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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 beneficial properties were published. Elie Metchnikoff, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1908, attributed the longevity of the Balkan populations to the abundant consumption of fermented dairy products, such as kefir. In fact, he called the kefir “elixir of life”. Initially, its use has been spread for the treatment of tuberculosis and diseases of the intestines and stomach while its consumption has been increasing over the years.
The name comes from the Turkish word Keyif, which means “feel good” after eating. It has been found to be highly concentrated in probiotics, it is delicious, digestible and has many nutrients. The term probiotic describes foods that contain microorganisms that are beneficial to health. Kefir has a flavor that is very similar to yogurt and aroma reminiscent of sour milk. It can be made to a tasty homemade cheese but it can also be eaten with fruit or honey and cereals.

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 the first information on herbs and medicinal herbs. The Minoans and Mycenaeans used roots, woods, barks, flowers, shoots, fruits, seeds, oils and resins from various medicinal plants and herbs that grew in Greece. Later, the “father of medicine”, Hippocrates, was able to cope with various ailments of patients using these herbs. In the Middle Ages, botanical gardens flourish in the monastery gardens, while with the beginning of typography, classical knowledge spreads beneath the walls of the monasteries. The recipes were saved through the ancient texts that have been re-studied and enriched over the years. Many botanical books were published during the 16th and 17th centuries to help those who were involved in herbal medicine.
In Greece, the rich soil throughout the country fosters the collection of herbs and their use in the preparation of aromatic herb drinks. Herbs contain a wide variety of trace elements, vitamins and antioxidants. Aromatic herbs such as sage, dittany, mountain tea or chamomile can be used as herbal teas in the Greek breakfast.

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 and golden colour that gives to food, it contains vitamin B12, lycopene, zeaxanthin, a and b carotene as well as vitamin C, iron, potassium and magnesium and is known for its anti-aging and antioxidant action. Dittany is considered the elixir of youth, the pomegranate as the fruit of life and is considered to bring good luck. Almonds not only symbolize the coming of spring, but their frequent consumption are important for brain health. The list of super foods is endless, and their value is invaluable to human health.
Ancient Greek diet and gastronomy is a source from which many elements of European nutrition and cuisine have emerged. From antiquity to the present day, the Greeks were not only seeking to satisfy their hunger or enjoy their food, but they were also seeking a symbolic burden and a use for the prevention or treatment of various health problems.

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 palette. Depending on preferences samphire or capers, vinegar or parsley are added
Although the Greek name reveals origins from the village (horiatiki means ‘from the village ’the real birthplace is the capital. It is said that it was firstly made in the taverns that had opened in the 1960s in Plaka in the historic centre of Athens. The aim of the owners was to avoid the market provisions which included the tomato and cucumber salads in their pricing. The owners then thought of adding feta cheese and be exempted from extra charges. This was the birth of the Greek salad that could be sold at any price they wished.
Fresh bread is the key to the exciting journey of the most popular “dive” into the ultimate Mediterranean dish, while wine or cold beer are essential for the most tasteful summer delight.

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 any other type of coffee in many parts of the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, the Balkans and North Africa, so its paternity was and remains a point of contention. Some distinguish Greek from Turkish coffee, pointing out that Greek has a finer grind than Turkish, which is called coarse and roasted.
There has been much debate in recent years about the benefits of Greek coffee – an antioxidant-rich beverage – to good health and longevity. It has been observed that consumption of Greek coffee contributes to the better functioning of the endothelium, resulting in a lower risk of myocardial infarction. Studies have also shown that a cup of Greek coffee per day can reduce the risk of stroke and cancer. In addition, a study on the Greek island of Ikaria, and especially in villages with many elderly residents, who did not have serious health problems, showed that consumption of Greek coffee was associated with longevity.
Greek coffee during preparation requires time and attention to be removed from the heat at the right time, before it is actually boiled. It should be served properly with its kaymak and blisters to highlight its golden color and distinctive aroma. Experts suggest that the best time to drink coffee is in the morning as caffeine affects the hormone cortisol, which helps us stay alert. It is no coincidence that Greek coffee is rarely missing from traditional Greek breakfast.

