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nm1999

Active member
Pagotinia are like mini ice cream cones, and they are super popular in Greece. They're available at pretty much any Greek bakery, and they're a perfect way to cool down on a summer day. They're especially popular with young kids, but I always like to eat them because they help me portion control. Otherwise, I'd be eating a whole tub of ice cream on my vacation lol. You definitely have to try them when you're in Greece.
 
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I love these - I don't feel sick after eating them and they are just enough to satisfy my desire for ice cream!
 
If you ask - most bakeries will give you a styrafoam container to keep them cold till you get home. This is selfishly my go-to treat to bring when visiting people. Love the mini cones!
 

Sharing Greek Food with Friends - Recommendations?

I’m having a few friends over for dinner soon, and none of them are Greek, so I thought it would be fun to make a full Greek-style meal for them. I grew up with Greek food, so a lot of dishes feel “normal” to me, but now I’m realizing I’m not sure what works best for people who didn’t grow up eating it.

I definitely want to include a few traditional dishes, but I also don’t want to overwhelm everyone with too many things at once. I was thinking maybe spanakopita, souvlaki, Greek salad, rice, and some kind of dessert like baklava or galaktoboureko. I’m also wondering if there are certain dishes that tend to be crowd favorites with people who are newer to Greek food.

What meals or combinations have worked well for you when introducing Greek food to non-Greek friends? Any suggestions for appetizers, sides, or desserts would be appreciated too.

Making Greek Fried Bread?

My family used to make Greek fried bread all the time when I was growing up, and I’ve been trying to recreate it recently. The flavor is there, but mine keeps turning out soggy instead of crisp on the outside and soft inside like I remember.

I’m wondering if I’m using too much oil or maybe not enough heat? How much oil do you usually put in the pan when making it? Do you shallow fry it or just lightly coat the bottom? I’ve tried a few times now, and the bread seems to soak up the oil instead of frying properly.

I also wonder if the dough itself could be the issue. Maybe it’s too wet or too thick?

Would love any advice from people who grew up making this or still make it regularly. Tips on oil temperature, dough texture, or even what type of pan works best would really help!

Best way to cook gigantes beans?

I recently picked up a bag of dried gigantes beans from Greece, and I want to do them justice. I’ve had gigantes plaki at tavernas before and loved how soft and creamy the beans were, with that rich tomato sauce and olive oil.
Now that I have the real thing at home, I’m curious, what’s the best way to cook them? Do you soak overnight or use a quicker method? And when it comes to flavor, do you go traditional with tomato, onion, and herbs, or do you keep it simpler?

I’ve seen some recipes that bake them, others that simmer them on the stove, and even a few that finish them in the oven after cooking. Not sure which method gives the best texture and flavor. How do you get them perfect?

Do you make gemista with or without meat?

I grew up eating Gemista both ways, and now I’m realizing how divided people are on this. In my family, we usually made them without meat with just rice, herbs, and lots of olive oil, but I know plenty of people who swear they’re not really gemista unless there’s ground meat in the filling.

Lately I’ve been wondering what’s actually more traditional, or if it just comes down to region and family habits. I love the lighter, oil-based version, especially in the summer, but I can see the appeal of the heartier meat version too.

So I’m curious—how do you make your gemista? With meat, without, or both depending on the occasion? And if you feel strongly about it, what makes your version the “right” one?

Any good store-bought tzatziki brands?

Alright, I’m gonna admit something as a guy who grills a lot. I don’t always feel like making tzatziki from scratch, especially if I’ve already got meat going, sides going, everything. Sometimes I just want to grab something decent and keep it moving.

So I’m curious, are there actually any good store-bought tzatziki brands out there?

I’ve tried a few and some are way too thin or just taste off, like they’re missing that real garlic and yogurt balance. I’ve heard brands like Boar’s Head and Cedar’s are supposed to be better, but I haven’t really found one that tastes as good as homemade.
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