location: Greece

The olive tree is a native species to Greek Land, cultivated in the Aegean as early as 2.000 BC, and oil, is omnipresent since then in Greek life: nutrition, religion, mythology, medicine, literature, art. Hercules planted an olive tree at the Temple of Hera in ancient Olympia, after completing his twelve labours. Goddess Athena donated to the Athenians the first olive tree in the world and this why it became the sacred tree of Athens. The Olive wreath also known as kotinos was the prize for the winner at the ancient Olympic Games. It was a branch of the wild olive tree. The Mycenaeans offered olive oil to the gods, while Homer called olive oil “the liquid gold of nutrition”. Aristotle considered the cultivation of olive trees a science, while Hippocrates used olive oil as a medicine.
Olive oil is the basis of the Mediterranean diet, one of the most popular and proven healthy diets in the world. It contains large amounts of monounsaturated fat (75%) and antioxidants, offering protection against the so-called oxidative stress, which causes aging. Medical research which took place in Europe and America has revealed that olive oil not only protects the heart but also helps in the good function of organs while it has a beneficial action to a wide range of diseases.
Olive oil is used widely in cooking, used in bread making and sometimes, in the case of a simple meal, may be the only ingredient that accompanies bread.

Mustalevria, a grape jelly, is a healthy, fragrant and traditional seasonal sweet. It is associated with the coming of autumn and its main ingredients are must and flour, as the word itself indicates. Mustard is the grape juice produced before the fermentation process.
Mustalevira appears after the end of the summer holidays, when must is produced. One can find it clay or plastic cups in dairy stores, bakeries and pastry shops, and the secret to its success is the good proportion of must and flour.
It has a crystal surface, its texture is creamy, and it has a cool taste. The cream produced from grape juice has been sweetening for thousands of years now. Aristophanes refers to Pluto as an “ointment”. But “Oinuta” was also called in Byzantium, but also “pastel” or “must pie”.
Athenaeus records petimezi, making it apparent that in the ancient world this form of viscous must – as it appears after boiling was widely used. The same author speaks of the “Cretan glycine”, a kind of bread made with sweet must and olive oil. Apicius often refers to the preparation of sauces with the addition of raisins and boiled grape juice.
The name varies according from region to region. In Samos, for example, it is also referred to as kourkouta, in Crete it is called kefteria, while in Cyprus it is called palouzes. The nutritional value of must flour is very high due to its high content of minerals and vitamins. Specifically, the must is rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and B complex vitamins, while minerals contain calcium, phosphorus, potassium and iron. It is a good source of natural sugars, therefore consuming it gives the body immediate energy.
Mustalevria is served with a layer of sesame seeds and a pinch of cinnamon.

The word meze is associated with social gatherings, friends and small plates on the table full of delicacies, miniatures of meals, either in sunny balconies or in cosy tavern in the wintertime. Wine, tsipouro, raki or ouzo are the drinks required as complement for enjoying numerous meze dishes. The word comes from the Persian maze, which means “taste” just like the Turkish meze. The appetizer has a special place in the history and culture of our country. From ancient times, Greeks and Romans used to feast on small dishes with fresh fruits, wine, cheese, olives and vegetables accompanied by wine. Meze dishes were common in other countries as well in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.
Meze is served as an appetizer to welcome the meal but also has its autonomy at the table. Culinary art and imaginative combinations can offer unique compositions of meze. When meze dishes are served the forks can begin a journey from pickled vegetables to sea shells and seafood, to zucchini balls and cheese crοquettes, making a stopover at dolmades, which are delicious vine leaves stuffed with rice, fresh herbs, and seasonings and ending up the trip to the flavours to a pork “tigania”, fried pork marinated with wine and served as a welcome gastronomic gesture.

The ideal breakfast usually includes fruit jam. We spread it on bread or toast with butter or without, and we enjoy unique flavors and colors on our plate, satiating more than one sensation.
The first jams are said to have been originally made in ancient Greece in an effort to preserve the quinces with honey. This resulted in the “melimelon”, which in turn was processed by the Romans to discover the pectin that came from boiling the fruit. Since then, this sweet has survived and spread worldwide. The basic ingredient, along with the fruit or fruit combination we choose, is sugar. It is said that the jam was invented in its (almost) present-day form around 1560 by a doctor of the queen of Scotland, Mary, who mixed it with sugar in order to benefit her from nausea during a trip from France to Scotland. Because of this, there was an etymological version of the jam: “Marie est malade” (“Maria is ill”). As appealing as this story sounds, however, gastronomy experts disagree and insist that the word comes from the Portuguese “marmelo” which means quince and goes back to the ancient Greek “melimelo”.
It turns out that the variety of fruits and vegetables available in Greece has led to the need to find ways of preserving them from very early on. This is how everyone’s favorite jam was invented; by helping preserve and consume seasonal fruits all year round, at same time it provides us with the most fruity scents and flavors.