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 genealogy. It comes from the Italian word fetta, which means slice-piece, a word that has its roots in Latin, from offa (meaning bite or crumb). It first appeared in Greek in the 17th century, possibly referring to the practice of slicing cheese in order to place the slices into barrels. However, many authors attribute a Greek origin to feta cheese, where according to Homer, Cyclops Polyphemus was the first to have made it. In the Delphi Museum, 6th century BC artefacts depict the feta production process. It is made exclusively from sheep’s or goat’s milk, i.e. a mixture of up to 30% goat’s milk. It is stored in brine or sour milk for about 3 months. Feta cheese varies depending on its hardness and it based on the texture it can be hard, medium or soft.
Feta was patented as a PDO product only in 2002. The name ‘Feta’ can no longer be used in cheeses of similar composition, made outside or even within Greece, but with a composition and production process other than the traditional one.
Feta is consumed on its own, with oil and oregano, in salads, pies and other foods or baked with herbs and chili flakes or in honey crust sheets. The delightful hospitable Greek table holds a special place in feta cheese, giving it undoubtedly the honours that a queen would envy.

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, it glows in the light and it sinks in the water. The combination of egg white and yolk, offers a food high in proteins, fats, vitamins etc. It is ideal for children but also for adults on a weak condition, although its consumption must be limited, especially by elderly, but also by people with health problems like and liver disease and arteriosclerosis.
Moreover, an egg must be washed well before the boil process.

It must be noted that the egg is closely connected to the Christian Orthodox Easter, through the custom of the Easter eggs, which are painted during Maundy Thursday, usually with red color and are eaten on Easter Day after the traditional egg taping.

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, eat as a dessert or as a snack.
In Greece, cookies are especially connected with the period of Easter cookies. Easter cookies are baked just a few days before Easter, usually on Thursday, They are crunchy, with a buttery taste, while they melt in the mouth. The most popular and important ingredients for cookies are eggs and fruits, but not only! Orange and lemon honey, cinnamon, almond, vanilla, tahini, wine, beer, ouzo and anise, cocoa are ingredients that flavor cookies. It is also worth mentioning mustokouloura that are made during autumn by grape must.
A Greek coffee accompanied with a cookie on a small plate, is an ideal pleasure at the beginning of the day!

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 these “apples”, after killing Ladon and then giving them to Eurystheus, who offered them to the goddess Athena. Some believed that ambrosia was the product of the golden trees of the Hesperides garden. A beautiful eagle accompanied by white doves carried them to Olympus to feed the gods.
Citrus fruits include oranges, lemons, tangerines, bitter oranges, citrus, pomelos and bergamots. Their earliest roots come from Asia, mainly from India, China and Africa. The Mediterranean climate was ideal for them to thrive, so they travelled ashore in Europe and later, when the great food exchange took place they travelled to America.
Citrus fruits, symbols of richness and wealth, are sometimes sweet and others sweet and sour, offering juices rich in vitamins while their flesh and peel, their flowers and leaves are used in perfumery and pastry making. They give aromatic marinades, sweeten roasted meat but they are a common home remedy for the cold flu.
They have many varieties in colour and taste. Sour lemons, bitter, sweet and blood oranges, that glow in lush orchards like rich ornaments which offer the most fragrant and juicy fruits.

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 Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India and Myanmar (Burma) .
The sources refer that cinnamon was used in a variety of ways all over the world. It is widely consumed as a digestion beverage, while some believe it has boosting properties. According to Ayurveda cinnamon has beneficial effects on the meridians of the heart, spleen, kidneys and liver. It is no coincidence that Indians believe that cinnamon nurtures heartfelt feelings and helps in building strong interpersonal relationships. Others support the antiseptic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and lipolytic properties of cinnamon as well as it can help to regulate blood sugar and blood pressure.
When it comes to cinnamon, we refer to a spice that not only enhances our culinary and pastry creations but also has multiple therapeutic benefits to our health. It is no coincidence that it is found in every kitchen and its use is anything but rare.

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 food for the Byzantines. Not only because it was rather rare and expensive, but also because the fasting dictated the Christian religion, for half day time. Only at festive events or at the tables of the rich once could find lambs, goats, poultry and hunting. Vegetables and legumes were cheaper and the most common food of that time. Since Church had regular fasting periods, these foods were consumed by a large portion of the population for long periods. The most commonly consumed vegetables were cabbages, leeks, onions, beets, lettuce, radishes, carrots, peas, and from legumes, beans, lentils, chickpeas and beans.
Cheese was a popular dairy product, as was oxygalon, a beverage which was produced after lactic fermentation. When it comes to fish and seafood in the Byzantine Era, they used to eat boiled fish, grilled fish and fried fish. In areas far from the sea more salted fish was consumed, while caviar was a luxury that only the very rich could enjoy. The basic element in a desert was fruit (apples, pears, dried and fresh figs, cherries, grapes, melons etc.) and nuts (walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts). Cakes also took a prominent position on the Byzantine desert table. As a sweetener, honey was often used. Pastries were also served for dessert.
In order to cook the Byzantines used iron tripods, a kind of trivet, which were raised above the fire and where they placed their cookware. The cookware and were made of clay or metal. They had a wide variety of uses for daily meals: kettles or rucksacks, boilers, pans, pitchers and flasks. In addition to salt and domestic spices, various oriental spices, such as pepper and cinnamon, were used in cooking. Sinapis the mustard of that time, was also used to accompany the sausages of the time, the salsikia. The most popular was a Byzantine sauce called “garos” which was produced from fish offal, gills, fish blood, salt, pepper and old wine.

