CIC Times - May 2012 imes - May 2012

40 May 2012Wordweavers•••••••••••••••According to one authority “Greeks don’t like being alone anddon’t think that anyone or even any thing should ever be alone.For example, a drink must always be accompanied with food andfood must always be enjoyed with friends”.The Greek word ‘xenos’ means both stranger and guest andhospitality is fundamental to the Greek way of life. Visitors arealways offered refreshments, with the oldest guest being servedfirst. Traditionally, women serve the food and drink whilst the malehost talks with the guests. Oftenisitors would be offered ‘glyko’– a thick jam made with fruit, or vegetables such as tomato oraubergine. Naturally it would be served with a drink, usually coffeeand a glass of cold water.Over the centuries, the Greek diet has been influenced by traditionsfrom both east and west. Very early on, Persians introduced suchmiddle-eastern foods as rice, yoghurt and sweets made from nuts,honey and sesame seeds. The Romans brought foods common inItaly such as pasta, dried sausage (loukaniko, left) and sauces. TheByzantine Empire introduced feta, cured fish roe (avgotaraho) and hard bread or rusks, known as paximadi. Manydishes that we think of as traditionally Greek actually come from the Ottoman Empire, such as moussaka, tzatziki,boureki, keftedes and, of course, coffee.Traditional Greek food is not particularly spicy or heavily seasoned. Native herbs include thyme, basil, oregano,rosemary and sage, but in the south of the country and in the southerly islands, Arab influences added cumin,cinnamon, allspice and cloves to the cuisine.As a result of all these influences, Greek cuisine shares a lot of characteristics with those of Italy, the Balkans, Turkeyand the Levant. It concentrates on using fresh ingredients with little refinement and the grain, grapes and olives thatform the central core of the diet are supplemented by eggs, yoghurt, cheese, some meats, rice, fruit and vegetables.Key vegetables include the tomato, aubergine, potato, green beans, okra, peppers and onions. The climate andterrain of Greece favours goats and sheep rather than cattle, so dishes using beef were uncommon until recently.These days it is often used to replace the rarer and more expensive rabbit in stifado.Greek cuisine is still quite localised, with each village having its own version of a particular dish, but some dishes areeven more specific than that. Vegetarian boureki made with potatoes, courgette, mizithra and mint was originallyonly eaten in Western Crete and is still unknown in much of the country.All the major ceremonies in Greece involve food, whether they are family affairs or national religious festivals. Someexamples include the koliva (boiled wheat, sugar and cinnamon) given to mourners at a funeral, the traditionalEaster bread of tsoureki (right), or the tahini soup traditionally eatenon Holy Friday.Greek cuisine may not be considered one of the great ones, with thesort of respect given to the French, for example, but they have madetheir own contribution to the very best kitchens. The white chef’shat came originally from Greek Orthodox monasteries, where it wasworn to distinguish the chefs from the rest of the (black-hatted)monks.Janet Merza has just had her book ‘A Biography of EnglishGardens and Their Flowers’ published as an ebook. Formore information, please visit her website atwww.squirrelstore.co.uk.A bit of Greek History - ©Janet Merza© Janet Merza