History & Tradition
Tradition and History is our identity as a nation. Our Greek gastronomy plays a vital role in our tradition, and it our duty as chefs to preserve it and pass it to the next generation.
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The Greek Ouzo
The Greek Ouzo is a traditional alcoholic beverage that is widely known and enjoyed both in Greece and internationally. It has a distinctive anise flavor and is often referred to as Greece's national drink. Here's a short history of ouzo: The origins of ouzo can be...
Hahla, the frumenty shape you find only in Lesvos Island
Hahla is a traditional Greek product called "trachana," a form of frumenty that is exclusively found on the island of Lesvos. Generations and generations have grown up with it. It is made with ground wheat, local sheep's milk, and cultured yogurt. Trachanas has high...
Politiko Tsoureki
One of the most characteristic traditions during the Greek Easter is the making of the Politico Tsoureki and red eggs. Politiko Tsoureki is a sweet Greek bread that is made by Greeks during Easter. The Greek word tsoureki is taken from Turkish word çörek. others say...
Greek Fava
The word “fava” (φάβα) in Greek actually refers to yellow split peas, which are cultivated in many places in Greece with the best type of Greek Fava from Santorini and Schinousa islands, and are the main ingredient in this yellow split pea dip. Greek Fava is full of...
The Gastro
One of the traditional methods people still use to cook in Greece – especially in Epirus and Northern Greece is the GASTRO or GASTRA, an ancient mobile “oven”, a concave metal or clay structure with a handle and a hoop around it to keep the ashes and coals in place....
Bakaliaro with Provatsa
Provatsa is a wild green you find in the winter in Naxos island as well as other Greek islands. Usually next to the sea shores and is the base of a beautiful flower. It is collected in the winter and thus the reason is best cooked with Bakaliaro (salted cod fish) when...
Bakaliaros (Bacalhau) with fresh fennel, leeks and tomato
I had this traditional Cretan dish cooked for me on Palm Sunday by Maria Hamilaki, a fantastic lady cook at the village Agios Spiridonas, in Sitia. Salted Bacalhau was used for many years in island cooking especially in villages that were on the mountains and their...
Bakaliaros (Bacalhau) soup with lemon and potatoes
A traditional Cretan dish, usually cooked on Palm Sunday because of the Easter Lent. Salted Bacalhau was used for many years in island cooking especially in villages that were on the mountains and their access to sea was not possible. A beautiful dish, which you can...
Kaltsounia or Kalitsounia (Cretan Easter Pastries)
Traditional Cretan Easter pastries made the Sitians way. A combination of cheese and honey, in a dough made with eggs sugar and Raki. A tradition that takes a group of women called “Apozimostres” to make them on the Holy Easter Week, and it takes up to ten days before...
Fennel Patties and Potato with Garlic and Capers
Tasty and healthy are the Fennel patties we have tasted in Tinos Island cooked for us by Tinos Farm to Table. To complete this beautiful dish, potato patties with garlic and capers. Easy recipes for when fresh fennel is in season!! For the fennel patties (ingredients)...
Red Mullets Savoro (Barbounia Savoro)
Another method for preserving fish (or meat) was to cook it “Savoro” style… meaning in vinegar, sugar, salt and mainly rosemary. A wonderful dish that can be served warm or cold, as a starter or meze for wine, beer or ouzo. Ingredients Red mullets or other small whole...
Xirotigana
One of Crete’s favorite pastry, served almost at every festivity and gatherings. This recipe is from a dear friend Haroula in Chrysopigi-Sitia. Make sure you watch the video as well to see the way she shapes the wheels in the oil!!! Ingredients For the dough Bread...
Hohlious with Hontro (snails cooked with cracked wheat)
Another great snails dish by the Chrysopigi ladies in Crete. This time is cooked with Hontro, (cracked wheat) and tomatoes. Try and make it with canned snails if you don’t find live snails. Ingredients Snails 1kilo live ones Olive oil 1/2cup Onion white 1 chopped...
Hohlious Boubouristous (snails in rosemary and vinegar)
Snails are one of Cretes traditional delicacies and you find it in many different cooking methods, and almost in every feast as a starter or main course. I haven’t had the luck to find live snails out of Greece but maybe try and make this with canned snails (escargot)...
Tyganopsomo (fried bread dough)
Another traditional dish from the Lakonia region. Fried bread dough, served with local honey or cheese of your choice or even better… both!!! An easy and quick recipe made at any time of the day, loved by young and old folks!!! This recipe was made for Savor Greece by...
Kayiana (eggs with cheese and siglino)
Traditional egg recipe from Lakonia, Greece. Almost like scrambled eggs, cooked with tomato, hard white local cheese and siglino; another traditional local cold meat made from brined, smoked pork and flavored with oranges. This dish was cooked for Savor Greece S1E12...
Bouyiourdi (spicy baked feta cheese)
One of the many wonderful dishes originating from Thessaloniki with baked feta cheese, tomatoes, peppers and other spices, preferably spicy. Usually served in parchment paper and spicy and thus fits the story of the word. The word boujurdi originally meant the written...
Loukoumades
Loukoumades or Honey Puffs have an old history that goes back about 3000 years and in particular to the first Olympic Games where they were given to the athletes as honey coins or tokens. Since then it has become one of Greece’s favorite desserts, found in many...
