A well-known writer writing in a popular publication had this to say about Greek cuisine:

"Nothing makes the Greeks more angry than to be told that they have no cuisine of their own. Detractors dismiss it as a mishmash of cuisines introduced by their numerous conquerors, pointing to the Turks, for example, as the originators of Greece's strong, thick coffee and honey-drenched pastries. But even these, the Greeks insist, are Greek in origin. We taught the western world how to cook, they protest. When the Romans conquered Greece, the first things they wanted to take home were our philosophers and cooks. Our chefs were always held in such high esteem that we had laws protecting their recipes with patents that they could sell at the agora. They took a two-year course at culinary schools in Athens.

Classical Greek cooking had much in common with French nouvelle cuisine: finesse, simplicity, authentic flavours, meats roasted and grilled rather than stewed in rich sauces, using just herbs and a very few basic ingredients.

In Plato's Republic, frugal Socrates proposes an ideal diet that would serve very well for your midday holiday meal: bread, olives, cheese, vegetables and fruit. Epicurus, who held that the highest good is pleasure, but not necessarily self-indulgence, declared: "Simple dishes are as satisfying as sumptuous banquets."

Archestrate, the first gastronomy critic (4th century BC), travelled from his native Gela in Sicily throughout the Mediterranean world, and composed an epic poem on his findings, named Hedypathia (Voluptuousness). Among the few fragments of his work that survive are descriptions of dog's or sow's belly cooked in olive oil and powdered with cumin, eel in Chinese cabbage, and an enthusiastic endorsement of Rhodes sturgeon.

For a short time it became the fashion to disguise the food and have the guests guess what they were eating. At one banquet, they argued about whether they had eaten chicken, fish or veal; and it turned out to be vegetable marrow. Some of the more respectable ancient Greek legacies to world cuisine are fried scampi, turbot with herbs, blood sausage (black pudding), thrush in honey and grilled frogs' legs.

So Roman cuisine was indeed essentially Greek. That is what Constantine and his court brought with them when the Eastern Empire was established in Byzantium. What the Venetians brought in also came from the Greco-Roman tradition. And, the Greeks argue, the Turks took over the Byzantine tradition - richer and sweeter perhaps, but still fundamentally Greek."

Whatever direction the debate takes, one thing is inescapable: GREEK FOOD IS DELICIOUS!

There is also little doubt that the cuisine of Greece has been influenced by the East. This is because of its geographical position where it finds itself neatly positioned between East and West. Greece is therefore as much an Eastern country as it is a Western one. Its cuisine, though, tends to be almost entirely Eastern. Together with the Middle East it shares a culinary tradition based on lamb as the staple meat and olive oil as the basic fat. Other similarities which are also basic to Greek cuisine are rice, figs, yoghurt, meat kebabs, dishes of ground or minced meat mixed with spices, rice and herbs; and often stuffed into vegetables or wrapped in leaves.

One of the great features of any Greek meal is the mezedakia, or starters. These small platters of delicacies feature such tasty items as stuffed vine leaves, cheese and spinach pies in filo pastry, calamari, and grilled octopus. Then there is the delicious range of dips such as aubergine, garlic and potato, cod roe, and yoghurt and cucumber.
Although vegetarian dishes are becoming more commonplace, meat is still very much a staple item. Lamb on the spit is a popular choice. Chicken and fish also feature.

There was a time when it was jokingly suggested that the best Greek restaurants were to be found outside of Greece! Not so nowadays. Greek cuisine is many and varied and visitors to Greece are not only attracted for the climate and beaches, but also to sample the culinary delights.

Travel writer, David Churchill, endorses this point when he picks a few of his favourite food experiences around the world. He rates the Greek Islands as one such experience. He says:….

."Lazing on the beach, going for swim, then eating a leisurely lunch at a local taverna - what better way to spend a summer than in the Greek islands? One of my favourites is Leros, a remote ink splodge in the southern Aegean, just north of more popular Kalymnos. The island, with its beautiful harbours and remote beaches, was once occupied by the Italians, whose impression was left on the island at the Art Deco port of Lakki. Greek food may not be the most sophisticated, but it's ambience and experience that matter."

Can't argue with that!

COOKERY BOOKS

There are a wide range of cookery books available at the GREEK BOOKSHOP. They can be ordered online.

Here are some worth considering……

Angelikopoulu, Asasia:
Greek Cookery: 300 Traditional Recipes.
ISBN 9607436105

Barron, Rosemary:
Flavours of Greece: The best of Classic and Modern Cooking, with over 200 recipes.
ISBN 1902304284

Maxwell, Sarah:
Meze Cooking: Easy to follow recipes to make delicious Mediterranean snacks.
ISBN 1850764182

Moudiotis, George:
Tradtional Greek Cooking: The Food and Wine of Greece.
ISBN 1859641172

Paradissis, Chrissa:
The Best Book of Greek Cookery
ISBN 9602261196

Sarianides, Georgia:
Best of Greek Cuisine. Cooking with Georgia
ISBN 0781805457

Skoura, Sofia:
Traditional Greek Cooking
ISBN 9605350335

Having told you about the rather grand recipe books, you may want to take a look at this delightful little step-by-step cookery book. It has the usual standards, but also a number of different, but interesting recipes. Easy to do. Each recipe is set out in four simple steps. All of them delicious!

Try this tasty one……

Prawns with Feta and Olives
(Preparation time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 20 minutes. Serves 4)

Ingredients: 750g medium green prawns 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 dried chillies 410g can tomatoes, crushed ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper 2 teaspoons fresh lemon thyme leaves 60g feta cheese, chopped 12 black olives Salt, to taste

1.	Peel prawns leaving tails intact; de-vein
2.	Heat oil in a large shallow pan. Add the garlic and chillies, stir over a low heat for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and pepper. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3.	Add prawns and thyme, stir over low heat for 4 minutes.
4.	Add cheese and olives, stir until just heated through. Remove chillies and discard. Serve with crusty bread and boiled rice if desired.

EATING OUT IN GREECE

There are two basic types of restaurants. The "estiatorio" (restaurant) ,and the taverna. Distinctions between the two are slight, but restaurants can be more formal and more expensive than tavernas. The latter may be found more often in the older parts of town. They may also have a more limited choice of dishes.

When eating out your food may, on occasions, be tepid when served. This is normal, as the Greeks sincerely believe that hot food is bad for the digestion. If, however, you insist, it can be warmed up for you!

Here are some of the more common dishes you will see on menus in Greece.

Starters:

Fish:

Main Courses:

who cares about the spelling... as long as it tastes good !!!

Kali Orexi….Bon Appetite….Good Appetite….Enjoy the meal !!!!