Sunday, February 14, 2010

Mmmm... what are we having?

Hello, hello! It is time for a new post today. And since you asked for regional recipes last time, you're gonna get some authentic ones.
But first, a quick introduction (or revision) on what people from the island of Mytilene usually eat. As all Greeks, they love fresh vegetables, herbs, olive oil and fish. But in order to honour their own beloved drink "ouzo", they have it with a lot of appetizers, or "mezedes", as they are called here. Sometimes, there is no main course that follows, and dinner consists merely of an assortment of those yummy mezedes.

In order to give you a better idea on what we Greeks eat, I will provide you with a menu that you would be likely to find in a typical restaurant here. So grab your (virtual) forks and let's go! Beware: Major drooling ahead!




Mezedes

  • Giouzlemedes: Little cheese pies, fried.


  • Anthoi: Zucchini flowers stuffed with zucchini filling, cheese and herbs.



  • Bourekakia: Fried rolls, stuffed with cheese and ham.





  • Sfougato: Zucchini omelet, oven-baked.





  • Tzatziki: Classic appetizer consisting of Greek yoghurt, cucumber, garlic and (sometimes) dill.



  • Kavourosalata: Crab salad with mayo.

  • Taramosalata: Appetizer usually eaten during Lent, consisting of mashed fish eggs (sounds weird, but tastes delicious).




  • Patatokeftedes: Fried potato-cheese balls.


Salads

  • Greek salad / Horiatiki: Another classic, made with tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, olives, feta cheese, and an olive oil-vinegar-oregano dressing.



  • Green salad: Various "green" stuff, usually "wild" ones, aka collected from mountain slopes and not gardens.



  • Beet salad: With a vinegar and mashed garlic dressing.

Main courses

  • Grilled octopus



  • Fresh fish, fried or grilled

  • Fried calamari


  • Grilled sausages


  • Kopsidia: Grilled pork pieces.

  • Fried meatballs

Desserts

  • Greek yoghurt with honey and nuts

  • Halvas




  • "Spoon" dessert: Made with boiled fruit and sugar.



Bon apetit!



So, that was it... I'll give you some time to dream about all this delicious food, and I will come back with some recipes! I hope you liked it!

12 comments:

  1. The appetizers look delicious - not so sure about some of the main dishes!

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  2. That all looks so delicious!

    My Greek food experience is pretty much limited to Souvlaki, tiropitas, and baklava. Oh and those grape leaf things.

    Yummy!

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  3. Oh my goodness, what a feast! I've had calamari (love it) and would like to try octopus at some point.

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  4. The potato cheese balls sound great!

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  5. yum!!
    It all sounds and looks delicious! I know you had a warning and all, but it's not fair to tease a pregnant woman with such tasty things she can't have! : )
    One of my favorite salads from a Mediterranean place here is Fattoush... but I don't know if that is Greek....is it? I love it and it seems pretty simple to make, but I don't know what the seasonings are.... so if it is(Greek that is) and you have a recipe please, please post it too!! : )
    It's nice to hear from you ! Hope you're well! : )

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  6. Oh I love me some Greek food! Delish.

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  7. That all looks so delicious! I can imagine sitting at a lovely sea side restaurant in Greece and feasting on some of these wonderful dishes.

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  8. Thames, sorry for the cravings. Unfortunately, fattush is not Greek, but Lebanese. I could look for a recipe on the net, but it wouldn't be authentic. :(

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  9. I am drooling!!! these little mezes are delightful. I would be in heaven.

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  10. Oh everything looks so fantastic!!!

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  11. Hi, Nice site thanks for sharing. Would it be okay to contact you through your email? Please email me back.
    Thanks!
    Randy
    randydavis387 gmail.com

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