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seleanor

Active member
My personal favorite is roast pork, which is not eaten by all families during Christmas but I would say its quite a few

To-Chirino-Tis-Annas-720x480.jpg
 
This is the one time of year I actually like to eat ham, and of course were have spanakopita, baklava, maybe some tzatziki.... No matter what we serve there are always Greek sides!
 
This is the one time of year I actually like to eat ham, and of course were have spanakopita, baklava, maybe some tzatziki.... No matter what we serve there are always Greek sides!
I went to my Greek friends thanksgiving this year and that's exactly what they did! Turkey with some Greek sides :) so tasty
 
I went to my Greek friends thanksgiving this year and that's exactly what they did! Turkey with some Greek sides :) so tasty
That's what Thanksgiving looks like for us. Turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, Greek sides, apple pie, baklava haha. I love it!
 
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One of my favorite Greek food items to eat during the Christmas season is Kourabiedes:

 
One of my favorite Greek food items to eat during the Christmas season is Kourabiedes:

Kourabedies are delicious - they're my favorite too! For Christmas Day we usually cook a roast or something like that, and serve a combination of Greek and American sides. Spanakopita, fasolakia, usually some kind of pie, like Apple pie, kourabedies, baklava...
 
Oh my gosh, I love kourabedies, too! During Christmas, I put a little almond extract to give it a bit of a holiday flavor. (I love Christmas cookies that have almond flavoring!)
 
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Oh my gosh, I love kourabedies, too! During Christmas, I put a little almond extract to give it a bit of a holiday flavor. (I love Christmas cookies that have almond flavoring!)
Is almond extract available at most grocery stores?
 
Is almond extract available at most grocery stores?
Yes, in the United States it is. It's in the baking aisle near the vanilla extract and all that.
 
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Yes, in the United States it is. It's in the baking aisle near the vanilla extract and all that.
Its super easy to find, just have to look for it
 

Do You Make Avgolemono Thick or Brothy?

I usually prefer avgolemono somewhere in the middle. I don’t like it so thick that it feels almost like a cream soup, but I also don’t want it completely thin and brothy. For me, the best version has enough egg and lemon to give the broth some body while still keeping it light.

A lot probably depends on what kind of avgolemono you’re making, too. In chicken soup, I like it a little more brothy because I want the rice or orzo and chicken to still stand out. With something like lahanodolmades, I don’t mind the avgolemono sauce being thicker because it is coating the food rather than serving as the soup itself.

The lemon level matters just as much as the thickness. I like enough lemon to make it bright and noticeable, but not so much that it overwhelms everything else. I think balance is really the key.

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?

Is lamb or beef more traditional for giouvetsi?

I've been looking into traditional Greek giouvetsi recipes lately, and I'm curious about which meat is considered the most traditional. I've seen recipes that use lamb, others that call for beef, and even some that use chicken.

I love the idea of slowly cooking the meat in a rich tomato sauce with orzo until everything becomes tender and flavorful. However, I'm wondering whether lamb or beef would be the more authentic choice.

Is one traditionally preferred in certain regions of Greece? I've read that lamb is often associated with older Greek recipes, but beef seems to be very common in modern versions of giouvetsi.

I'm also curious whether the choice of meat changes the way the dish is prepared. Does lamb require different seasonings or cooking times than beef?

For those familiar with traditional Greek cooking, which version do you prefer, and which would you recommend trying first?

Do You Put Cinnamon in Your Keftedes?

I’m curious how everyone here makes keftedes, especially when it comes to cinnamon. I know some Greek families add a little cinnamon to the meat mixture, while others would never think of putting it in.

In my experience, even a small amount can change the flavor quite a bit. It gives the keftedes a warmer, slightly sweeter spice in the background, but I can also see how it might not be for everyone. I’ve had versions that lean more heavily on oregano, mint, parsley, garlic, and onion instead.

Do you put cinnamon in your keftedes? If you do, how much do you usually use, and was that something your family always did? I’d also be curious to know if it varies depending on what part of Greece your family comes from.

Would love to hear how everyone seasons theirs and what you consider essential for really good keftedes.

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?
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