Greek Food, Cooking and Recipe Community

Popular Greek Foods to Serve at Weddings?

1 - 3 of 3 Posts
C

cubrinj

Active member
I am involved with planning a wedding where much of the cooking is going to be done by family, just like it is in Greece.

What are the popular and most common foods to serve at weddings in Greece? In that family many of them had been born in Greece so I am curious about what to expect.

Many of them haven't told me what they are cooking and I want to make sure there's enough food. All they basically say is, "We are making typical wedding foods like you'll find in Greece."
 
If your family is cooking then i have no idea.. my guess is they'll probably make spanakopita, keftedes, pastitsio, moissaka, dolmades and something else.

Let me explain how it works in Greece Today, because this is not what is served at weddings today, so it depends.

In Greece you pay for a caterer and the food you get depends on how much you pay. They give you a 3 or 4 different menus. For example, there is menu A which is the cheapest and might get you X amount of food and it might be frozen, menu B is an upgrade from menu A (probably sll cooked and more food), and menu C is the most expensive because it'll have the nicest food and it'll all be fresh. On each menu, you can get salads, potatoes, rice, pastas, chicken, beef, pork, and whatever else they have to offer.

Sometimes people like to go more traditional and have a whole lamb as well.
 
ellinasgolfer0320 said:
If your family is cooking then i have no idea.. my guess is they'll probably make spanakopita, keftedes, pastitsio, moissaka, dolmades and something else.

Let me explain how it works in Greece Today, because this is not what is served at weddings today, so it depends.

In Greece you pay for a caterer and the food you get depends on how much you pay. They give you a 3 or 4 different menus. For example, there is menu A which is the cheapest and might get you X amount of food and it might be frozen, menu B is an upgrade from menu A (probably sll cooked and more food), and menu C is the most expensive because it'll have the nicest food and it'll all be fresh. On each menu, you can get salads, potatoes, rice, pastas, chicken, beef, pork, and whatever else they have to offer.

Sometimes people like to go more traditional and have a whole lamb as well.
Click to expand...
Wow this is super helpful. Thank you! I didn't realize that there was an option to actually cater. Most of the Greeks I know have done a "the villages show up" wedding but I have a friend who might be in a different situation and actually needs a caterer and venue to host it.
 
1 - 3 of 3 Posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

JOIN THE DISCUSSION AND READ OTHER GREEK INFO:

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?

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.

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?

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.

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?
Sign up for a free account and share your thoughts, photos, questions about Greek food, travel and culture!

WorldwideGreeks.com is a free online forum community where people can discuss Greek food, travel, traditions, history and mythology.
Join Worldwide Greeks here!

JOIN COMMUNITY FOR FREE

LOGIN TO YOUR ACCOUNT
Back
Top