With the pass of time, Greece has become one of the biggest tourist destinations in Europe due to its rich social and gastronomic history.
Greek gastronomy is an art, its culture is classic, with origins dating back to 3000 B.C., a Cretan civilization formed by powerful markets capable of sailing the length of the Mediterranean to sell its products in other countries.
The capital of Greece is Athens (see photo 1), a cosmopolitan city where distinct cultures and people mix. Before anything else, every newcomer to this city is obligated to visit the acropolis in Athens: the Parthenon and Erechtheum, built in honor of Athena (the Goddess of wisdom), they are the most sacred of temples still standing in antiquity. Not too far away you will find the ancient theatre of Dionysus, the Athena Nike temple, the Propylees and the Odeon of Herod. (See photos 2 and 3)
A characteristic aspect of the Greek landscape is the extensive cultivation of olive trees, all perfectly aligned. When harvest comes for the olives, the Greeks play with the optimal moment of ripeness to pick them, leaving some to ripen more or less, depending on the intended use. For example, if the olive is to be used to garnish a dish, they pick it less ripe. However, if the olive is to be pressed into oil, they pick it riper (which gives the oil its trademark golden color). The most predominant olive varieties in Greece are the Kalamata, the Naphlion, the Greek Grossa and the Koroneiki, a varietal that produces a more intense green color when used for oils.
Aside from the olives, fields of tomatoes are planted for the preserve industry (with no less than 57 different tomato varieties available) as well as many other vegetables like eggplant, zucchini, peppers, onions…
The foundation of Greek cuisine is, without any doubt, Mediterranean cuisine: fish, vegetables, olive oil, fruit, wine, grains and feta cheese.
One of the main dishes in Greece is the Greek salad with feta cheese and soúpa tou psará (fisherman’s soup).
Nonetheless, in Greece, like many countries, there are gastronomic specialties of each region. Mykonos is known for its loúses (dried pork); Syros, for its Kolokythópita (zucchini pastry); Kárpatos, for its stuffed lamb; Tesaloniki, for its Dolmathakia me rizi (rice-stuffed grape leaves); but the Greek dish par excellence is the Melijanes Moussaka (eggplant moussaka).
Greece is also known for its wines, a tradition left over from remote times. Among those we wish to highlight Asyrtikó, from Santorini, and Xynomavro, from the north of Greece. But the traditional wine par excellence is Retsina.
Coffee plays a fundamental role in Greek life. It is considered quite normal to have a minimum of three coffees a day. Greek coffee is similar to Turkish coffee, enjoyed from a small cup, left to sit a few minutes before drinking. It is always accompanied by a glass of ice water, a tradition in Greece as much with coffee as with aperitifs or mezzes, or whatever you might order at any given moment. (See photo 4)
It’s not unusual to see, for example, in Tessaloniki or Athens, how the citizens go out in the afternoon to have an appetizer (mezze), similar to having some tapas as before dinnertime in Spain. Another characteristic tradition in Greece, especially in the rural areas, is when one goes to eat or dine at a restaurant: as a general rule there is no menu, the guest merely walks straight into the kitchen and the chef shows them the dishes they have available that night. It makes you feel like you’re right at home.
If preferred, you can also go directly to the market: there are stands along the street where you find fresh products from the sea and land, you can even choose the product you wish and they will cook it for you right then.
Greece also has an ample number of gastronomic restaurants. I had the privilege of visiting Restaurant Alfredos, in Tesaloniky, where the chef, Sakis Kaliotcis, prepared exquisite Mediterranean dishes with traditional ingredients. (See photos 5 and 6)
Life in Greece is not very expensive, to the point that we would even say it is cheaper than in Spain, except for the coffee or beer. A coffee, no matter where you are in Greece, will cost you a minimum of 3 euros and a beer will be at least 6.
* Caridópita: Traditional Greek pastry, made from flour, cocoa, sugar, Greek yoghurt and walnuts…
