Dionne Gatling!

                 Greek foods are different from any other culture, but similar to italian food. Today Greece is an interesting combination of old and new. Greek cooking also combines both western European and Middle Eastern infuences(Greece is located between theses two regions).

     When the Romans invaded Greece in 197 b.c, they brought with them pasta and tomato sauces, yogurt, rice, and pastries came from the persians. Coffee came from the turks. These influences, along with those ingredients and methods that are uniquely Greek, created a cuisine that is both rich in tradion and extremely varried.

                   barbounia                               Gopes                        Sardines                  Octopus

Thrapsala

     Fishing is a major industry in Greece. If you take a look at a map of Greeceyou will see why fish is such an important part of Greeks diet. The Mediterranean, Aegean, and Ionian seas yield bountiful catches, and the Greeks enjoy maany fish and seafood dishes, often flavored with oregano- the most popular Greek herb- and fresh lemon juice!

     The Salonika Plain is Greese's most important agriculture area. Here fruits, grains, and cotton are grown here. Goats, sheeps, and other livestock are raised on this plain. Athens, the capital of Greece, is located in the Southeastern Uplands. Goats, wheat, and grapes are the major products of this area. Central Pindus region a mountainous area where cotton, lemons, and olives are produced.

Thessaly is often called Greece's bread basket, because wheat is grown in abundance there.

Greek Wine!

     The Greek conqueror Alexander the Great carried grapevines and the knowledge of wine making to Central Asia in 300's b.c. The Greeks also took vines to Southern France. Wine has been an imortant part of Greek's culture for over 4000 years. Wine also played an important part in the evolution of the local economy. The first traces of wine production in Greece was found on the island of Crete. The Greeks traded their wines throughout the ancient world by ship. The Greek wine trade was organized and sophisticated and was one of the methods the Greeks used to spread their culture throughout the ancient world. Athens ruled the ancient world, the wine trade continued to expand in importance spreading into Northern Europe and the areas surrounding the Black Sea.

Greek wine goes with:

The whites pair well with fish and shellfish; the reds, with lamb, beef, and hearty pasta dishes. For an appetizer, try serving a white with a bean dip.

     Greece's climate and geography have always been major influences on its cruisine. The juicy lemon, tangy olives, fresh herbs, and vegetables that grow in Greece's warm sunshine are some of the countrys best loved foods!

     Meat Dishes:

     The most common meat dishes are lamb, pork, beef, goat, chicken, and rabbit. It was expensive in the past, so they only ate it twice a week with vegetables and pasta. Now they are affluent enough to eat it everyday. Most meat dishes are cooked in tomato and red wine and other like lemons(lamb). Garlic is used heavily, onions and potatoes are as well. For Easter the most popular food for most of Greece is whole lamb roasted on a spit. This is especially popular because it follows 40 days of fasting for lent and people are definitely ready for some meat. This dosen't nesicarley mean u have to wait to Easter for lamb, lamb is roasted all iver Athens and on the roads outside of towns. Another Famous dish is Paidakia, which are grilled lamb chops. Most people say Paidakia is to Greeks as baby back ribs are to a southerner. 

     Kima, which means meat and usually means beef. Is used in alot of pastas. For example Macaronia me kima, its a plate of macaroni with a pile of ground beef on it. 

 Paidakia:

• 2 pounds of small lamb chops, 1/2" thick
• sea salt
• freshly ground pepper (optional)
• 1 tablespoon of peppercorns, coarsely cracked
• 1/2 cup of water
• olive oil
• lemon wedges
•                                                                                       Sweets or Glikia

One of the most famous deserts is baklava, made from phyllo dough, ground nuts, a lot of honey, or tons of sugar syrup, and comes in varieties of shapes and sizes.

Gelato!

          After a meal in a restaurant it is customary to have a dessert. A typical dessert may be sliced apples and pears with honey and cinnamon, water melon, honeydew melon, cherries, strawberries, grapes, figs, or whatever fruit is in season. Do not forget about ice cream! There are gelato shops all over Greece now and you can choose your flavor. There are a few Haagen-das shops in Athens, Greece. Greeks have gone from being an ice-cream poor country to turning it into an art form.

Bibliography:

• "All About Greek Wine ™: History." All About Greek Wine ™: Experience the Greek Wine Renaissance. 03 Feb. 2009 http://www.allaboutgreekwine.com/history.htm.
• "An Introduction to Greek Food and Greek Cooking." Greek Food at About.com - Greek Food and Greek Recipes - Traditional and Modern Greek Cooking. 03 Feb. 2009 http://greekfood.about.com/od/discovergreekfood/a/food_intro.htm.
• Theses and dissertations - www.tesionline.com. 03 Feb. 2009 <http://www.tesionline.com/intl/img/focus/vino-rosso.jpg>.
• "Google Image Result for http://www.olives101.com/wp-content/uploads/whfoods.com/images/food/olive.jpg." Google Image Search. 03 Feb. 2009 <http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.olives101.com/wp-content/uploads/whfoods.com/images/food/olive.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.olives101.com/2006/05/24/olives-health-benefits/&usg=__KjHVTAI8pKPBVb-
• Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket. 03 Feb. 2009 http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w113/MeetaA/Food/Greece-Oranges.jpg.
• Yahoo! GeoCities: Get a free web site with easy-to-use site building tools. 03 Feb. 2009 <http://www.geocities.com/civilwarstudy101/cotton.jpg>.
• "Peppered Lamb Chops Recipe - Arnisia Paidakia meh Piperi - Greek Food." Greek Food at About.com - Greek Food and Greek Recipes - Traditional and Modern Greek Cooking. 05 Feb. 2009 <http://greekfood.about.com/od/maindishes/r/paidakia.htm>.
• "Guide to Greek Food: Meat." Greek Food: A Complete Guide. 05 Feb. 2009 <http://www.greecefoods.com/meat/index.htm>.