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cubrinj

Active member
As I mentioned in another post, my AC broke—and with this heatwave, I’ve decided to take all my cooking outside. I’m thinking of grilling an entire Greek meal on the BBQ, but I’d love some ideas and tips to make it feel complete and authentic.

Of course, I’m planning to do some classic souvlaki, maybe chicken and pork, but I’d like to round it out with other traditional sides or appetizers that either go on the grill or don’t require indoor cooking. Maybe grilled veggies? Halloumi? Is there a way to do a grilled version of spanakopita? Or something that mimics it?

I also thought about wrapping feta in foil with herbs and tomatoes to grill—has anyone tried that? Would love to hear what others have done to build a full Greek feast outside, especially during hot weather.

Any tips, recipes, or suggestions are totally welcome. Thanks!
 
Love the idea of a full Greek BBQ feast—perfect way to beat the heat and still eat well! You're already off to a great start with chicken and pork souvlaki. Definitely go for grilled halloumi—slice it thick, brush with olive oil, and grill until golden. It’s amazing with a squeeze of lemon.

Grilled veggies like zucchini, eggplant, peppers, and red onion are classic and pair beautifully with tzatziki or skordalia (which you can make ahead and serve cold). Your idea of feta in foil is a winner—add oregano, sliced tomato, chili flakes, olive oil, and maybe a few olives. Grill until melty and bubbly.

For a spanakopita-inspired dish, try grilled spinach-stuffed mushrooms or skewer spinach, onion, and feta on kebabs. You could even grill thick slices of rustic bread and top with olive tapenade or tomato-garlic mix for a bruschetta-style meze.
 

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?

What Is the Best Way to Serve Taramosalata?

I absolutely love taramosalata and have it pretty regularly at home, but I’m having some people over soon and was wondering about the best way to serve it when entertaining.

Normally I just eat it with some bread or pita, so I don’t really put much thought into presentation. For guests, though, I’d like to make it part of a nice Greek-style spread with a few other things on the table. I was thinking warm pita triangles, crusty bread, maybe some cucumber and other vegetables for dipping, but I’m curious what everyone else usually serves with it.

Do you drizzle a little olive oil over the top or add any kind of garnish? And are there particular meze that you think pair especially well with taramosalata?

I’d love some ideas for making it look a little more special while still keeping everything traditional and simple.

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?

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?

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?
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