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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