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nm1999

Active member
I am trying to understand Greek cooking on a different level than what I do now. Whenever looking up recipes, that is all it is to me - a recipe. I know that in Greece, there is a notion of seasonality that somehow gets lost when I read a cookbook.

So, it is approaching mid-May. The weather here is really starting to get good. In Greece, I am sure it is also lovely, but the growing seasons are different than what I experience.

What is in season now in Greece? I want to figure out how foods are prepared throughout the year in Greece, I think it will help me understand seasonality in general.
 

PemiKanavos

Administrator
Staff member
I am trying to understand Greek cooking on a different level than what I do now. Whenever looking up recipes, that is all it is to me - a recipe. I know that in Greece, there is a notion of seasonality that somehow gets lost when I read a cookbook.

So, it is approaching mid-May. The weather here is really starting to get good. In Greece, I am sure it is also lovely, but the growing seasons are different than what I experience.

What is in season now in Greece? I want to figure out how foods are prepared throughout the year in Greece, I think it will help me understand seasonality in general.
Growing up in Greece in the 80s and early 90s. All the food we would eat would be seasonal. Even the fish and meat were somewhat seasonal as well. There was certain fish we would eat in the winter and other during the summer. Lamb and goat would be mor in abundance during spring and summer rather than winter.
Veggies and fruit was the same. We could not find tomatoes in December or January, we couldn’t find strawberries in in the dead of the winter.

So you can imaging that the home cook would make certain dishes at certain times of the year. Gemista was only done in the summer, as well as fasolakia (green beans). Fassolada and baked beans were eaten in the winter.

Fast forward to 2023, Greeks still eat seasonally, but most of the fruits and veggies can be found all year round, but tend to be more expensive. But even so Greeks still like eating seasonally.
Here is a list of fruits and veggies out in may.

Fruit : orange , grapefruit ,
Strawberry, Cherry , loquat, nectarine
Loquat

Veggies : dandelions, green beans, artichoke , asparagus , cucumber , eggplant , peas , squash , cabbage, amaranth, lettuce , beats , peppers, radishes , spinach , broccoli
 

Shopping for Greek Honey

What is the best Greek honey to buy? I have some friends who are going to Greece and I told them to get me some honey while there, but I don't know how to tell them what to buy for me. I like to cook with it and spread it on bread and wasa crackers. I love it with cheese, as well. Like, the combination of honey drizzled on feta cheese ... it's outstanding.

When I don't have people getting some for me in Greece, I typically buy it online. I just never really put thought into it.

Walnut cake fell apart - help!

I found an old recipe for Greek walnut cake in my family's recipe files. Something had spilled on it, it was written in pencil, and I couldn't read the writing that well. So, I cross referenced the recipe with recipes I found online.

Well, the cake didn't hold together. It was crumbly and completely fell apart when I put my fork through it.

Although I would like to know why, I think my best way out of this situation is to try again with a foolproof recipe I know WON'T fall apart, and then maybe I can reverse engineer what happened and rewrite my family recipe! Any suggestions?

What do Greeks eat for breakfast?

Do Greeks take breakfast seriously? I heard from some friends that many Greeks do eat brunch, but that seems more like a once in a while thing. What do Greeks eat for breakfast on a regular basis? I have observed all kinds of things, from nothing to maybe a tiro pita or something bought on the street, washed down with a Greek coffee. Also, I have seen people eat fruit and nothing else for breakfast.

Type of Rice for Rice Pudding?

I make rice pudding all the time. Usually, I use leftover steamed rice from when I made rice for dinner.

I noticed in a cookbook somewhere that Greeks tend to use short grain rice like Arborio for their rice pudding when they make it from scratch.

Does it make a huge difference? What kind of rice do you like to use?
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