The lukum may be considered to be a Turkish-origin sweet (aka Turkish delight), however, there are regions in Greece that are famous for its production. Syros , Komotini and Serres are some of the areas known for producing these cubic sweet bites that create this wonderful chewy sensation on the palate.
In Syros the Turkish delight arrived from Constantinople in the early 19th century by refugees from Chios Island, who added the famous mastic to the confectionery. It is said that what gives the Syrian lukum its unique flavor is the brackish water of the island along with the years of experience following the art of making the delicacies. In Komotini, the sutzuk lukum, (sutzuk is a sausage), stands out for the way in which the nuts are placed on the inside and for the shape of the lukum (like a large sausage). In Serres, on the other hand, we find akanes, another variant of the well-known Turkish delight, is made with butter and requires a special technique in baking and boiling. Today, technology has given confectioners the means for the easier production of this particular sweet. It used to take hours of shuffling and paying attention to how the mixture (water, sugar, starch and aroma) was treated properly in boiling and baking, but now artisans can experiment different techniques and flavors and suggest new flavors, beyond traditional such as rose and mastic.
Traditionally, this Turkish delight is always present in Greek culture. From a simple visit, to weddings and funerals, lukum is served to accompany and sweeten our daily lives, our joy or our sorrow.

They are one of the most delectable desserts. Loukoumades are delicious dough balls fried in hot oil, crunchy on the outside and fluffy from the inside, are ideal for any time of day. They are served sweet or salty and can sweeten our mood. They are usually preferred with honey and cinnamon, but there is no limit to garnish options: praline, fruit, and syrup of every taste, jam, and colorful truffle on top, nuts or even salty or sweet cheese.
Loukoumades are of simple inspiration and with all those choices in their garnishing, they can easily become one’s favorite sweet. That is why their history is lost in the depths of the centuries, and at the same time it is a delight that we can find, with minor variations, in many places of the world till now. The first references of this sweet were found in Europe by Callimachus. Aristotle, Archestratus and Aristophanes also mention it in their works. It is said that the recipe for its production is the first recorded ancient pastry recipe. A remarkable piece of information is that the ritual of honoring the Olympics’ winners in ancient Greece included a treat with loukoumades, something that was repeated at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing in honor of the first Olympics. Their present Greek name derives from the Turkish word lokma which means “bite”.
For some, loukoumades are a symbol of happiness and fertility, while others consider them to be aphrodisiacs. The places where they are made are so many that it is quite reasonable to have obtained several ‘properties’ over the years. Whether they are true or not, the only thing for sure is that this is one of our favorite sweet treat.

Lagana is unleavened bread, which means bread made without yeast. Shape-wise it is flat, with a crunchy crust and a little crumb. Its characteristic aroma comes mainly from sesame and anise. Its name derives from the ancient Greek “laganon”, a flaky pastry made of flour and water.
The history of lagana dates back to ancient times and continues to this day. Aristophanes in “Ecclesiazusae” mentions the word “Laganas”. In his texts, Horatio mentions that lagana is “The dessert of the poor”. According to tradition bread without yeast was used by the Israelites during the night of the Exodus from Egypt under the leadership of Moses. Since then the Mosaic Law has imposed on the Israelites the consumption of unleavened bread all the days of the Passover. The custom has been maintained, and so, usually after making lagana, Lent begins, the forty-day fast that ends on Easter, the day when Christ is said to have blessed the bread with yeast. The first day of Lent, the Clean/Ash Monday (called pure because housewives that day clean their utensils after the celebrations of Carnival), bakers prepare the lagana which we enjoy with a variety of meatless dishes.
From the dough of the lagana, we also make the so called Mrs. Lent, the figure of a woman with a cross on her head and hands in a prayer-like position with no mouth – symbolizing fasting – but having seven legs, one for each week of the period of Lent. Every Saturday we cut a leg counting in the weeks leading up to Easter.
In addition to Clean Monday, many choose to consume lagana throughout Lent as it is an extremely tasty choice accompanied with honey or tahini.

If you’ve ever dipped your yoghurt spoon in the creamy delight known as real Greek yoghurt, the taste sensations are tantalizing. Protein-rich and an excellent source of calcium, Greek yoghurt is both delicious and nutritious offering many health benefits. This amazing superfood not only has a taste of its own but a classic history to match. The cuisine of ancient Greece included oxygala, a dairy product and form of yoghurt in 5^th Century Greece enjoyed with honey. There are even ancient references, as far as India, describing yoghurt as ‘food of the gods.’  Word travels, then and now.

