The Wonderful Food of Greece

Anybody who has ever been to Greece will smile knowingly every time the topic of Greek meals is brought up. There is nothing like Greek meals any place else in the world. Filled with the freshest of greens, unencumbered by spices that hide the flavor of the components, and full of beef and lamb dishes that can tempt any palate, there is something in Greek delicacies that will tempt anyone.

One of the best ways to get a really feel for Greek food is by understanding the food that makes up most of its dishes. Olives are large in Greece. There are so many styles of olives, that the Greeks like to say that saying you do not like olives is like saying you do not like sweets: for those who don't like one sort, there are loads more to choose from. From black olives to green, Kalamata to Peloponessos, there is something for everybody. Of course, when you think of olives, you have to think of olive oil, and this is an important part of Greek cuisine too. In fact, olive oil is used to cook almost all foods, and is used as dressing for salad or garnish on other dishes too.

Bread Is Important At Greek Meals As Are Fruits and Vegetables Wonderful Greek bread is usually served at every meal, and is dipped in olive oil or the sauce of last night’s dinner. Local bakeries serve fresh, hot breads of all types and recipes.

Fruits and vegetables are always served fresh; the Greeks take great pride in their fruit and vegetables recipes. Tomatoes are served with a great many dishes. It can often come stuffed with meat or rice and onions, or sometimes is just prepared with olive oil. Many times, they are even mixed with flour and egg, deep fried and called "tomato-keftedes."" Green peppers are another popular ingredient. They too can be stuffed with either rice or lamb, or grilled and eaten plain.

Potatoes are another key cooking ingredient in Greece. They are found in stews, and are often made broiled with olive oil, onion, garlic, lemon, salt, pepper, and oregano. Potatoes deep fried in olive oil are popular served as a side dish. The Greek people make liberal use of garlic and onion in their food. Fresh fruit, including figs, is a common dessert.

Most people in Greece are big meat eaters. Lamb, beef, pork, chicken, and even goat and rabbit are all consumed regularly. Meat is often prepared with garlic, onions and potatoes.

Lamb Is Perhaps the Most Popular Meat Preference in Greece. Roasted lamb is the dinner of choice for Easter. Roast lamb and potatoes are a popular Sunday evening meal, and baked lamb chops are always popular. Greek is on the Mediterranean Sea, so it only follows that seafood is popular as well. Calamari, sardines and smelt are some of the more inexpensive fish eaten. Lobster is perhaps the most expensive. Before you eat fish in a Greek restaurant, you will often be advised to go back into the kitchen to inspect the fish and make sure it is fresh. It is there that you can decide what you want to eat for dinner. Octopus, mussels, shrimp and cod are other common Greek seafood choices.

For dessert, baklava, which is prepared from a special kind of dough called phyllo, is the most popular. It is made with nuts, honey, and sugar, and is a pastry.

Greek food offers something for everybody. It is also a very healthy cuisine, mainly because of the liberal amounts of olive oil in it. People of Greece, who eat the traditional Greek foods, have been known to live on average quite a bit longer than inhabitants of other countries. Greek food is tasty and good for your health and you won't find a better combination than that.