Riganada, a traditional Kefalonian snack
An every hour of the day snack, you can find it around Greece with a few variations and different ingredients. In this recipe Niovi Kampitsi Fotinatou gives us the traditional Kefalonian way. Ingredients Stale sour dough bread Olive oil Pomegranate vinegar Fresh...
Avrakoti – Traditional Kefalonian Cheese pie
A quick and easy cheese pie that took the name Avrakoti (with no pants) because of the fact that doesn’t have any phyllo pastry!!! Very plain which gives you the opportunity to combine any other ingredients you like with it. Ingredients Feta cheese 1cups broken to...
Bourbourelia, Kefalonian traditional dish
Bourbourelia is a mixture of various cereals and legumes which are traditionally cooked in Kefalonia on the day of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (November 21). This custom is related to the fact that the feast of the Apparitions of the Virgin takes place exactly...
Bakaliaropita, Kefalonians bacalao-pie
Another traditional dish from Kefalonia, the Bakaliaropita or bacalao-pie made by Voula Bayioti, Captains Table restaurant in Argostoli. Ingredients: For the dough… Four all-purpose 4cups Olive oil 1/2cups Salt 1tsp Water warm as much as it takes For the filling…...
Krasotigania (Apiranthos pork special dish with home-made red wine and rosemary)
One of many traditional dishes found in the most beautiful village of Apiranthos in Naxos island cooked by Marietta Galani Ingredients Olive oil about 1/2cup Boneless pork shoulder 1kilo cut in big bite size Onions 2 sliced Salt and pepper Fresh rosemary to taste...
Amygdalota (Wedding almond truffles with mastic gum)
A sweet delicacy made in the traditional village of Apiranthos, in Naxos island, offered on weddings and other happy occasions Ingredients Almonds white skinless White sugar 500grms (2 cups) Water 2cups Honey 100grms (about 1/2cups) Rosewater 1tbsp Mastc gum in powder...
Salatouri (Skate wing salad, Naxos way)
Another traditional dish from the wonderful island of Naxos, this time a salad made from Skate wing. This particular recipe was given to me by Taverna Spyros in Ag. Prokopi, Naxos. Ingredients Skate wing about 1kilo (with bones) Scallions 4 chopped whole with the...
Etolika Panigyria (Festivals)
The word Panigyri is folklore, a popular and established pronunciation of the ancient word “Pas-agyris”, which means gathering of a crowd. The festival satisfies the timeless need that people have to gather, to have fun, to celebrate and to rejoice. Wine, music, song,...
Salt Flats in Mesolongi
Salt has played a crucial role in the history of civilization, enabling food to be preserved over the winters until the modern miracles of refrigeration and preservation. This is no less true in Greece, where the salt used in antiquity likely came from the salt flats...
Mesolongi The Sacred Town of Greece
Since its foundation in the 16th century, the economy of Mesolongi is based on fishing in the large sea lagoon. What started as a fishermen settlement became a small naval center two centuries after its founding. By the 18th century, the ships of Mesolongi were...
Pizza, the history
In my search for the origin of pizza I realized that there are many stories and articles written, many theories and myths. All agree that Pizza was made famous by the Italians and I will agree to this as well. When you get to read the historical facts you will then...
Souvlaki “The Greek”
Souvlaki The Greek... Perhaps the most basic delicacy of Greek gastronomy, but also one of the most famous ones! In Greek culture, the practice of cooking food on spits or skewers historically dates back to the Bronze Age. Archaeological findings and writings clearly...
The History and Tradition of Vasilopita
The tradition of baking and cutting a special "pita" (which can mean a loaf of bread, a cake, or even a pie) each year on January 1st is observed in honor of our Basil the Great, archbishop of Caesarea in Cappodocia (Modern Turkey) hence its name "Vasilopita" meaning...
Christopsomo – Christmas Bread (Χριστοψωμο)
Christopsomo according to tradition is the bread that women in Greece make in honor of Christ with special care and patience, on Christmas Eve. It is the blessed bread of the Christmas table, and it will represent the life of the master of the house and his family....
Christopsomo – The Bread of Christ
Christopsomo according to tradition is the bread that women in Greece make in honor of Christ with special care and patience, on Christmas Eve. It is the blessed bread of the Christmas table, and it will represent the life of the master of the house and his family....
Kourabiedes (History)
The Kourabiedes cookies are almond cookies popular in Greece, Cyprus, and Greek communities in Anatolia, as well as across the Greek diaspora and have in their DNA the European origin of the shortbread type cookies. This cookie based on flour and sheep butter must...
Bacalhau
Bacalhau is the Portuguese word for cod and—in a culinary context—dried and salted cod. Fresh (unsalted) cod is referred to as bacalhau fresco (fresh cod). Dried and salted cod, sometimes referred to as salt cod or saltfish, is cod which has been preserved by drying...
Kokoretsi – Plekti, History
Kokoretsi was known to ancients Greeks, the "garduba" and the "plekti" (knitted), has reference to the Homeric epics. The method of preparation was not much different. To make kokoretsi, they used to marinate the intestines in vinegar, water and honey. Vinegar acted...