A JOURNEY INTO THE HISTORY OF TRADITIONAL GREEK FOOD

Tzatziki, Pita Gyros, Souvlaki

by Jeanne Mousset

I have been in Greece for two months, I discovered the beautiful history and culture of this country, I also discovered different cities and regions. I tried a lot of different typical foods and that’s what I’m going to talk about in this article. I will reveal to you three recipes and speciality fast food unavoidable in Greece. These three recipes are passed down from generation to generation. Greek food is a tradition and a cultural heritage, it is deeply rooted in millennia-old traditions, this creates a strong link between the old and new generations.These are friendly meals and moments of sharing that bring us back together and comfort us. In addition to that, Greek food is renowned for being healthy cuisine, with fresh and natural products. This provides goods for both older and younger people with great nutritional value that also helps transmission. Greek food is a varied and adaptable cuisine, the dishes can generally be modified, vegetarian, gluten-free, or others, it allows great flexibility and adaptation for each generation to appreciate. I will also talk to you of their history and of my experience with this speciality.

Tzatziki : Tzatziki is Greek specialty invented by the Perces who introduced this preparation to the Middle East, then it was found and spread throughout the Ottoman Empire, including Greece. According to theories, the term tzatziki comes from persian “zhazh”, wich means mixtures of herbs and which would become in Turkish “cacik”, condiment. This preparation is based on Greek yogurt, garlic, cucumber, olive oil, lemon, mint, dill. You can find it in all restaurants in Greece, often accompanied by bread and olives. It is delicious. Tzatziki is also accompanied as a sauce with Souvlaki, Gyros, Pitas, ect… You can find Tzatziki everywhere in Thessaloniki and in Greece, in fast food or traditional restaurants. Always served on a plate, they always put it very generously, for many people it’s ok, alone prepare yourself because it’s a lot. You will always find a real Tzatziki. In my opinion it’s very very good, better then in my country, France. You can find a Tzatziki between 2€ to 5€ in restaurant or fast food, they sell them everywhere.

Pita Gyros : The Pita gyros is a dish originating from Thessaloniki, Greece, which would have been invented by a cook from Istanbul but originally Greek, in the 1950s. It looks like what French call “kebab” and “grec”, Gyros Pita literally means “meat roulade”. It consists of grilled pork or beef, chicken, lamb, depending on the fast food or restaurant. They add onions, tomatoes and mustard.. There are a lot of condiments that someone can put in, not just Tzatziki. Ex. Tirokafteri (made by feta cheese), ouggareza (with mayo, pieces of bacon, etc), Spices, peppers and aromatics herbs, sometimes you can’t find feta there depending on the regions and restaurants. All this preparation is wrapped in a pita bread. Eaten by hand and without moderation. About the Pita Gyros for me you have to choose a good place to eat good ones. Some restaurants do not necessarily serve pitas with all the traditional ingredients like a tzatziki, salad ect… others will be bland or dry, less garnished. I advise you to come in the fast foods that are recommended on Tripadvisor or ask locals for advice, personally that’s what I did. I also ate the good Pita Gyros in the small fast food that didn´t look like much and it was very good and really not expensive. You can find pita for 3€ to 5€, it’s very cheap and it’s very different from the French kitchen. I really enjoyed discovering this specialty.

Souvlaki : Souvlaki is a dish of Greek origin. The existence of skewers dates back to ancient Greece, known under the name “obeliskos” which means brooch. Marinated in lemon, olive and herbs for long hours, you can enjoy it at any time at noon or for dinner, in a bread Pita “PITA GYROS” or in a small brooch. They can be found with chicken, beef, pork, or mutton to suit everyone’s tastes and desires. Souvlaki can be served with fries, lemon, onions, cheeses for grilled vegetables to give even more taste. In my opinion it’s similary of Pita Gyros. You will find some in fast foods or restaurants, they make worse ones and better ones. Refer to the premises, note and or Tripvasor, follow your intuition in general we are not wrong. I find this dish very simple and very good, the aromatics herbs used really bring out the taste of the meat. I ate some with beef and chicken, the aromas were not the same. Depending on where you go it’s not the same meat or aromas. It was always served to me with lemon, also there to flavor and bring out the taste of the meat. It was a great discovery too, it made me thing of the «brochette» we have in France, which we make in Summer on the barbecue but the taste is not the same. You can find it for a reasonable price but more expensive than Tzatziki or pita gyros. I ate it for between 7€ and 12€ but the prices vary depending on the reputation of the restaurant.

To conclude, Greek Food Greek cuisine and the Greeks themselves have a deep respect for their cultural heritage and their cuisine. Greek cuisine is truly a bridge between generations, mixing respect for traditions while adapting to new influences for young people, while honoring more classic recipes. Here I’m only talking to you about specialties, fast food but there are still many specialties to discover such as moussaka, Greek salad, melitzanes papoutsakia ect...maybe in a new article. Once again I have spoken to you in general about my experience, it’s up to you to make your own and enjoy the traditional Greek dish. To make you want to eat it even more…