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Kefir is made from any type of milk, either from cow, sheep or goat after lactic and alcoholic fermentation by adding kefir. These “grains” are cultivations of fungi and lactic acid bacteria and look like cauliflower. Kefir originates in the Black Sea countries, in particular in the North Ossetia region, between Russia and Georgia. The residents of the Caucasus and the Middle East area have been consuming it for many centuries now. According to the legend, Mohammed gave kefir seeds to Christians and taught them to make kefir milk. Since the late 19th century, scientific studies on its therapeutic and … Read more

The richness of herbs on the Greek soil is enormous, a non accidental fact, since the Mediterranean climate and the geological morphology of the country provide the ideal conditions for such an extensive variety. There are thousands of endemic species, the majority of which are aromatic with therapeutic properties. The healing power of herbs is an invaluable heritage and thanks to the Mediterranean climate, Greek herbs are considered one of the richest in the world for their healing properties. This healing power of herbs was discovered in ancient times, with the Sumerians and Assyrians being the first people to have … Read more

Products that offer well-being, protect health, give taste to cooking, have a great nutritional value, “treasures” of Greek production, known since ancient times. Oregano gives its flavour to the Greek salad, but it also relieves from sore throat. Honey is used as a sweetener but also provides more than 180 nutrients. Mastic Chios scents foods and sweets, but also has a strong anti-inflammatory action. The Cretan chicory is extremely restorative and has detoxifying properties. The Messolonghi botargo is a fine Greek delicacy and a source of protein, vitamins, iron, calcium, selenium and zinc. Kozani saffron, in addition to the tasty … Read more

A simple recipe that mixes with grandiose flavours creates a Mediterranean dish, sometimes as a starter to the main meal, others having the leading role and the privilege of a full meal. Greek salad is the descendant of the farmer’s snack. A few tomatoes, olives and cucumber inside the swag were enough for a lunch break. The same ingredients were used later in the Greek salad. Juicy tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, onions are bathed in oil and flavoured with oregano and salt. The use of feta is considered optional while olives and green pepper come to create a complete a colour … Read more

Sweet or bitter, with blisters on its kaymak or without, on the coals or in the brig, there are many ways to “bake” and enjoy Greek coffee often characterized as “meraklidikos” (which means that is made with passion) or used for consolation since according to custom it is served at funerals with brandy and nuts. Greek coffee has officially been recognized by UNESCO as part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Turkey, but we also find it as part of the Greek, Armenian, Arabic, Cypriot or Middle Eastern tradition, as it is the coffee that has been consumed more than … Read more

Feta cheese is starring in many dishes, highlighting Greek cuisine in a unique way. It took its name from being cut in large triangular slices. Feta in Greek means slice. It is a white cheese made from goat’s milk that matures in brine. The first historical evidence of feta was found in the Byzantine Empire, where we find the word “recent” (which means fresh). It is closely associated with Crete where an Italian traveller to Kantia, today’s Heraklion region, mentions in his writings from 1494 the procedures of feta brine curing, trading and storage. The word ‘slice’ has an interesting … Read more

Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? Probably there is still no answer about this eternal mystery that creates a dispute even among the scientific community. On the other hand there is no doubt that the egg (and the chicken of course) is connected with the dietary habits of various communities through time and history, Greeks included. No matter if it’s boiled, fried, baked or even raw as a basis for many recipes such as meringue, sauce, pastry etc., egg is one of the basic and most concentrated kinds of food available. When an egg is fresh, it’s idle, … Read more

Koulourakia are an exceptional and almost indivisible pair of the traditional Greek coffee, but also a treat that be found in every household. It is noteworthy that the first mention about cookies comes from the region of Persia during 7th century AD. According to the reference, the creation of cookies was the outcome of tests about oven’s temperature. Then cookies spread all over Europe through trade and human migration, and from there to the rest of the world! There are many versions of cookies all over the planet, since each country has its own shortbread to dive into for coffee, … Read more

Citrus fruits are evergreen trees. Greek mythology states that citrus fruits were the wedding gift that Gaea offered to the father of Gods, Zeus when he married Hera. The divine gift that was kept in the gardens of the Hesperides, far from the mortals, was cultivated in the plain of Chania. The Hesperides, nymphs of ancient Greek mythology who were daughters of the Night and the Ocean, guarded this land. Not trusting them, Hera also placed in the garden an immortal, never-sleeping, hundred-headed dragon named Ladon as an additional safeguard to watch over the “golden apples”. Hercules managed to steal … Read more

Cinnamon is one of the oldest known spices used in both cooking and pastry making. It is produced from the inside of the bark of the Cinnamon trees which give various kinds of the same spice. The most widely among them is the cassia. Cinnamon has been widespread since antiquity.Ιt was so precious that it was considered an ideal gift for kings, monarchs or even gods. Although its origin has been kept secret in the Mediterranean world for centuries by the middlemen who have been handling the spice trade to protect their monopoly suppliers, we know that cinnamon comes from … Read more

The variety of Byzantine diet depended on the agricultural and livestock production of each region, the climatic conditions and the financial situation in every household. The main goal was self-sufficiency, so every family made sure to have its own garden to cultivate basic vegetables and bread their own animals. The main foods were bread, oil, olives and cheese. The basis of the food pyramid was bread. The wealthy enjoyed what was regarded as clean or pure bread (katharos artos), whilst the poor had to be content with bread made out of bran, known as “piteraton”. Meat was not a common … Read more

When eating butter, there is a taste of a tender creamy oiliness that comes out of the milk. Since butter was hard to find and expensive, people traditionally consumed oil and butter became synonymous to well-being and prosperity. For the Mediterranean people who were fed almost exclusively with olive oil, butter was an expensive and rare food, a sign of luxury. In the Middle Ages butter was one of the forbidden foods during the Great Lent. This was not particularly costly for the inhabitants of the South, who mainly cooked with oil, but for the populations of the North, where … Read more

With a thin phyllo dough and filling with cream or cheese, bougatsa is a special pie that makes an exceptional breakfast choice. Although one can come across a bougatsa with other fillings as well, such as spinach or minced meat, the one with cheese is considered to be the most authentic. Bougatsa was brought to Greece by Asia Minor refugees after the Asia Minor Disaster. That is why it became known and adopted initially in Northern Greece, where it is very popular mainly in Thessaloniki and Serres. It is certain, however, that it was widespread among the Greeks of Polis … Read more

The nutritional habits in ancient Greece are saved either in ancient Greek and Roman literature or in artistic depictions of the time. Cereals and vegetables ranked first in their preferences. Wheat, barley and oats, but also lettuce, radishes, cucumbers, greens, onions, garlic, mushrooms, pumpkins, legumes such as beans, lentils and the chickpeas were served on a daily basis. Fruits made up the next largest food group within ancient Greek nutrition, such as grapes, apples, pears, pomegranates and figs. Nuts, olives, but also dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt), eggs, honey, as well as herbs and spices (oregano, thyme, mint, parsley, silfio, … Read more