Greek cuisine & wine
Greek Cooking
Greek salad, souvlaki and moussaka, isn’t that what the Greek kitchen is all about? And don’t the Greeks only drink ouzo? Every summer, thousands of tourists come and go, and leave with exactly that impression. And what a pity that is. The real Greek cuisine is among the richest in the world, and also the oldest: the first ever (known) cookbook was written by the ancient Greek Archestratos in 330 B.C.
While in much of the Western world the debate about which diets are good for you and which ones are not seems never-ending (and admittedly, many Greek city dwellers have joined in as well), most Greeks, and Cretans in particular, must wonder what all the fuss is about. Their ancestors figured out the magic formula for health and longevity thousands of years ago, eating simply the riches their land brought them: lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, virgin olive oil, cereals, herbs and honey, and smaller amounts of dairy products, meat, fish and wine. It is a simple diet, which thanks to the quality of the ingredients and the inspired way they are combined, is as tasty as it is healthy.
You could easily miss out on all of this during your holidays in Greece if you only eat in places geared to (mass) tourism, but if you look a bit further you will find places where the most fantastic home cooking is done and where the freshest of ingredients are transformed into true feasts, accompanied by some of the best wines.
Most people know how healthy the Greek kitchen is, but not everybody realises how good it tastes. Forget about the souvlaki and moussaka you will find in every taverna catering to foreign tourists; that’s not what Greek food is about. Look a little further and try some genuine Greek dishes, and you will be amazed. Start by having a look at the yumm.gr website about Greek food and wine where you will find some of the most inspiring recipes and articles.
Where can I taste traditional Greek Cooking?
If during your holidays in Greece you’d like to stay in a place where you can sample some excellent traditional Greek food, check out
Makedonia
Where to stay?
Alexandrou Traditional Inn, Arnea
Vergulas Mansion, Kastoria
Pelion
Where to stay?
In a few places, Greek gastronomy is taken to a different level by some of the most creative chefs and fused with a wider Mediterranean kitchen.
Cyclades Islands
Where to stay?
Apanema, Mykonos
Perivolas, Santorini
The Tsitouras Collection, Santorini
South Peloponnese
Where to stay?
Rhodes
Where to stay?
Chios
Where to stay?
Argentikon, Kambos
There are a few guesthouses, where you will not only be served outstanding traditional food, but you can also take some lessons
Evia
Where to stay?
Crete
Where to stay?
Milia, Vlatos
The House of Kouriton, Margarites
Chios
Where to stay?
Book online
