The unique tastes of Greece guarantee that you are in for many surprises Greeceduring your stay in the country. Contrary to common belief, you will discover that Greek cuisine is not only moussaka, souvlaki and choriatiki salata, but has a wide variety of dishes that can meet the demands of both meat-eaters and vegetarians in an extremely satisfying way.

Things could not be different, anyway, in the country that gave birth to symposiums and the Epicurean philosophers. It was, in fact, Archestratos who, in 330 B.C.E., wrote the first cookbook in History, and reminded us that cuisine is a sign of civilisation.

Greece has a culinary tradition of approximately 4,000 years. Nevertheless, like most national cuisines, Greek cuisine has both influenced others and embraced ideas from its eastern and western neighbours.

What distinguishes traditional Greek cuisine is a combination of the following factors: unique ingredients, the Greek philosophy regarding eating and sharing meals, as well as the country itself and Greece the atmosphere in general.

The basic ingredients: Greek cuisine has four secrets: fresh ingredients of good quality, proper use of herbs and spices, the famous Greek olive oil and its basic simplicity. Greek olive oil deserves a special mention. Present in almost all Greek dishes, and in most of them in abundant quantities, it is of excellent quality and very good for health. Then there are the vegetables and herbs. Due to the mild Greek climate, greenhouse cultivation of vegetables is not widespread. Therefore, most vegetables are grown outdoors and are very tasty. You will discover the taste of Greek tomatoes, lettuces, carrots, onions, parsley and garlic, not to mention the rich flavour and aroma of fresh fruit: grapes, apricots, peaches, cherries, melons, watermelons, to name but a few. The herbs collected by most Greeks on the mountains and in the countryside are renowned for their taste, scent and healing properties. When eating one of the many different Greek dishes, the aroma of oregano, thyme, spearmint or rosemary will tease your palate. Do not forget to try the Greek cheeses, particularly feta. As lambs and goats in Greece are free-grazing and pastures are very rich in herbs, meats have a unique taste not to be found anywhere else in the world. Seafood from the Mediterranean Sea is far more tasty than that from the oceans. In the Aegean and the Ionian Seas, the waters are crystal clear and abound with fish. Charbroiled fresh fish is considered a treat.

At the table: The time of day when the Greeks gather around a table to enjoy a meal, or some appetizers (mezedes) with ouzo, is a time held in reverence by all the inhabitants of this country. Mealtimes in Greece have more in common with Spain than northern Europe; lunch is usually taken around 3 – 4 pm and dinner is usually taken any time after 10 pm. However, tavernas will usually serve meals at any time; although you may find yourself sitting in splendid isolation if you decide to eat earlierBread and bottled water are always brought to the table, and often a dish of olives is also offered as well while you consider what to order.

Children are always welcome, and the atmosphere in typically Greek restaurants and tavernas is very relaxed, informal and unpretentious. It is not unknown for children to receive special treatment and it is not unusual for them to be given ‘off menu’ choices, if they do not like what is on offer.

Food in Greece is seasonal, but there are some dishes that you will find all the year round. Meat is usually barbecued or cooked in either a tomato or lemon based sauce. Don’t be afraid to try new things.Different areas have their own specialities and even different ways of preparing the food. Visitors to Greece should follow their noses and choose the taverna that makes their mouths water….. menus are usually recited verbally and it is part of the pleasure to discuss the various choices at some length. It is quite usual to be taken into the kitchen to look at the food, especially if you are choosing fish.

Do not be alarmed by the sheer number of plates that arrive at your table….it is the custom to serve each item separately. Some of the more popular side dishes apart from the well known ‘Greek’ salad (horiatiki) are:

• Deep fried sliced courgettes (kolokithia tiganita) which are usually served with either yoghurt, cucumber and garlic sauce (tsadziki) or garlic sauce (skorthalia).
• Fried green peppers or red peppers (florinis)
• Baked or fried cheese (saganaki)
• Eggplant (aubergine) salad (melitzana salata)
• Dried beans in tomato sauce (gigantes)
• Fish roe salad (taramasalata)

Fish is generally more popular than meat, although barbequed meat (tis scharas) is usually found on the menu. Greek hamburgers (biftekia) are not at all like their fast food namesakes, and are delicious.

Apart from ouzo, you can also sample a similar drink called ‘tsipouro’ which is very much stronger and can have memorable consequences. Beer is widely available, although you will find mostly lager on offer (the most common being Amstel and Heineken). Retsina can be bought by the bottle (Malamatina is kindest for the novice drinker) or draught (hima…pronounced heema), usually the restaurant/taverna’s own and you will always be asked if you would like to drink it with soda or coca cola. Greek wine is good on the whole and can be safely enjoyed.