Sunday, December 26, 2010

Greek Cuisine and Wine Variety

One of the main beauties of the world is how different we are to one another. Each person belongs to a distinct group that has its own language, traditional beliefs, gastronomy and even music – all of which are parameters that aid in recognizing such group. In Greece, food and wine are both essential elements of everyday life. Greeks love to pair specific foods with certain wines, a practice that they have inherited from their ancestors. In the beginning, though, food was not merely just for pleasure or survival. During Ancient Greece, food was often sacrificed to the Gods before consumed and on other occasions, some foods were even shunned if it was believed that the Gods did not like them. Nowadays, many of us are aware of the different traditional foods which are enjoyed by the Greeks due to tourism and trends in eclectic foods. Accordingly, if you want to try out uniquely great-tasting Greek food and wines, here is an overview of what you may find.

Most Greek cooking uses top quality ingredients like olive oil, fresh seasonal vegetables and meats, such as lamb. Greek cuisine is, not surprisingly, recognized for being aromatic, tasty, and fresh, and infused with a balanced mixture of spices, and meats and vegetables. As with other societies, the Greeks hold that good food have the power to cure ordinary illnesses. This is a common food enjoyed within Greece in when recovering from common colds or when trying to stave off illness. Most Greeks also have a sweet tooth. A Greek celebration is not so without the proper dessert and an element that is always present during events is the Loukoumades, or traditional honey puffs. These mouthwatering sweets may be topped with honey, cinnamon or sugar. One more delightful dish is the Baklava made with paper-thin layers of flaky filo pastry stuffed with honey and nuts.

The Moussaka is another very popular Greek recipe. A Greek casserole recipe, the Moussaka oftentimes makes use of eggplants, potatoes, onions, red wine and a type of meat, too. The Souvlaki is another Greek dish that also makes use of meat. Many tourists love this dish which resembles a kebab. Vegetables are also thoroughly loved by the Greeks and so plenty of fresh, seasonal vegetables are incorporated into meals as often as possible either as a side dish or as part of the main meal. An example is the Horiatiki, which accompanies many types of main preparations. Generally, when people think of salads, they immediately see lettuce with a selection of fresh salad vegetables and dressing. Oftentimes, Greek salads include tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and feta cheese, seasoned and simply dressed with olive oil. Greek salads seldom use lettuce. Besides refreshing vegetable salads, the Greeks also love pita bread. It is often a side dish served with many types of dips, like yoghurt, cucumber and garlic.

Together with food, wine is also greatly enjoyed by the Greeks, and it has been this way ever since the ancient times where wine was believed to be the drink of the gods. Greece is known to grow about 300 types of wine producing grapes that provide unique blends of Greek reds, whites and blanc de gris, which are all patronized by locals and tourists. For instance, the Retsina, also known as white or rose wine, is quite popular. It is liked by locals but not by some tourists because the resin in it gives it a certain taste. Red wines are generally very appealing to Greeks. Two of the more preferred reds are the Brusco, a dry red house wine, and the Xinomavro or acid black wine, which is a product of northern Greece. It gets better with age and it has a rich woody bouquet and flavor. Another famous wine is the Agiorghitiko, which is named after St. George. It is from the grapes cultivated in the Peloponnese area and its piquant cherry-like taste makes it very distinct.

Greeks are people who love the ultimate pairing of food and wine. Greek gastronomy is not only about singular cuisine, but also about tradition and history. So, if you do find yourself in Greece, you will not only be filled with admiration about the nation’s history and culture, but you will also come to know and love Greek cooking.


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