Greek Cuisine

Greece is a very lavish country and is known for its beautiful blue waters and mediterranean climate.

Greek cooking is incredibly rich and offers an array of foods and beverages that have changed through the centuries. Greek cuisine is very fresh and light and is known for its use of olive oil and pita bread.

The names of foods, the cooking of the food, and the ingredients have changed little over time. Bread, olives, as well as olive oil and wine was the Greek diet for many centuries, just as it is today.

Greece is a country of small farmers who produce an incredible food, mainly organically produced oils, cheese, fruits, nuts, grains, and vegetables, supplemented by a variety of greens and herbs that grow in the wild. These are the foods that form the base of the traditional Greek cuisine. The foods add both variety and nutrition.

Greece's climate is perfect growing for olive and lemon trees, producing two of the most important elements of Greek cooking. Garlic, spices and other herbs such as oregano, basil, mint, and thyme are widely used, as are vegetables such as eggplant and zucchini.

With 20 percent of Greece made up of islands - and no part of the Greek mainland more than 90 miles from the sea - fish and seafood are a popular and common part of the Greek diet. Lamb and goat are the traditional meats of holidays and festivals, and poultry, beef, and pork are also consumed.

Vineyards cover much of Greece's hilly terrain and the country has become known for its array of fine wines and spirits, most notably ouzo, an anise-flavored liqueur that is the national spirit.

To a large degree, vegetarian cuisine can be traced back to foods and recipes which originated in Greece.
Many ingredients used in modern Greek cooking were unknown in the country until the middle ages. These include the potato, tomato, spinach, bananas which came to Greece after the discovery of America.

Honey and nuts are commonly eaten in desserts. Feta cheese is known for its use in a Greek salad and Greek yogurt is known for its unusual yet enjoyable taste.

Greek food is simple yet elegant, with flavors subtle to robust, textures smooth to crunchy, fresh and timeless, nutritious and healthy.