Transcript PowerPoint

Greek Culture
Food Project
Background on Greek Culture
Greek society consists of close knit families
Families love to get together and have parties
Women, particularly mothers, play the biggest role in families and do majority of the
cooking
Food is the center of all social events
Never turn down food from a Greek women; to them that is disrespectful
Always an excessive amount of food served and there is always leftovers to take home
example of “healthy mediterranean diet”
Greek Foods - famous for quality and taste!
The “mezedes”- appetizers served before or with main dishes on small dishes
Tzatziki- Greek yogurt with finely chopped cucumber, garlic and olive oil; usually served with pita
Htapodi -small pieces of octopus served grilled, boiled or fried with lemon juice, olive oil, vinegar and
oregano
Dolmades or dolmadakia- grape leaves filled with rice, onions and sometimes ground beef, currants and pine
kernel,
Kalamarakia- small pieces of fried squid with lemon juice
Spanakopitakia- small spinach pies with crushed feta cheese
Salads
More Greek Foods
Main Dishes
Moussaka- a base made of potatoes topped with eggplants, onions, ground beef and béchamel crème;
Pastitsio - spaghetti topped with ground beef, onions, tomato sauce and béchamel sauce; paidakia - grilled
lamb's ribs served with lemon;
Kokoretsi - wrapped and roasted entrails of lamb, served with lemon;
Keftedakia - fried meatballs of beef, garlic and bread. Meat is often served with horta - boiled wild greens with
olive oil, salt and lemon and briam - mix of roast potatoes, eggplants, onions, garlic, tomato sauce and
olive oil.
Succulent Greek soups
Kotossoupa - chicken soup usually with avgolemono (sauce made with eggs and lemon)
Psarossoupa - fish soup with parsley, potatoes and carrots
Drinks and Desserts
Drinks (alcohol)
Ouzo- the most famous Greek alcoholic beverage; considered the trade mark of the country
Tsipouro- similar to ouzo but with a stronger taste of anis.
Mavrodafni - a strong, sweet, really thick and dark wine;used for the Holy Communion in the Greek Orthodox
Church and the
Retsina- world famous wine whose particular resin taste is due to the way the wine is made (putting the
grapes in new cask that still has the wood resin on it)
Desserts
Baklava- a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened and held together
with syrup or honey.
Traditional Eating Habits
Proino (Breakfast)
not the most popular meal of the day, traditionally,
Greeks ate a small and simple breakfast, such as herbal tea with bread or paximadi (dried bread)
Kolatsio (Mid morning snack) 11:00am
since they eat such a small breakfast they get hungry around 11:00am
preferred snack is a savory pie such cheese pie “tyropita” or spinach pie “spanakopita”or a ham and cheese grilled
sandwich.
Mesimeriano (Lunch) 1:30- 2:30 pm
largest meal of day; traditionally consisted of a vegetable stew/casserole with cheese, bread, salad, and wine
Afternoon Coffee 5:00 pm
Traditional Cooking Methods
Ladi is Greek olive oil
Ladthera refers to dishes prepared with lots of olive oil such as tomatoes stuffed with rice, sautéed okra and giant
butter beans (also known as gigantes) stewed with tomato
Stiskara or tis oras- means “at the hour” and is cooked on the charcoal grill at the last minute (i.e chicken souvlaki,
lamb chops)
Stoforno- literally means in the oven. Dishes such as lamb with lemon potatoes, beef in tomato sauce and lamb
cooked in a clay pot are all prepared using this method
Psito- means roasted and this is how the Greeks like their pork, wild boar and lamb
Ograten- meaning a dish covered with béchamel sauce and cheese (i.e the most famous Greek dish of all, moussaka)
Avgolemono is the light and delicious egg and lemon sauce
Food Remedies and Beliefs
Fennel- a natural expectorant, and it was used to ease the discomfort of coughs, serves as a weight loss aid, cramp
reliever, and treatment for muscle and joint pain.
Peppermint- way to settle their stomach and a good way to prevent indigestion.
Fenugreek- The ancient Greeks would use the herb fenugreek as cattle feed to stimulate the digestion of their cattle
and horses. Also for the treatment of respiratory issues and cough. For mothers to increase their milk flow when
nursing. Fenugreek was also used to treat rare cases of diabetes.
Milk- promoting a more youthful complexion.
Mint- aromatherapy treatment to address intense headaches and chew to prevent an unsettled stomach.
Flaxseeds- aid in digestion and lowering cholesterol levels
Olive Oil- has the power to thin the blood, reduce cholesterol levels, and treat heart ailments. Extra virgin olive oil
could calm down stomach ulcers associated with stress.
Garlic- antiseptic qualities for wound care, as well as acted as a mosquito repellent.
Tomatoes- one a day would lessen the chances of men developing prostate cancer.
Honey- common treatment for skin conditions, such as acne.
Jackie’s Grillette
Major Food Encounters:
grilled vegetables
garlic and olive oil
hummus and pita
falafel
Pita with vegetables
Feta, olives, tomato, cucumber
Lamb
Atmosphere and Experience:
small
casual
welcoming environment
indoor and outdoor seating
Fresh food
Ex: the greek salad had many fresh
tomatoes, cucumbers, feta,
olives, onion, and came with a
stuffed grape leaf