Greece

Geographic position

Greek salad is possibly the best known salad due to the divine mixture of feta cheese, tomatoes, black olives and onions.

Greece (131 957 km²) is situated at the southern tip of the Balkan Peninsula. The capital city is Athens. Greece has several island archipelagos in the Aegean Sea (Cyclad and Sporad Islands) and the Ionian Sea (Ionian Islands). In the eastern part of the country (Aegean Greece) are the Olympus, Ossa and Rhodop mountain ranges, and to the west is part of the Hellenic mountain range, which via Crete and Rhodes enters into Asia Minor.

The climate and vegetation are typically Mediterranean which, along with the indented coastline, provides excellent conditions for tourism. Agriculture is based on wheat, barley, rye, oats, corn, rice, tobacco, cotton, sugar beets, peanuts, sunflowers, olives, wine grapes, citrus fruits, vegetables and fruits. Livestock breeding, beekeeping, silkworm breeding, fishing and sponge collecting are all important agricultural activities.

The main port is Piraeus, while the other ports are; Pátrai, Corfu and Solun. Hellenikón airport in Athens is the country's main airport.

Historical influence

The Greeks (Dorians, Ionians, Aeolians) colonised the western part of Asia Minor (1000 - 800 BC) and had already developed city towns, each called a polis. Sparta and Athens soon became the leading states.

Through his conquests, Alexander the Great expanded the Greek cultural influence (Hellenism). Later on, Greece became a Roman province. With the fall of the Roman Empire, Greece fell under Byzantine influence and from 1460 to 1821, it was under Turkish rule. Greece's independence was recognised in 1829.

Like the majority of national cuisines, Greek cuisine has embraced the influence of both its eastern and western neighbours, just as it wholeheartedly contributes to other world cuisines.

Characteristics of the cuisine

Fresh ingredients, the abundant use of herbs and spices, olive oil (present in most meals) and simple preparation are the recognisable characteristics of Greek cuisine.

According to tradition, prepared dishes are placed in the middle of the table, allowing guests to choose as they like.

Due to the mild climate, fruits and vegetables are grown naturally, which is reflected in the quality and full flavour. Herbs (oregano, thyme, mint, rosemary...) collected in the villages and mountains are known for their strong aroma and medicinal properties.

Cheeses are particularly well known, especially feta - an excellent sheep's cheese used in Greek salad.

As the sheep and goats freely graze on meadows and feed on the native herbs, it provides the meat with a specific, delicious flavour, as does the ocean floor to the delicious seafood.

Appetisers

• Dolmadakia - an appetizer made from rice and grape leaves with raisins, mint, onion and parsley; served hot or cold;
• Tiropita - a salty cheese pastry;
• Spanakopita - a spinach and cheese pastry;
• Gigantes (Fasolia) - white beans baked in tomato sauce;
• Saghanaki - deep fried mozzarella; very tasty but high in calories; eaten hot with a sprinkle of lemon juice;
• Taramosalata - smoked cod with boiled potatoes, onions and lemon.

If you want to try a little bit of everything, order the pikilia!

Main dishes

• Moussaka - most well known Greek meal; a casserole of lamb, eggplant and potatoes, seasoned with olive oil, onions, tomatoes, white wine and grated kefalotiri cheese;
• Souvlaki - cubed meat (usually lamb) on the grill; eaten with tzatziki sauce and served in pita bread with fresh tomatoes and onions, or as a skewer;
• Pastitsio - a type of pasta; prepared with ground meat and béchamel;
• Melitsanes - fried zucchini or eggplant;
• Frikase - a casserole made of lamb with celery and herbs;
• Keftedes - salty meatballs in bread crumbs seasoned with onions and fried in oil;
• Calamari (squid, musk octopus, octopus) - fried or grilled; served with different sauces; excellent when stuffed with salty halloumi  cheese, bread crumbs, rosemary, parsley, onions and pine nuts (usually tomatoes);
• Loukanika - small sausages prepared on the grill and served with lemon;
• Bourekakia - small meat pastries - a delicacy from Crete.

The best known salad is certainly Greek salad, a divine combination of feta cheese, tomatoes, black olives and onions, richly seasoned with olive oil. This is followed by lahano salad made from finely chopped cabbage seasoned with oil and lemon juice.

Recipes for Greek desserts have a strong eastern influence. They are typically very sweet, and covered in honey, spices, pine nuts and anis.

Special desserts are baklava (pastry leaves drenched in a sweet sugar syrup and filled with walnuts and spices) and loukoumades (a fried treat made from flour, yeast and salt, covered in honey or a sweet syrup).

Dionysus was a Greek, of course, and what kind of a country would it be, if it did not take the advantage of the great climate and fertile soil to create fantastic varieties of wine. The white wine robola from Kefalonia is usually served alongside tzatziki, while a dry muscat wine is an excellent accompaniment to taramsalata.

Sharing a meal with family and friends is a part of the Greek philosophy of life and is a mandatory part of the social life. The feel of typical Greek restaurants and taverns, is very relaxed, informal and above all pleasant. The art of cuisine is very prized, even among the amateur cooks.

According to tradition, the prepared dishes are placed in the middle of the table, allowing guests to choose as they like.

Numerous events are associated with certain types of dishes: koufeta (sugared almonds) are handed out at christenings and weddings, while koliva (cooked cereals) at funerals. Each important celebration or a holiday has its own delicacy, and recipes change throughout the year based on the seasonal availability of ingredients.

Travel tips

• Respect your elders! In Greece, paying respect to elders is strongly emphasized.
• If a business partner offers you food or drink, do not refuse, as that is considered very rude.
• Shopping tips: it pays to buy handicrafts, wine, carpets, pottery, lace, gold and silver jewellery. The streets around Syntagma and Kolonaki squares in Athens are popular places to buy food and high quality goods. Shopping is least expensive in Rhodos. So feel free to bargain!
• If you would like to learn a few Greek phrases, some important ones are:
  • Hello - Yasas or Yasu (informal)
  • Good morning - Kalimera
  • Good day - Herete
  • Please - Parakalo
  • Thank you - Efharisto
  • Yes - Ne
  • No - Ohi
  • Sorry - Sighnomi
  • How are you? - Ti kanete or Ti kanis (informal)
  • Where is...? - Pou ine...
  • How much? - Poso kani?