1 - 8 of 8 Posts

blopez34

Active member
I’m an aspiring home chef and self proclaimed foodie and I'm looking to get my hands on the best ingredients for when I’m cooking at my airbnb in Greece. I have a feeling that local Greeks aren’t shopping at the supermarket all day. What are your tips for getting fresh and authentic ingredients in Greece?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Joni T.
As a kid going to Greece every Summer, my Yiayia (grandmother) would take me to the Greek local farmers markets. From what I remember they used to happen every Saturday morning and everyone in the village would get together and sell their fresh crops. There were no Whole Foods supermarkets back then! :)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Joni T.
I’m an aspiring home chef and self proclaimed foodie and I'm looking to get my hands on the best ingredients for when I’m cooking at my airbnb in Greece. I have a feeling that local Greeks aren’t shopping at the supermarket all day. What are your tips for getting fresh and authentic ingredients in Greece?
If your airbnb is in Crete, you're all set. Every taverna we went to there seemed to serve vegetables picked that day. Fishing boats came in in the morning, and then restaurants and locals would buy and eat the fish of the day.
 
Access to fresh, organic food in Greece is easy to find! Supermarkets are great for staples but the local laiki (farmers market) is the best place to go. Every area has one on a different day of the week so it's important to ask a local the when and where of their laiki.
They are a lot of fun to go to you will find fresh eggs, fruits, vegetables, seafood, clothes, housewares, baked goods and I have even seem some live chickens for sale :). Going to the Laiki is one of my favorite things to do when visiting family. Either way, you can't go wrong the food just tastes better in Greece!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: blopez34
Whenever I use to be in Greece I used to be at Greek food as I considered among the best and best on the planet. With an accentuation on heated as opposed to singed food, most customary dishes dodge expand sauces, favoring the aroma of spice flavors. Likely any place I'm I use to look for a new fixing at one my number one store Wegmans.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: blopez34
I’m an aspiring home chef and self proclaimed foodie and I'm looking to get my hands on the best ingredients for when I’m cooking at my airbnb in Greece. I have a feeling that local Greeks aren’t shopping at the supermarket all day. What are your tips for getting fresh and authentic ingredients in Greece?
The best place is the local 'laiki' - i.e. the weekly street market and these exist in big towns all over Greece. In central Athens there's also the main market in Athinas street for meat and fish produce. The surrounding area is also wonderful for food shopping of all kinds - including for herbs and spices.
 
  • Like
Reactions: blopez34
The best place is the local 'laiki' - i.e. the weekly street market and these exist in big towns all over Greece. In central Athens there's also the main market in Athinas street for meat and fish produce. The surrounding area is also wonderful for food shopping of all kinds - including for herbs and spices.
Thank you! Do you know if the laiki is open every day?
 
Thank you! Do you know if the laiki is open every day?
Depends! Each town or Athens suburb chooses a different day and they always are a once a week thing. Most of the time they take place on Fridays or Tuesdays, I believe. Just ask the locals :)
 

How Much Garlic in a Batch of Tzatziki?

How much garlic do you usually put in a batch of tzatziki? I think I may be using a little too much. I usually make mine with about 2 cups of Greek yogurt and 4 cloves of garlic, along with cucumber, olive oil, and the other usual ingredients.

It tastes great when I first make it, but we usually take about three days to finish the batch. By the second or third day, the garlic flavor and smell become really strong. Some people in my household love that and don’t mind it at all, but others think it becomes a bit overpowering. I’m starting to agree that four cloves might be too much, especially since the garlic seems to get stronger as it sits.

What do you all do? How many cloves would you use for about 2 cups of Greek yogurt?

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.

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.

Do you put potatoes in your moussaka?

My family has never made moussaka with potatoes, so I always grew up thinking of it as layers of eggplant, meat sauce, and béchamel. Recently, though, I had moussaka at a restaurant that included a layer of potatoes, and I absolutely loved it.

The potatoes gave it a little more substance and seemed to soak up some of the flavors from the meat sauce. It made the whole dish feel even more comforting without taking away from the eggplant.

Now I’m curious about how common this is in Greece and in Greek families. Is adding potatoes considered traditional in certain regions, or is it simply one of those variations that depends on the household?

If you make moussaka at home, do you include potatoes? And if you do, do you use them along with eggplant or in place of some of it?

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?
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