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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.
 
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.
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.
 

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?

Greek cooking without a recipe?

I've been thinking about how much traditional Greek cooking relies on instinct rather than following exact recipes. Some of the Greek dishes I learned to make were taught to me by feel, with someone showing me what to do rather than measuring everything out.

I actually enjoy cooking this way, but I've noticed that it can make certain dishes difficult to recreate consistently! Sometimes everything comes together perfectly, and other times I wonder what I did differently.

I'm curious how others approach this. Did you learn Greek cooking by watching your yiayia, mother, or other relatives? Do you measure ingredients, or do you just know when something looks, smells, or tastes right?

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 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?

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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