Kalamata olives are a staple Greek food.
Olives and their oil, feta cheese and traditional herbs are important parts of Greek cuisine. This Mediterranean country is famous for luscious, flavorful foods. Fresh meats, vegetables and freshly-baked breads combine with Greek staples to make satisfying dishes.
Olives
Olives are an integral part of Greek cuisine, and many typical Greek foods are made with either the whole fruit or its oil. Greek olives are preserved in vinegar and fennel seed. Ancient Greeks believed these ripe, black olives were a health food. Olives are handpicked in Greek villages and pressed. The first pressing produces extra virgin olive oil, an important flavor in Greek cooking.
Cheese
is the most common Greek cheese. Make of sheep, goat, or cow's milk, feta is not aged. It is a crumbly white cheese that is typically stored in brine to keep it fresh. In Athens, there are stores that only sell varieties of feta cheese. Feta can be used in omelets, in a traditional spinach pie called spanakopita or in appetizers such as small cheese pies called tiropitakia.
Herbs and Spices
Traditional Greek food has distinctive flavors. Often those flavors come from herbs such as oregano, thyme, sage, mint, parsley, dill and bay. These spices are sometimes mixed in combinations with thick Greek yogurt to make sauces. They are used to flavor meats, vegatables and breads.
Tags: feta cheese, food Olives, Greek cuisine, Greek food