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The Greek cuisineCulinary travel in Dilesi and nearby taverns.
The Greek cuisine. I want to invite you to travel across gastronomic Greece. The cities of Dilesi, Avlida and others nearby will show you the Greek cuisine, and at the same time will enable you to be inspired by the unique Greek atmosphere. Time here fades: silent streets, small shops, taverns, slow Greeks. Shall we go to tavern? No, it is not the tavern at all, it is a big pergola twined by a grapevine. Do you feel coolness?! And look what a view! The sea in Dilesi is not dark blue, not blue; it is special, like powdered sapphires. It is greeted by the golden sun, merging with the sky and because of difference of depth; there are endless shades of blue. We shall sit down for a wooden, bulky little table covered with white blue cloth. There is a saucer with an olive oil and vinegar, and in the distance, listen - sounds "Sertaki" have got mixed up with whisper of the sea, all this creates unique some country (rural) cosiness. Look: it is a Greek family sitting at the next little table. For inhabitants the meal is a very important since the ancient times. For them it is a rest as well as communication. In the afternoon the whole family gather together for a meal and also to discuss eternal questions such as politics, economy and current affairs. Then everybody has a sleep or siesta. In the evenings and nights the Greeks like to go to taverns with their friends. It is here we were noticed by lazy waiter, spoiled by sun chap. He brought a menu. Shall we open and look through? All dishes are plain and unpretentious: fish on carbons, Greek salad. Let's look at it in detail. Required for 4 portions: fresh tomatoes 4 piece, fresh pepper 2 pcs (yellow for better appearance), fresh cucumbers 2 pcs (better big one),), a brynza or Feta cheese (250 gr), lettuce (1 bunch), 2 heads of salad (red) onions (it is important, it should be sweet), 1 can of olives or olives without pits, a lot of the real Greek olive oil and also a lemon. It is just impossible to make the Greek salads and some other dishes without a lemon. Preparation: At once I shall make a reservation; Greeks approach to the process of cooking is with extreme simplicity. All the ingredients are chopped into big pieces, and if there are any more complicated manipulations (such as frying or boiling...) here again on a minimal basis: With the use olive oils (plentifully), a lemon and coal. So here it is a recipe for Greek as they say rural salad. The main idea is the same as a standard vegetable salad: All vegetables are chopped in large cubes then we drain. Preliminary plums a liquid, olives and plentifully water with an olive oil (on a figure it is reflected only positively so ladies, there is nothing to worry about. We then mix thoroughly. Secrets of preparation: the Brynza or Feta cheese: I recommend dividing into two parts: the first finely to crumble and add in salad right after olives. It is very good to mix (a salad should look like a sour cream). The rest of brynza we will add in the end, as an ornament, having cut it in large cubes and having put them on top of onions. Leaf salad: I advise to divide into two parts. Good and large leaves are better to leave for an ornament, and thin and torn to fold and cut in salad. Mix everything. Leaves can be used for decoration at the end. An onion: after peeling onion we divide into two parts. Next we cut onion in thin half rings, the first half we will use to decorate the top of the salad, the other we cut in very small cubes and then mix. And now is a little bit more detailed about the Greek cuisine and the Greek wines. The Greek cuisine
It is sociable interaction, and underpins way of society and at the core of Greek life. Lunch is time when the whole family try's to gather together. They discuss business and their favourite topic which is usually politics. For those who like to eat, Greece is a real paradise. Numerous taverns, restaurants, coffee houses, and also a network of snack bars will welcome and introduce you to the surprising world of the Greek cuisine. The main thing is to define for yourself what it is necessary for you. And if want to try the real Greek meal, choose the places visited by Greeks. If you are an admirer of coffee visit a cafeteria. Here you will be offered not only coffee (variously prepared), but also fresh squeezed juices, cocktails, ice-cream, and also confectionery. The Greek coffee - ellinikos kafes (do not call it Turkish which is the same though) serve in small cups with a glass of cold water; frappe √ is the instant coffee with ice and milk, whipped in a special way will pleasantly buck you up in heat. And it is impossible to resist against the Greek sweets. If you want to have a cheap and tasty meal choose a tavern where to you will be offered a wide choice of dishes from meat, fishes and vegetables: well-known mousakas √ aubergines, potato and minced meat stacked with layers under sauce bechamel; pastitsio - macaroni with mince under sauce bechamel; numerous snacks and salads: melitzana Salata - salad from baked aubergines, sadziki - yoghurt with cucumber and garlic. Try the sheep cheese feta, it usually serves with village salad (choriatiki salata) - the fresh tomatoes cut with large cubes, cucumbers, green pepper, an onion and olives. In many taverns you will be offered so-called "Spesialite" - dishes of the Greek islands cuisine, Asian cuisine and even ancient Greek. In fish taverns (psarotavern) you can choose a fish of your taste, and it will be served fried on carbons. True gourmets can try and other products of the sea - oysters, mussels, octopuses it is not always cheap though. As a rule fish taverns are located near to coast or harbour. The dinner for two will cost 30-50 euros. In taverns - psarotavern only fried on carbons (charcoal grilled) or on skewer: pork chops (brizoles), lamb ribs (pidakia), the chicken (kotopulo), cutlets (bifteki). It is not expensive, for two 10-15 euros. A shish kebab house (suvladzidiko) - a small tavern where you can have a bite quickly. Here you can get a shish kebab (suovlakia) in Greek pita. Uzeri will please you with a selection of appetisers (mezedes) with Ouzo - the Greek anise vodka. Ouzo serves with water, why it gets white colour. Rake - grape vodka with sour taste. It served in small liqueur glasses, but be warned the drink is very strong and is said it could even fall bull. Why not visit the native land of Dionis, the gods of winemaking, try its wines? Sour and sweet mavrodafni from Patras it is known worldwide. Sweet moshato, muscat wine, with unforgettable aroma from island Samos will go with sweets and fruit. We recommend trying red dry wines: rapsani, Nemea and white - robola. The Greek products are high quality, and are not made for the wider international community. So, for example, Greek yoghurt is made solely for the Greek market, and is dissimilar to Russian yoghurt. It is made from whole cows milk, sheep or goats milk without addition of preservatives, it is a thick, unusually nutritious and useful yoghurt is used and as a delicacy with honey and nuts, and as dressing for salads. Practically any Greek dish is not complete without olive oil. Depending on a place of growth of olive trees, oil is distinguished by its location. One of the best oils is pressed in Peloponnesus, in an area called Kalamata. In the same place raise the well-known olives of grade Kalamata. Every holiday (feast) is not complete without the speciality of the house. At Easter is traditional to serve magiritsu, soup from sheep bowels, with spicy herbs, and at Christmas - a turkey, stuffed with liver with pine nuts or a dairy pig with potatoes, baked in an oven. Every place in Greece and Cyprus you will meet their own traditions. The Greek productsGreeks say: "you are better to loose an eye then name". There are many cheaper similar goods, but made not with such care and love. The same Italians and Spaniards import the Greek olive oil and olives in tons. In England, Germany, Canada and other countries there are thousands of Greek taverns. And why? Because the Greek cuisine is a culture of meal. Meals are prepared exclusively from fresh and natural products, thus there is a lot of secrets, nuances and shades of taste which give individuality to the Greek dishes. Greek wines
Retsina. The most famous and ancient Greek wine. Nowadays it's the only sort of wine which has strong aroma and taste of peach (retsina means tar in Greek). The name originates from ancient rule to hermetically cork up amphora with tar and plaster for long storage. Now tar artificially added to wine in order to create special aroma. Must be cold and usually being served with appetisers. Popular Greek wines:
To understand Greece it is necessary to visit this land again and again. Every time it will be different. But better buy a house and settle down at Dilesi, dining in Greek taverns (what do you think about "Mihalis", for instance). Get acquainted with local fishermen and everyday see fresh seafood on your table. Escape "the rat race", at last. To work in city and to live in outskirts has became the norm for all of the civilized world. The life in our own house far away from noise, vanity and mad speeds of a mega city influences health, appeases the heart and motivates us to creativity. Not without reason in capitals, but on country estates, in reserved silence, with fresh air, under a rustle of leaves and singing of birds - all world culture was formed and developed. Our own country house, villa, a residence with garages, pool, sauna, warm floors, security system and similar technical systems is a guarantee of inviolability of your private life, so necessary for rest and calmness of spirit. Having moved to outskirts, you not simply provide to yourselves a due level of independence, but also will get an opportunity to meet and integrate with the townspeople daily to be pleased with the nature. And thus you are not limiting the social activity at all. In fact the distance to the centre of capital as well as up to international airport is only 20-40 minutes. |
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Greek cuisine is, traditionally full of olives, cheese feta, wine, and also features vegetables, seafood and meat. All is generously seasoned with an olive oil, juice of lemon, rigani and other spices warmed by the hot Greek sun. Food is a very important part of Greek life.
Greek is motherland of European wine industry. On Crete wines have been producing for 4 thousands years, on continental Greece -- for 3 thousands years. In Ancient Greece worship of vine was expressed in worship to god Dionis. His suit consists of merry satires and goat vakhanks. Dionisis √the feasts were devoted to harvest time. That was a time for joy and dance. Wine was flowing as a river. Dionis was extremely popular among peasants and craftsmen. God-liberator, as he was known, gave them drink which helps to forget for a while about problems and sadness. It has to be said, that in Ellen times nobody drunk pure wine, usually, and people mixed wine with water -- 1 share of wine and 3 shares of water. Anyone who mixed them equally was considered as a drunkard". Statesmen from Athens, Eibulus, in 375 BC made his remarks about drinking wine: ⌠I have to mix three cups: first for my health, second -- for love and pleasure, third -- for good sleep. Having drunk three cups wise people go home. There is no need for forth cup, it will cause violence, fifth -- noise, sixth -- to drunken outburst, seventh -- to fighting, eights -- to guardsmen, ninths -- to suffering and tenth -- to madness." Today vineyards occupy more than 1, 5 millions hectares. Five hundreds millions of litres of wine are being produced annually, half of them exports. Basically, Greeks grow local sort of grapes, but one can find foreign sorts as well.