Greek Food
‘Thou shouldst eat to live; not live to eat’ really Socrates? That’s a bit rich coming from a native of a country whose food culture is so diverse and with so many religious and pagan festivals or panygiria to celebrate throughout the year, always an excuse for a social gathering! Having returned from a visit to Greece it’s easy to see how one could become addicted to a Dionysian lifestyle!
Ambrosia, food of the Gods? Maybe, but Greek food is unpretentious! With influences coming from the cuisines of Italy, the Balkans and, with the Persian invasion, Arabic and Turkish roots as well. Today Greek cookery can be considered to be one of the healthiest in the world as it uses fresh, natural, seasonal ingredients that are cooked simply. Greek food makes wide use of olive oil which is naturally low in saturated fat as well as vegetables, herbs, grains, meat, fish and cheese!
Greek food is perhaps one of the best in the world, not just because of the use of fresh local produce, but because of the whole eating experience; good food and good wine and taking your time over a meal enjoyed with friends and family.
From the moment you arrive in Greece and breathe in the intoxicating scent of sun warmed, wild herbs to the smell of bread and tangy spanakopitas (spinach and feta pies) baked freshly every morning in the village bakery to the aroma of grilled chicken souvlakis or fresh fried fish as you stroll along the harbour in the evening, you get a sense of the flavour of Greek food!
Must try:
Horta – boiled wild greens served with lemon and olive oil
And Gigandes plaki – giant white beans cooked in a tomato sauce.
Dionysus, the god of wine – Greece is one of the oldest wine producing countries of the world dating back over 4000 years, but in recent years the Greek wine industry has undergone tremendous improvements with serious investments in modern wine making technology, but what makes Greek wine so unique are the 300+ indigenous grape varieties, some of which have been cultivated since ancient times!
We return with our family to Greece most years and Kefalonia is a special island for us. We will always pay a visit to our favourite restaurant Paradise Beach Taverna which is set in an idyllic location overlooking Paradise Beach on the edge of the coastal village of Aghia Ephimia. Famed for being frequented by the cast and crew of ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’ shot in Kefalonia during 2000, the food in this taverna is delicious and well worth a visit & the chocolate souffle is highly recommended!
So if your looking for a gastronomic holiday experience, Greece should be high on your list of countries to visit and with good exchange rates, you can really enjoy your culinary adventure! For more images check out Greek Food on our Pinterest board.
We stayed in Fiskaro at The Karteri Appartments, a beautiful location in a bustling harbour village!