Today, Greek yoghurt has gained international fame for its excellent quality and is one of the Greek products with largest volume of exports. What’s the secret to the food enjoyment of authentic Greek  yoghurt known for rich consistency and distinct taste.? Yoghurt is actually fermented milk.   Traditionally, Greeks made yoghurt from sheep’s milk, although cow’s milk is popular today and a mixture of both can also be used. The slightly tart taste is caused by the conversion of the lactose in the milk to lactic acid. Yoghurt is an all natural dairy product and regardless of choice of animal milk, the traditional Greek straining process filters the liquid removing excess water, whey and lactose.  By straining the yoghurt, the texture becomes creamier and creates a distinctive flavor by filtering the sodium and sugar contained in the whey (the watery part of milk).  Straining is a time honored Greek tradition originating in a historically agricultural society where animals were kept for milk and the homemaker’s pride. Yoghurt is a daily staple food in the Greek diet and, even today, the largest producers refer to family recipes.

You will enjoy the refreshing taste of authentic Greek yoghurt, a certified product, in the Greek Breakfast experience as a standalone topped with honey or fresh fruit or as an ingredient in a variety of yoghurt-based regional breakfast delicacies.

Wake up to The Greek Breakfast and enjoy a delicious, nutritious array of certified local products and specialties. Real Greek yoghurt, pure honey, the freshest fruits, free-range eggs and traditional marmalades are just some of the Greek superfoods to boost your energy for the get up and go to start your day.

The Greek Breakfast is a chance to experience the tasty dishes of a locale and explore regional gastronomy. You’ll discover local specialties, products and recipes; some so treasured they’ve barely left the family kitchen. The Greek Breakfast introduces you to the history and culture of the regions of Greece through authentic breakfast foods, which highlight the dynamic role of the surrounding countryside in shaping gastronomic tradition– including the delicacies dreams are made of. Tsoureki sweet bread; Koulouri Thessalonikis, delicious bread ring with sesame seeds, Cretan rusks, homemade spanakopita, spinach pie, glorious local cheeses and an assortment of fresh breads.   There are also many temptations to indulge the sweet tooth, such as milopita, apple pie and spoon sweets like chestnut and plum, breakfast pastry with thyme honey and almonds and walnut pie, as well as Greek halva and, if you dare, Greek pancakes with cinnamon.

The Greek Breakfast offers a range of high-quality products, PDO certified, which are internationally-recognized as basic foods of the Mediterranean Diet. Traditional methods are used to reap all the benefits of Nature’s gifts. The result is quality fruits, vegetables, dairy, meats and exceptional products, such as Greek olive oil. The delicious ‘Kalamata’ olives of the Peloponnese must be handpicked to avoid bruising. World- famous Greek feta cheese is made from special breeds of sheep and goats which give this choice food its distinct aroma and flavor. The Aegina pistachios produced in the warm, dry climate of the island are carefully harvested to avoid damaging the trees.

The Greek Breakfast invites you to share the rich gastronomic heritage of Greece and enjoy the taste of regional cuisine, from place to place.

Sometimes Greek Nature truly surprises with its gifts. A small evergreen tree growing in a specific area in the southern part of Chios, an Eastern Aegean island, seems to have just appeared thousands of years ago. Although found in countries around the Mediterranean Sea, only this variety produces the unique mastic sap.   Somehow the ancients knew the tree was born for greatness. The mastic tree, Pistacia lentiscus, yields sap by making incisions in the bark forming translucent, teardrop shape chunks of resin, which is known internationally as Chios mastic. Hippocrates suggested its health benefits, the Genovese (14^th century) built medieval fortresses to protect the sap from pirate raids, and the Ottoman Turks valued its worth as gold and generations of islanders have created an extraordinary gastronomic heritage based on the rare, aromatic spice.

Chios Mastika, PDO-certified Chios mastic, captures the flavor of celebration in Greek cuisine in the distinct taste of Christmas and Easter breads, such as tsoureki. But Chios mastic also turns every day treats into festive, tangy delicacies adding sensations to creamy rice pudding, mastic Greek spoon sweet, liqueur, almond cake and delicious pastries and rusks.

The taste, described as licorice and pine with a tinge of vanilla, is a flavor to savor.

Today, Chios mastic is a trendy, if mysterious spice, that is highly sought after for the shelves of modern kitchens and is also inspiring international cuisine.

The production of mastic has remained unchanged over the centuries. The traditional, walled settlements (Mastic Villages) built to protect the families cultivating the mastic are a reminder of the historical social and economic importance of the agricultural product to the community. Today, only 24 villages remain.

Harvesting extends from June to September when 10-20 incisions (‘hurts’) are made in the bark of the tree. The resin is then collected, rinsed in barrels and followed by a second cleaning by hand. One tree yields about 4.5 kg per season.

The Greek Breakfast of Chios offers you the unique opportunity to taste many products and specialties created with the valuable crystal ‘tears,’ of the native mastic tree.