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auroracoor1

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I’m looking to elevate my salad game and have heard that Greek olive oil is a fantastic choice for getting that rich, authentic flavor. With so many options out there, I’m a bit overwhelmed and could use some guidance from those who have experience in this area.

What are your top recommendations for the best Greek olive oil to use for salads? I'm specifically looking for:
  1. Quality: I want something that's high-quality with a robust flavor profile.
  2. Authenticity: Ideally, the olive oil should be authentic and imported from Greece.
  3. Versatility: While my main focus is on salads, it would be great if the olive oil can also be used for other dishes.
I’ve heard brands like Kalios, Iliada, and Gaea are pretty good, but I’d love to hear your personal favorites and why you recommend them.

greek-olive-oil.jpg
 
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I’m looking to elevate my salad game and have heard that Greek olive oil is a fantastic choice for getting that rich, authentic flavor. With so many options out there, I’m a bit overwhelmed and could use some guidance from those who have experience in this area.

What are your top recommendations for the best Greek olive oil to use for salads? I'm specifically looking for:
  1. Quality: I want something that's high-quality with a robust flavor profile.
  2. Authenticity: Ideally, the olive oil should be authentic and imported from Greece.
  3. Versatility: While my main focus is on salads, it would be great if the olive oil can also be used for other dishes.
I’ve heard brands like Kalios, Iliada, and Gaea are pretty good, but I’d love to hear your personal favorites and why you recommend them.

I’m looking to elevate my salad game and have heard that Greek olive oil is a fantastic choice for getting that rich, authentic flavor. With so many options out there, I’m a bit overwhelmed and could use some guidance from those who have experience in this area.

What are your top recommendations for the best Greek olive oil to use for salads? I'm specifically looking for:
  1. Quality: I want something that's high-quality with a robust flavor profile.
  2. Authenticity: Ideally, the olive oil should be authentic and imported from Greece.
  3. Versatility: While my main focus is on salads, it would be great if the olive oil can also be used for other dishes.
I’ve heard brands like Kalios, Iliada, and Gaea are pretty good, but I’d love to hear your personal favorites and why you recommend them.

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I’ve tried Gaea and Iliada a few times and they’ve been excellent. Always go for cold pressed EVOO, the peppery ones are my personal favourites. I keep a lemon infused oil for salads , but you can get other infusions.
If you’re in Greece it’s worth finding someone selling home-pressed oil, I was gifted a bottle a few years ago in Crete and it was the best I’ve ever had. Conversely, you’ll get really good ones in airport departures and they will advise the best depending on you preferences.
 
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I’ve tried Gaea and Iliada a few times and they’ve been excellent. Always go for cold pressed EVOO, the peppery ones are my personal favourites. I keep a lemon infused oil for salads , but you can get other infusions.
If you’re in Greece it’s worth finding someone selling home-pressed oil, I was gifted a bottle a few years ago in Crete and it was the best I’ve ever had. Conversely, you’ll get really good ones in airport departures and they will advise the best depending on you preferences.
How true you write Laura!!....Home pressed olive oil is the very best, rich and strong earthy flavour.... you are so right about Crete,my friends who have a very big Tavernas in Mykonos had huge barrels shipped over for the entire summer, just used to pop into the store and help myself! ??.. used to put some garlic and peppercorns for flavor... Hope you are well! Yasou apo mena from Thailand!
 
I agree! Home pressed is extra delicious and fresh. Unfortunately, I am only able to enjoy it this way when my friends give me some, and that doesn't always happen.

When I can't get some from my friends, I go the extra mile to research which sources are the freshest.
 

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?

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?

How does your family season dolmades?

I’ve been thinking about how much dolmades can vary from one family to another, especially when it comes to seasoning. Even when the basic ingredients are similar, the flavor can be completely different depending on which herbs and spices are used.

How does your family season dolmades? Do you use mostly dill and parsley, or do you add mint as well? I’ve also seen recipes that include green onions, oregano, or even a little cinnamon, especially when meat is part of the filling.

I’m curious whether you season the rice mixture pretty heavily before rolling the grape leaves or keep it simple and let the lemon and olive oil provide most of the flavor. Does your family add lemon juice directly to the filling, or only during cooking and serving?

I’d especially love to hear about any regional or family traditions. What gives your dolmades their distinctive flavor?

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?
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