Greeks are renowned for their passion for eating, feeding people, and cuisine. A person visiting Greece should always be satisfied with ending up hungry. Greek cuisine is known for its rich flavors and use of fresh, local ingredients such as olive oil, cheese, and vegetables from the Mediterranean. A journey to the Mediterranean would only be complete with tasting these tasty Greek specialties.

The Rich Culinary Heritage of Greece

Greek food is representative of a diverse cultural legacy that combines modern techniques with old products and methods from the Mediterranean. It’s an exciting and varied culinary industry because of its many regional influences, which have resulted in meals with solid flavors, fresh ingredients, and large servings. Traditional Greek cuisine is an exuberant celebration of the joys of life, with its fragrant herbs, rich meats, and distinctive olive oil.

Youvarlakia

This traditional Greek soup has soft beef meatballs in a rich, savory broth. The meatballs and broth are often seasoned with different fresh herbs, and the meal is completed with avgolemono—the silky egg and lemon sauce—thickens the soup and gives a distinctively zesty flavor.

Kokkinisto

The phrase “kokkinisto” refers to a wide variety of traditional Greek meals, all of which use various cuts of beef that have been seared before being simmered in a delicious tomato sauce with herbs, spices, and sometimes red wine. Kokkinisto meals are often cooked with meat, poultry, or lamb and served with pasta or potatoes as the main course or a smaller meze dish.

Kleftiko

Kleftiko, a traditional Greek meal, consists of a juicy piece of lamb or goat meat wrapped in foil and baked in airtight ovens. It is often served during celebratory events and festivities. The word comes from the Klephts, mountain rebels during the Greek Revolution. They cooked food underground so that no smells or steam could escape, which would reveal where they were hiding.

Apáki

Cretan apáki is traditionally made from pork loin that has been cured and smoked with herbs such as oregano, marjoram, thyme, and sage. This method of preparation for extending the shelf life of meat is said to have originated in Byzantine times.

Dolmades

Dolma is the national cuisine of Turkey and refers to any vegetable stuffed with a rice-based mixture. Typically, rice and minced beef are wrapped with grape leaves to make dolma. In the early seventh century, in the court of King Khusrow II, stuffed leaves were first created.