Greek guisine - simplicity inspired by gods

Greek cuisine reveals the cultural influences that have been gained from its neighbours for centuries – Turkey, the Balkans and also the Middle East. Greek cooking draws from these ethnic contributions to develop its own very distinctive character. Like all other ethnic cuisines, Greek cuisine has its culinary secrets. Its main distinction is the use of good fresh ingredients, varied vegetables with a balance of wild herbs and spices, the world famous Greek olive oil, feta curd cheese, and a basic simplicity. Fresh hints of basil, fragrant thyme and rosemary, the tender freshness of mint all impart that distinctive flavour to Greek dishes.

Feta cheese is on the menu at every restaurant and café. Greek feta is a unique cheese that differs from all other cheeses made with goat’s milk. The unique nature of feta is claimed by the Greeks to originate from the herbs naturally infused in the milk as they sun ripen on the free pastures and are eaten by the goats.

Feta cheese has been produced in Greece for thousand of years, and the process of making feta has hardly changed since the times of Homer. Feta manufacturers of the present day mostly follow traditional techniques where fresh milk is heated to 35 (in the long hot summer days, there is no need to heat it), then special enzymes are added to curdle the milk. Sometimes, a few hours in the morning are enough for the curdling to complete. Then, the whey is allowed to drain, and curds are put in a cloth bag to dry.

Then everything is easy and tasty. The curd is cut into large pieces, salted (for a better preservation and firmness) and left to repose in a dry place for another 24 hours. It is then placed into wooden barrels filled with brine. In a month, the cheese is mature and can be removed from the brine, it can however be left alone thus remaining preserver for much longer, if necessary.

The Greeks avoid sophisticated dishes, they go for simple cooking, but their table must always be nicely dressed. Unfortunately, the culinary choice of many visitors to Greece often narrowed down to what is recommended in their guidebooks. This robs them of numerous gastronomic delights.