Are you hungry yet? Here is an introduction to Greek cuisine from Rick Steves’ travel guide on Athens and the Peloponnese.
Greek food is simple….and simply delicious. Unlike the French or the Italians, who are forever experimenting to perfect an intricate cuisine, the Greeks find an easy formula and stick with it – and it rarely misses. The four Greek food groups are olives (and olive oil), salty feta cheese, ripe tomatoes, and crispy phyllo dough. Virtually every dish you’ll have here is built on a foundation of these four tasty building blocks.
Menus are usually written in both Greek and English, but it’s acceptable to go into the kitchen and point to the dish you want. This is a good way to make some friends, sample from each kettle, get what you want (or at least know what you’re getting), and have a truly memorable meal…
…if a tourist complains about Greek food, they’ll usually say something like, ‘it was fish with heads and the same salads every day.’ Remember that eating in a foreign land is sightseeing for your taste buds. Greece has local specialties that are good, memorable or both. At least once, seek out and eat or drink the notorious ‘gross’ specialties: ouzo, eggplant, fish eggs, octupus, and so on…
