bottles. Usually there are seats.

Pizzerias and cafes (gelateries) that serve Italian ice cream are widespread throughout the country, but you can hardly find traditional Western restaurants outside the capital.

The Greeks like spicy herbs and spices, but they are used in smaller quantities than the Italians and the French. Traditional herbs in Greece are parsley and dill leaves, celery, thyme, rosemary and origan.

grown in Greece various varieties garlic and onion. The favorite sauces of the Greeks are ladolemono (it is olive oil thoroughly whipped with lemon), ladorigani (dry grated origan is added to olive oil) and avgolemono (egg yolks whipped with lemon and spices).
The first place in Europe, in terms of the amount of cheese consumed, belongs to the Greeks, they are even ahead of the Italians and the French. The cheese traditions of Greece are represented by many traditional cheeses. Among which are cow and buffalo, sheep and goat; hard and soft; delicately fresh and piquantly spicy. However, the most famous, of course, is Feta. Originally Greek cheese feta is a bit like cheese. The real one, made in Greece, is nothing like the German cheese of that name.

Another pride of Greece is reputed milk product- yaurti. Especially homemade, produced according to ancient technologies. It is light, but at the same time, oily.