1. As with the gods in mythology, the Greeks have left their mark in the world
with their food. Characteristic ingredients in Greek cookery are olives, tomatoes,
cheese, yogurt, and eggplant. Meats like fish, poultry, and rabbit are also available
to eat as well as lamb and goat. This is not only a diet with variety of flavors but
also one of the healthiest in the world. Most restaurants serving healthy food have
influences from this cuisine. Despite the fact that this is healthy, Greek cuisine is
far from bland. Herbs and spices, plus ingredients like olives, lemon, and garlic are
maximized to produce dishes which delight the taste buds and the nostrils with
their distinct aromas.
The popular pita bread is a usual starter or starch source and can be dipped
in tzatziki sauce, a sauce made from yogurt, cucumber, lemon, and mint. For fast
meals, meats and vegetables can be drizzled with tzatziki sauce and wrapped with
pita bread for gyros, a popular sandwich. Vegetable lovers will love the Greek salad,
a classic dish of greens, lettuce, olives, feta cheese, and dressing, which can be a
light and healthy lunch or accompanied by grilled meat such as grilled lamb or
chicken. A must-try is kalamata olives, marinated for a period of time before
enjoying as an appetizer before a meal.
With a lot of coastline surrounding the country, there are a lot of seafood
choices to choose from such as fish (sardines, anchovies, mackerel), squid (served
whole and grilled when fresh), and lobster. Sardines may be eaten as appetizers or
as main course, grilled or fried. Some seafood may be tossed in with pasta or pizza
or on bread or sandwiches.
2. For the sweet tooth, there is dessert to end the meal. Honey and nuts are
popular ingredients in Greek cuisine. Baklava, a dessert made from layering phyllo
pastries filled with nuts and drenching it with honey uses these two popular dessert
ingredients. Most cookies and cakes are topped with both nuts and honey. An
ingredient for dips, yogurt has its place in the dessert section. Yogurt may be eaten
with a spoon, like ice cream and sweetened with syrup or honey. Fruits may be
added also as toppings, either fresh, ripe, unripe, or boiled fruits in syrup, like
preserves.
This cuisine is a constantly growing cuisine, and as it serves inspiration to
some healthy menus from restaurants, there will be more dishes derived from
traditional Greek food. There may be some Greek foods that may be fused with
traditional dishes from other nations and cultures to make a new and delectable
dish to try that’s healthy and tasty at the same time.
Visit us @ www.gourmandia.com