If you have seen ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’, then you will know that the Greeks have serious passion for their cuisine. And yes, they are really loud at the dinner table. The decibel level will start to increase and etiquette will be thrown out the door once it is eating time. Loud clinking of glasses and long reach across the table to fork a chunk of meat directly into the mouth forgoing the serving cutlery is also customary. The energy level to be bright and gay simply ascends when dining the Greek way, as the Greeks treat every meal into celebration of tastes and people.

Greece is a nation of small farmers who produce an incredible array of mainly organically produced cheeses, oils, fruits, nuts, grains, legumes and vegetables supplemented by an array of greens and herbs that grow in the wild. Greece's climate is perfect for growing olive and lemon trees, producing two of the most important elements of Greek cooking. Spices, garlic and other herbs such as oregano, basil, mint, and thyme are widely used, as are vegetables such as eggplant and zucchini and legumes of all types.

As Greece is made up of many islands, its staple food is fish and seafood. But a variety of meats such as poultry, rabbit and pork are also common in the Greek diet. Greek food is simple and elegant, with flavors subtle to robust, textures smooth to crunchy, fresh and timeless, nutritious and healthy. A typical table will include everything from appetizers to one or two (or more) main dishes, sides and beverages.

A history of culinary influences

While Greek cooking has influenced and been influenced by other cultures, as have the cuisines of most countries, Greece must be foremost in the ranks of having a ‘fusion’ cuisine which is easily traced back to 350 B.C.

• In 350 B.C., when Alexander the Great extended the Greek Empire's reach from Europe to India, certain northern and eastern influences were absorbed into the Greek cuisine.
• In 146 B.C., Greece fell to the Romans which resulted in a blending of a Roman influence into Greek cooking.
• In 330 A.D., Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire to Constantinople, founding the Byzantine Empire which, in turn, fell to the Turks in 1453 and remained part of the Ottoman Empire for nearly 400 years. During that time, dishes had to be known by Turkish names, names that remain today for many Greek classics.

Greek foods have names with origins in the aforementioned cultures, most notably the Ottoman Empire. Dishes with names like tzatziki (from the Turkish "cacik") which is a garlic cucumber and a yogurt dip, hummus (the Arabic word for chickpea) and dolmades (from the Turkish "dolma") which is a stuffed vegetable dish, can be found in kitchens from Armenia to Egypt.

Popular Greek dishes