It is a mistake to think that a large flow of tourists aspires to Greece only in order to learn about the culture and admire the ancient architecture. Every traveler will tell you that Greece is not only a beautiful and ancient country, but also a place where you can have a delicious meal. Indeed, in addition to the historical cult, the cult of food has long dominated the country.
It is forgivable for the Greeks not to know the year of the conquest of Mycenae, but which cheese goes best with pasta or with what sauce to serve this or that dish, they must know.
Despite the fact that Greek cuisine is southern, it is not spicy. Therefore, you can safely and without fear, order spicy dishes or try new sauces and spices. Yes, Greece is a country by the sea, but such a location does not mean that seafood is sold here for a penny. The local population consumes only sea fish, and, as a rule, dishes with this ingredient are much more expensive than meat ones. But having tried once sea fish, cooked by the hands of a true Greek, you will understand why these people do not spare money for food.
Delving deeper into the history of the country, it is not difficult to guess that the culinary preferences of Greece were based on the influence of several cultures - Arab, Turkish and even Italian. But even this influence could not change the recipe of traditional dishes.
The Greek chefs are so masterful in the culinary art that sometimes tourists do not have enough vacation time to taste all the delicacies of the local menu.
Not a single meal goes without snacks, in this the Russians are similar to the Greeks. Cold snacks - mezedes won a special love:
- melizanosalata - eggplant salad with olives, seasoned with lemon juice and olive oil,
- dolmadakya - minced meat wrapped in grape leaves (the influence of Arab culture),
- kalamarakya - squid baked in dough,
- tiropitakya - triangular-shaped cheese patties,
- kolokitakya - fried crispy zucchini.
No Greek breakfast, dinner or lunch is complete without cheese. It is consumed not only in its pure form, but also added as the main ingredient to salads or filling for pies. The most popular types of cheese are feta, graviera, casseri, mizithra and kefalotyri.
For a change, you should definitely try a dandelion salad, a sauce made on the basis of cucumbers, garlic, olive oil and natural yogurt or eggplant baked with cheese and meat in a creamy sauce.