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 butter was the main fat in their diet, fasting meant a great deal of deprivation. For parishioners who hoped to escape the drastic religious rule, permission was given for them to keep on eating ‘fat’ in return for a donation to the church which funded the construction of the La Tour de Beurre tower at the Cathedral of Rouen.
Fresh butter is made from cow’s milk. However, the milk used as raw material may also be sheep or goat milk and more rarely from buffalo or camel milk. Nowadays butter is not produced from unpasteurized milk anymore, as this would not last more than a few days in the refrigerator. Fresh butter has 80% to 82% fat and its colour varies from whitish to yellow, depending on the nutritional habits of the animals from which butter is produced and it can be found unsalted and salted.
It is said that buttered bread is attributed to Copernicus while in his effort to combat the spread of the plague.

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 (Istanbul) and Smyrna. Over time bougatsa was spread from Macedonia to Epirus and from the Peloponnese to Crete. In Northern Greece, bougatsa is a favorite snack for every hour time of the day. Some argue that bougatsa is the evolution of the ancient placenta, which was a pie with a sweet or savory filling.
There are differences in the preparation of bougatsa between Northern and Southern Greece, which are related to the phyllo dough preparation process and the way of serving. In southern Greece, many confuse bougatsa with cheese with cheese pie, but they are not the same thing because they differ in the type of phyllo.
Sweet pastry is usually sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon. For the lovers of the truly delicious bougatsa phyllo there is also a bougatsa crisp, that is, plain baked bougatsa phyllo sprinkled with icing sugar, especially in Northern Greece. The experience of bougatsa with breakfast coffee, especially in the cities of Northern Greece, is a sweet and light journey of the palate in an authentic taste of Greece to the beginning of the 20th century. It is also worth mentioning the Bougatsa Festival which is organized every year in Thessaloniki.

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, coriander, pepper, cinnamon, cumin etc.) complemented the rich range of raw ingredients. Trade and the exploration of the East also brought new foods to the area such as citrus fruits, peaches and peanuts. Apicius, an ancient Roman traveller-cook and gourmet lover, reports that in classical Greece, three to four spices were used in a dish. Cooking in Greece, until 200 BC, was based on specific ingredients: wine, honey, vinegar, cabbage, dry and sweet wine, coriander, caraway, oregano, cheeses (mainly goat cheese), lamb, game birds, fish, dried figs, raisins and fennel. The consumption of red meat was initially occasional. Due to its high price it was mainly consumed at festivals or after sacrifices, and then with the trade development from the 4th century. B.C. and onwards along with the increase of wealth, meat consumption becomes more common while poultry, gamebirds, seafood and fish, especially in coastal and riparian areas, were more accessible.
Wine had a prominent place in the ancient Greek diet, and it will become one of the main ingredients of Greek and Roman gastronomy. In the 4th century. B.C. the first professional cooks appear in the ancient texts, while recipes of pastry and bakery travel all over the territory of the Greek world. The earliest compositions of cooking are referred to as mixes or mixtures, which is why the cook was called “magician” at the time and “mageirike” meant the art of cooking.
The philosophy of Greek gastronomy, rich in materials and techniques, consisted of balancing bitter and sour, moderate seasoning and sweetness in sauces. The secrets of ancient Greek cooking and gastronomy were documented by the philosopher and poet Archestratus from Syracuse (4th century BC) in the poem ” Hedypatheia”(Life of Luxury), as it is referred in Athenaeus of Naukratis work “The Deipnosophistae”. According to Archestratus, the five golden rules of gastronomic art are summarized in the use of raw food materials of good quality, combine them harmoniously, avoid hot sauces and spices, prefer lighter sauces to enjoy the meal and use spices moderately, so as to not interfere with natural flavours pure materials for food preparation, the harmony of materials between them, and in light sauces.