A Land Rich in History and Culture

One-fifth of Greece, a country in southeastern Europe, consists of islands. No part of the country is more than 90 miles from the sea. More than 10.5 million people call Greece home and a quarter of those people live in the capital city of Athens.

Food and drink are a very important part of Greek life. In fact, the first cookbook was written by Archestratos in Greece in 330 B.C. For the Grecian people, sharing a meal with friends-at home or in a restaurant-is a deeply rooted social affair.

The warm, dry climate of Greece creates ideal growing conditions for olive and lemon trees. You will find that both of these are very important parts of the Grecian diet. Many different olives are grown in Greece and can be found in a variety of dishes.

A few varieties of Greek olives include:

• Amfissa: Black and round with a nutty-sweet taste, from the mainland
• Green: Large and crunchy with a mild flavor, found on various islands
• Cracked Green: Made by cracking unripe green olives, placing them in water for several weeks to remove their bitterness, then storing them in brine
• Black: Small, wrinkled, dry-cured olives with very strong flavor from the island of Thassos

A very popular "fast food" dish eaten in Greece is the Gyro (pronounced euro or hero), a combination of finely chopped meat, usually lamb and beef, pressed together and cooked slowly. This meat is thinly sliced and placed on a pita, a flat bread that puffs when baked, forming a convenient pocket. The traditional tzatziki sauce-a combination of yogurt, cucumber, and dill-is then added. This delicious "sandwich" defines the flavors of Greece and the Greek people's passion for food.

Some other common Greek foods are:

• Dolmades: Grapevine leaves stuffed with rice or meat
• Orzo: Tiny melon seed-shaped pasta
• Souvlaki: Lamb and vegetables on skewers
• Tsatziki: Cucumber yogurt dip
• Kleftiko: Lamb slow-baked on the bone, first marinade d in garlic and lemon juice
• Pastitsio: Macaroni, meat, and white sauce baked in the oven

So get in the spirit of Greece and try making some of these delicious dishes:

• Tzaziki
• Yogurt Cheese
• Avgolemono (Greek Egg and Lemon Soup)
• Spicy Lamb Kabobs with Grapes

Try August's Holiday Fun, The Olympics:

• Make a Cheesecake

Make a Delicious Greek Dessert:

• Baklava