A culinary voyage to discover Greek cuisine

Spending hours on a terrace is a speciality in Greece. The country's mild climate at night encourages you to take your time and let your meal linger. In a real Greek taverna, away from the overly touristy areas where profitability sometimes takes over, you'll never be rushed to clear the table - quite the opposite!

From one tavern to the next, you'll find that the menu is similar, sometimes copied and pasted. The difference is in the quality of the food, not in the choice of dishes. When it comes to drinks, the meal is often accompanied by wine, white, red or even rosé: each tavern has its own house wine (krassi tou spitiou), which you can order by the jug, and by the kilo!

"Remember that everything is shared at the tavern table, which is why many dishes are served generously.

Let's take a quick tour of Greece's great culinary specialities, to whet your appetite before packing your bags!

Greek salad is called "horiatiki" in Greek, which translates as "village salad". It uses the staples of every Greek village: tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, olives, olive oil, herbs and cheese, very often a slice of feta. There are many variations of Greek salad throughout Greece, but it's the perfect accompaniment to any meal, without exception!

A great classic among Greek mezzes, tzatziki is served as a starter with dry bread (paximadia) or toast, but also goes very well with grilled meats and chips. Tzatziki is a mixture of Greek yoghurt with thin slices of cucumber, seasoned with garlic and olive oil (and why not dill), and served chilled. A real treat at any time of day in the summer, when it's hot!

"A recipe that's pretty easy to reproduce at home, for a Greek aperitif..."

Tarama is now well known in France, but be warned: the kind you get in a good psarotaverna (fish tavern) is nothing like the kind you buy in the supermarket! The white colour may surprise you, as may the much finer taste. Tarama is made from fish roe (cod), oil and soaked sliced bread. Ideal as an aperitif mezze before a seafood meal.

Moussaka

Without doubt the most famous Greek speciality, moussaka has two origins: Turkish for the filling, and French for the béchamel sauce! A really good moussaka is made with minced lamb, grilled aubergines, onions, tomatoes and potatoes. Then a generous layer of béchamel au gratin is poured on top!

"Unfortunately, it's not always easy to find a good moussaka in Greece... beware of the touristy restaurants!

Souvlaki (kebabs)

Souvlaki are Greek kebabs traditionally skewered on a long iron spit. In summer, these grilled meats fill the air and whet the appetite. Skewers are usually marinated chicken or pork, served with pita bread, chips, tomatoes and tzatziki. On the seaside, there are sometimes variations of souvlaki with grilled tuna or swordfish.

Gemista (stuffed vegetables)

A speciality that will suit vegetarians, who are far from forgotten in Greek cuisine: they enjoy it just as much as everyone else! Gemista are vegetables stuffed with rice, with seasonings that vary from one taverna to another: oregano, parsley, mint, onions, pine nuts, sultanas, etc. Tomatoes are most commonly used for stuffing, but courgettes or peppers are also used, baked in olive oil.

Keftedes (dumplings)

Keftedes, or meatballs, are prepared in many different ways, but always pan-fried in oil. For carnivores, meatballs are prepared with a minced mix of pork and beef, with herbs to refine the flavour.

Other variations are vegetarian: melitzanokeftedes with aubergine, kolokythokeftedes with courgette, tomatokeftedes with tomato... Herbs, mint and feta are added for even more flavour.

"Keftedes are perfect for sharing at the start of a meal, or nibbling on the go during the day to regain your strength".

Octopus

The image of octopus hanging on a clothesline to dry in the sun is familiar to everyone, and everyone will see it in a small Greek port. Calamari, cuttlefish and octopus are sometimes mixed up, but octopus remains the finest of the three, and the most sought-after. Octopus is best eaten grilled, with a drizzle of olive oil and parsley, marinated in vinegar, or even cooked in a pot with red wine... Either way, octopus is a delight.

Fried fish

A must in the islands, small fried dishes are generally made with anchovies or smelts, well seasoned with lemon, which are eaten whole and with the fingers. Squid is also a classic fried dish. A glass of ouzo, an aniseed-flavoured spirit served on the rocks, is a perfect accompaniment to fried fish.

Desserts

When you ask for the bill, you will be brought the dessert of the day, which may be a seasonal fruit, juicy watermelon, halva (semolina cake), honey loukoumades (small doughnuts), ice cream, etc...

"In a real Greek taverna, dessert is not offered à la carte, it's on the house!

In certain regions, such as Crete, it is accompanied by a glass of raki, a grape brandy, which serves as a digestive before returning to the hotel!