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dimi_pat

Active member
I love gyros but I noticed something - sometimes the version I get in Greece is much different than where it is here at home. I don't know if that is intentional or not...

I tend to love the gyros that have the shaved meat from the spit thing that you see in gyro shops in Greece, and I do enjoy it with Greek fries inside (which I do get in Greece a lot - but when at the gyro shop they always give me a choice).

Anyway, I am wondering... what is the actual, traditional way to make a gyro?
 
Gyros* is the singular form for the food, and gyroi (pronounced gyree) is the plural.. What you have in the USA (if you're from the USA) is americanized and a fusion of schwarma. The brown gyros meat that we have here is not served on a gyros in Greece, and we don't serve fries in the gyros.

I'm Athens you get chicken or pork. If you get pork then it comes with tzatziki. If you get chicken then it comes with "sauce". Up north (thessaloniki) they offer the same but they also have another option available. Fries are also always served in the gyros
 
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Gyros* is the singular form for the food, and gyroi (pronounced gyree) is the plural.. What you have in the USA (if you're from the USA) is americanized and a fusion of schwarma. The brown gyros meat that we have here is not served on a gyros in Greece, and we don't serve fries in the gyros.

I'm Athens you get chicken or pork. If you get pork then it comes with tzatziki. If you get chicken then it comes with "sauce". Up north (thessaloniki) they offer the same but they also have another option available. Fries are also always served in the gyros
I had fries in my gyros consistently on Crete - they asked - and all the Greeks - half of them got the fries in the gyro and half didn't. I loved the gyros in Athens, too, and I love it with the chicken. I don't recall seeing the choice of fries in the gyros in Athens or other places in Greece besides Crete. Thanks for sharing this info!
 

How Much Garlic in a Batch of Tzatziki?

How much garlic do you usually put in a batch of tzatziki? I think I may be using a little too much. I usually make mine with about 2 cups of Greek yogurt and 4 cloves of garlic, along with cucumber, olive oil, and the other usual ingredients.

It tastes great when I first make it, but we usually take about three days to finish the batch. By the second or third day, the garlic flavor and smell become really strong. Some people in my household love that and don’t mind it at all, but others think it becomes a bit overpowering. I’m starting to agree that four cloves might be too much, especially since the garlic seems to get stronger as it sits.

What do you all do? How many cloves would you use for about 2 cups of Greek yogurt?

Do you make Greek lentil soup with vinegar

I’ve always made fakes with a splash of vinegar, either stirred into the pot near the end or added individually at the table. To me, that little bit of acidity is part of what makes the soup taste right, especially with the earthy lentils, olive oil, onion, garlic, and bay leaf.

But I have a Greek friend who makes hers very differently. She doesn’t use vinegar at all and instead adds quite a lot of tomato product, so her version is much redder and more tomato-forward than mine.

Now I’m curious about what is considered more traditional in Greek cooking. Is vinegar usually a standard part of fakes, or is it more of a regional or family preference? Are tomato-heavy versions just as traditional?

How do you make yours, and what did your family serve growing up?

Do you put potatoes in your briam?

I've noticed that there are quite a few variations of briam, especially when it comes to which vegetables people include. One ingredient I'm particularly curious about is potatoes. Do you always put potatoes in your briam, or do you prefer making it without them?

I usually think of briam as a combination of zucchini, eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and plenty of olive oil. I love how the potatoes absorb all those wonderful flavors as everything slowly roasts together in the oven.

However, I've seen recipes that leave the potatoes out entirely and focus more on the summer vegetables. I imagine that makes the dish a little lighter.

I'm also curious whether there are regional differences in how briam is prepared throughout Greece. Does your family have a particular way of making it? And what vegetables do you consider absolutely essential?

What is your favorite Greek potato dish?

Potatoes show up in so many Greek meals, and I think they are often at their best when they soak up plenty of olive oil, lemon, herbs, and cooking juices.

Greek lemon potatoes are probably the first thing that comes to mind for me. I love when they are roasted until they are soft inside, a little crisp around the edges, and full of lemon and oregano. Potatoes cooked alongside chicken or lamb are also hard to beat because they absorb so much flavor from the pan.

I also enjoy simple boiled potatoes dressed with olive oil, lemon, parsley, and salt, especially with fish or grilled meat.

What Greek potato dish do you make most often? Do you prefer lemon potatoes, potatoes roasted with meat, fried potatoes, or something else? And is there a particular seasoning or family method that makes your version especially good?

Favorite Greek Cheeses Beyond Feta

Feta gets most of the attention when people talk about Greek cheese, but there are so many other varieties worth trying. I’m curious which Greek cheeses everyone enjoys most beyond feta.

Graviera is one of my favorites because it works so well on a cheese plate, grated over dishes, or just eaten with bread. Kasseri is another one I really like, especially melted. I’ve also been interested in trying more regional cheeses like metsovone, manouri, kefalotyri, and formaela.

Some Greek cheeses seem to be much easier to find outside Greece than others, so I’d also love to know which ones people regularly buy and where they usually find them.

What Greek cheeses do you keep coming back to? Are there certain ones you associate with a particular region, dish, or family tradition? And if someone has mostly eaten feta, which Greek cheese would you recommend they try next?
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