The history of Greek cuisine

The history of Greek cuisine

Greek cuisine is a Mediterranean cuisine. Contemporary Greek cookery makes wide use of olive oil, vegetables and herbs, grains and bread, wine, fish, and various meats, including lamb, poultry, rabbit and pork. Also important are olives, cheese, eggplant, zucchini and yogurt. Greek desserts are characterized by the dominant use of nuts and honey.

Greek cuisine has a long tradition and its flavors change with the season and its geography. The most characteristic and ancient element of Greek cuisine is olive oil, which is used in most dishes. Important vegetables include tomato, aubergine, potato, green beans, okra, green peppers, and onions. Honey in Greece is mainly honey from the nectar of fruit trees and citrus trees: lemon, orange, bigarade trees, thyme honey, and pine honey.

Cheeses

There is a wide variety of cheeses made in various regions across Greece. The vast majority of them remain unknown outside the Greek borders due to the lack of knowledge and the highly localized distinctive features. Many hand-made cheeses are produced by small family farms Greece and offer distinct flavors atypical of the mass-produced varieties found commercially in Greece and abroad

Greek Wines

Wine was for the Ancient Greek the drink of the Gods, still today the Greek wine is for the Greeks the most popular drink. Retsina is one of the most older wines in Greece and its name and taste comes from the resin that they put in. Its popularity comes from 2 reasons the good taste and the cheap price. Other popular wines in Greece are Kokineli and Brusco, red dry house wines . It is a sweet wines. Mavrodafni of Patras (the sweet Greek Dessert Port wine), Muscat of Samos or Samiotiko. There are many kinds and appellations of white and red wines in Greece among them are Agioritiko ,Macedonikos , Naoussa, Robola of Kefalonia, Zitsa ,Santorini , Rhodes Peza, Gumenissa and others.

Coffee

The traditional coffee houses in Greece are called kafenia, and they offer coffee, refreshments, alcoholic beverages and snacks or meze. However, in recent years coffee culture evolves and, especially in the large urban centres, kafenia are gradually replaced by modern "cafeterias". Preferred types of coffee by the consumers are, among others, the Greek coffee (a variation of the Turkish coffee), frappé (a Greek foam-covered iced coffee drink), and the freddo versions of capuccino and espresso, which vary from the Italian original. Iced coffee-based drinks, such as freddoccino or freddito, are also popular, especially during the summer period.

Greek salad is a salad in Greek cuisine. Greek salad is made with pieces of tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, onion, feta cheese, and olives, typically seasoned with salt and oregano, and dressed with olive oil. Common additions include the pickled leaves, buds or berries of capers.