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nadellii

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Greece has so many comfort foods that are home cooked with love and care. In my personal opinion, some of the best Greek comfort foods are pastitsio and makaronia mai kima. These are traditional Greek dishes that are usually only found in Greek homes and are rarely eaten at tavernas. Pastitsio and makaronia mai kima are also the favorites of many Greek children, including myself, so that’s why I always find myself going back to them. What are your favorite Greek comfort foods?
 
I've never heard of makaronia mai kima, but makaronia me kima is a good one :p... For me it's souvlakia (aka gyros), kalamakia (aka souvlaki).
 
I've never heard of makaronia mai kima, but makaronia me kima is a good one :p... For me it's souvlakia (aka gyros), kalamakia (aka souvlaki).
Obviously didn't grow up as a Greek.
Maybe grown up on hamburgers and hotdogs only
 
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I thought they were directly translating each letter: μαι --> mai, meaning "with"
No, μαι = είμαι, and you will sometimes see it written as μαι if the word before it ends in a vowel. For example θα είμαι (I will be) -> θα 'μαι. So writing "makaronia mai kima" reads like "spaghetti I am ground beef"

The word for "with" in Greek is "με" (me) or "μαζί" (mazi) depending on what you want to say.

Υποτίθεται ότι θα έτρωγα δύο σουβλάκια με τζατζίκι και πατάτες, αλλά δεν είχα καιρό. - I was supposed to eat two gyros with tzaziki and potatoes, but I didn't have time. (souvlaki = gyros to an Athenian)

Θες να πας στο εμπορικό κέντρο μαζί μου; - do you want to go to the mall with me?
 
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No, μαι = είμαι, and you will sometimes see it written as μαι if the word before it ends in a vowel. For example θα είμαι (I will be) -> θα 'μαι. So writing "makaronia mai kima" reads like "spaghetti I am ground beef"

The word for "with" in Greek is "με" (me) or "μαζί" (mazi) depending on what you want to say.

Υποτίθεται ότι θα έτρωγα δύο σουβλάκια με τζατζίκι και πατάτες, αλλά δεν είχα καιρό. - I was supposed to eat two gyros with tzaziki and potatoes, but I didn't have time. (souvlaki = gyros to an Athenian)

Θες να πας στο εμπορικό κέντρο μαζί μου; - do you want to go to the mall with me?
Great explanation!
 
Great explanation!
Thanks. I have taught Greek and I've taught English (both for fun). You gotta keep things simple and provide explanations for everything.
 
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Thanks. I have taught Greek and I've taught English (both for fun). You gotta keep things simple and provide explanations for everything.
Where did you teach Greek? At a local Greek school?
 
Where did you teach Greek? At a local Greek school?
No, I taught Greek in my city, and sometimes I did it online with people who spoke Spanish but wanted to learn Greek (I saw this as a way to improve my Spanish. I.e. you teach me Spanish and ill teach you Greek). It was all for free, especially the online classes.
 
Lucky it was for free, your Greek grammar and the use of Greek words, not the best.
 
Lucky it was for free, your Greek grammar and the use of Greek words, not the best.
Μάλιστα... εφόσον τα ελληνικά σου είναι τέλεια, πες μου εσύ τον σωστό τρόπο να πω την πρόταση.
 
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Greece has so many comfort foods that are home cooked with love and care. In my personal opinion, some of the best Greek comfort foods are pastitsio and makaronia mai kima. These are traditional Greek dishes that are usually only found in Greek homes and are rarely eaten at tavernas. Pastitsio and makaronia mai kima are also the favorites of many Greek children, including myself, so that’s why I always find myself going back to them. What are your favorite Greek comfort foods?
I totally agree, Greece does have some of the best comfort foods! Makaronia me kima is one of my personal favorites. I also love Avgolemono soupa, and spaghetti made with a sauce made of Greek yogurt, cheese, garlic...
 
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I totally agree, Greece does have some of the best comfort foods! Makaronia me kima is one of my personal favorites. I also love Avgolemono soupa, and spaghetti made with a sauce made of Greek yogurt, cheese, garlic...
Avgolemono is a classic! It's the best food when youre sick as well
 
Avgolemono is a classic! It's the best food when youre sick as well
I totally agree! I tend to want it most when I am not feeling well.
 
I love Avgolemono when I am sick, as well, and other Greek soups. For me, soup is the perfect comfort food.
 

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?

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 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.
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