location: Greece

The taste of pure Greek honey is unforgettable. Who could resist a refreshing bowl of creamy yoghurt with a drizzle of honey or a generous spread of the ‘nectar of the gods’ on more than one slice of freshly-bake, breakfast bread. In antiquity, this Greek superfood was cherished not only as a traditional sweetener for food and drink but for its health benefits. Melikrato was a mixture of honey and milk given to growing children and, if ancient storytelling holds true, the Thrace born philosopher, Democritus, lived to 90 (some writers suggest 104) because he enjoyed an habitual diet of oenomelo (wine and honey) with bread. Today high quality honey is proven rich in antioxidants.

But why is Greek honey so distinctively delicious offering an array of flavors and color varying from pale gold to darker hues? The answer lies in the glorious Greek countryside covered in an enormous variety of wild flowers, trees and shrubs. Greek honey is classified in two groups; floral honey, the paler hues, made from the nectar of flowers and the darker varieties of forest honey made from fir trees, including pine.

Greece has more beehives per acre than any European country, with an estimated 15,000 beekeepers attending 1,200,000 hives. The art of beekeeping is a long tradition and skilled Greek beekeepers ensure an excellent quality natural product. Among the many varieties of Greek honey are thyme and pine from the Aegean Islands; thyme, orange blossom, fir, chestnut blossom from the Peloponnese; as well as the taste of pine and heather from Halkidiki in the North.

The consumption of honey in Greece is one of the highest in the world and pure honey is a favorite ingredient in Greek cuisine. From breakfast specialties to the traditional desserts for celebrations of all kinds, honey adds the essence of the countryside to the Greek gastronomical heritage. For a taste of what is awaiting you; acacia honey, fir honey, vanilla fir honey, thyme honey, sunflower honey, pine tree, orange citrus honey and heather honey. How sweet it is.

Everybody has a favorite Greek pita pie, or two or three, because the choice of fillings, both savory and sweet, is almost endless creating a tasty treat wrapped in layers of buttered, filo dough.

The traditional pita pie has a special place on the daily Greek table. It is sometimes savory, sometimes sweet, with sheet dough or not, almost always baked in the oven and, less frequently, fried. The word appears in Greece in the Middle Ages. Pita also refers to a type of round, unleavened flatbread (pita with slouvaki, pita with gyro).

All varieties of pita pies are made throughout Greece. Traditionally, in the countryside, seasonal vegetables, greens or mushrooms are used to make delicious, homemade pita pies, with spinach or wild mountain greens or a combination of mushrooms and onions, with or without feta cheese and eggs.

Some of the most famous savory pies are made with cheese, potato, spinach, leeks, onions and even chicken, beef and ham. The traditional dough is thicker and, in the villages, many homemakers make their own dough.

Tempting sweet pita pies include apple, cherry, sweet milk, orange, walnut, yellow pumpkin, chocolate and melon.

Not to be missed is the bougatsa with its flaky crust and delicious sweet cream filling sprinkled with powdered sugar, cinnamon or cheese. Especially popular in Northern Greece and introduced by the Greeks of Asia Minor, the bougatsa of Serres and Thessaloniki is especially known for its authenticity and sumptuous taste.

With so many fillings, there are also many shapes. Cut in squares, bite-size squares, like an open or sealed envelope, flower-shaped and the ‘strifti’ twisted pita of Skopelos.

A day in the life of the ancient Greeks started at early rise with barley bread dipped in wine and, perhaps, a few figs or olives.

This may sound ‘spartan’ compared to today’s full breakfast but Athenaeus, 2^nd-3^rd Century AD grammatist, names a long list of different breads in The Deipnosophistae  (dinner table philosophers), sometimes called the oldest surviving cookbook, that underlines the importance of bread in ancient Greek life. Bread played a vital role at the table for nourishment and health (there were three daily meals). There were special breads and cakes for all occasions, such as celebrations, entertainment and sacred festivals. Among the variety of breads were raised breads, coarse brown bread from emmer wheat and barley, white bread from fine flour, oven bread, bread baked in ashes and wafer bread, as well as soft cakes, such as sesame cake and barley cakes. Bread was at the heart of the table and served with meat, fish, vegetables and fruits.

The ancient Greek word for bread ‘artos’ means flavor and breads were named after ingredients, shape, ways of baking and origins, as well as judged on quality; the color counted, white was preferred. Athens was, by far, in the winner’s circle, with the famous Athenian baker, Thearion, often mentioned in ancient literature and described as one of the marvelous caretakers of the body. Baking bread was a main household occupation involving the women of the house and a process taking up to five hours a day. However, by the 5^th century BC, commercial bakeries became popular and fresh bread could be bought at market. White bread, enjoyed by the Athenian upper classes, was expensive because the bread wheat was imported, mainly from Egypt, as the cultivation of wheat in Mediterranean climates was difficult.

The ancient Greeks revered Demeter, the Olympian goddess of agriculture, grain and life-giving bread. The Greek tradition of producing a delicious variety of freshly-baked bread spans the centuries and, today, this cherished custom is yours to experience at The Greek Breakfast table. Freshly baked breads include village style, white and brown bread, corn bread, barley bread, white bread, bread with herbs, ‘symmikto’ (mixed) bread with three types of flour and leaven, plus many more to enjoy.