For many Americans, the dictionary of Greek cuisine terms is a thin one. Most know just the basic dishes: spanakopita with layers of flaky filo and earthy spinach; mousaka with spiced meat and rich, creamy custard; and dolmas, the bite-sized rice bundles wrapped in tender grape leaves with a hint of mint. We’ll try feta cheese in a salad and hummus with pita bread, and we’ll always save room for that decadent sticky pastry baklava, and that’s about as much as we know. But with every great regional cuisine, there’s so much more to explore and many more truly authentic dishes to taste.

The dishes of Greece come directly from the flavors of nature, from ingredients found in sunny, hilly lands, some surrounded by bright blue seas. Tomato, eggplant, olives, fish, lemon, oregano, honey, nuts, potatoes, and lamb—all fresh ingredients go into this robust, exciting cuisine.

Petros Markopoulos knows authentic Greek food, and it’s all about that simple freshness. In 2001 his restaurant—Ithaki Mediterranean Cuisine in Ipswich, Massachusetts—was listed by Bon Appetit magazine as one of the top ten Greek restaurants in the United States. While Petros says he does need to keep in mind the American palate, his menu offers many dishes that, while unfamiliar, are the real Greek cuisine he grew up with.

“I have a true Greek salad on my menu. If you go to Greece you’ll get tomatoes, cucumber, capers, peppers, olives, Feta, a spicy arugula, oregano, and olive oil. No lettuce. There might be just a touch of vinegar.” tomatoes are very important to the salad, and Petros says he gets his from a local farm in the summer. Olive oil is important as well. “Everywhere the Greeks use the olive oil. My grandfather had a spoonful of olive oil every morning, and he lived to be one hundred years old.”

Petros comes from the south of Greece where lamb is a mainstay of the diet. His lamb is done very simply: roasted or, more often, braised with just salt and pepper, olive oil, oregano, and roasted potatoes.

“Every family has lambs. They hold them for Easter. We serve it with braised vegetables, another important part of Greek cuisine.” says Petros. “We might have simple braised green beans."

Also simple and important is pasta. “We do the whole-wheat pasta homemade and organic,” says Petros.

Far beyond the usual tart, bright white feta, Greek cuisine offers a wide variety of fresh goat-, sheep-, and cow-milk cheeses. Kaseri is mild but sharp, while mizithra is made from either sheep or goat milk and is much like ricotta.

“It’s made from the leftovers from feta cheese,” says Petros. “We make a ravioli with it."

Ithaki also serves a Pan-Crisped Kefaloteri cheese, garnished with an English cucumber salad and lemons, served flaming with Ouzo at the table.

While dishes like Grilled Octopus with Fava Beans, Greens, and Lemon Aioli harken to the island of Santorini and a Chicken Braised in Tomatoes with sweet onions, cinnamon and cloves brings in the flavors of the Peloponnese in the South, the restaurant is also famous for its traditional mousaka.

“We do the mousaka in the traditional terra cotta dishes. It’s important to serve something as it originally is. We have the sliced fried potatoes, fried eggplant, ground beef with cinnamon and cloves with the béchamel on top."

There will be plenty of authentic Greek dishes at Portsmouth, New Hampshire’s annual Greek Festival on July 21 and 22, including lamb shanks and baklava. Bess Jack is one of the organizers and president of the St. Nicholas Philoptochos Society, a group of women within the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church that, through the organization, helps local people and national organizations in times of need. The group has recently published the Taste of Greece/St. Nicholas Philoptochos Society Cookbook, and Bess has fond memories of growing up in a Greek kitchen.

“One of the things we always had was spanakopeta and the pastry with feta and egg called tiropita,” Bess says. “And there were always salad and greens. We would go out for a ride on Sunday looking for greens. There was feta and olives at every meal. We had plain white bread, soft inside and crusty outside. Bread and salad at every meal."

Bess says her family didn’t have a lot of fried food, but in the northern parts of Greece, there were many different cheeses and, by the sea, whole fish. “Growing up I remember my mother used to get the smelts and fried those, and there were lots of vegetables. Everywhere you go in Greece, vegetables are plentiful."

Also plentiful at the Greek table is sharing a good time with friends and family. “When many Greeks get together, they talk very loudly,” Bess says. “When my husband, who isn’t Greek, first experienced it he asked me, ‘Why was everyone shouting?’"

Ithaki’s Petros also says that sharing food is an important part of Greek cuisine as is introducing guests to dishes both old and new. “We try to keep something very traditional while we play with something else. We find new ideas, we can’t just stay with the old ones. Here, when people eat together, they’re not customers. I call them friends."

Find Out More

• The Greek Festival in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, will be held on July 21–22 at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church at 40 Andrew Jarvis Drive. (603) 431-3314.
• Newburyport, Massachusett’s Greek Festival takes place July 27–29 at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Sunday. Food and wine, suggested donation. (978) 465-5757.
• The Greek Festival in Dover, New Hampshire, will be from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Friday, August 31, and from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Saturday, September 1, at the Hellenic Center on Longhill Road. <.
• Greekfest in Manchester, New Hampshire, is in late August and sponsored by the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church.
• Manchester’s Glendi Greek Festival is held at St. George Orthodox Cathedral in late September. Check for more information as the dates approach.
• Find Ithaki Mediterranean Cuisine at 25 Hammatt Street, Ipswich, Massachusetts. (978) 356-0099. <.
These wonderful, seasonal Greek recipes are from the extraordinary book The Olive and the Caper by Susannah Hoffman (Workman Publishing. $29.95 hardcover.) With hundreds of recipes, this is also a history, a memoir, a sociological study, and a labor of love. It is richly illustrated with drawings and photos, and leavened with poetry, quotes, and anecdotes. Buy this book until you can afford a passage to the mother country.

Recipes 

Bread Soup with Garlic, Capers, and Mint

Serves 6

• 1 large loaf (1 pound) stale Greek of other crusty bread, cut into 1-inch thick slices
• 10 cups water
• 12 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1–11⁄2 cups olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 medium cucumber (12 ounces), peeled and coarsely grated or finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons capers, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely shredded mint leaves

1. Quarter the bread slices and combine them with the water in a large bowl. Set aside to soak until the bread is thoroughly softened, 5–10 minutes depending on how stale the bread is.
2. Place the garlic and salt on a cutting board and mince together with a chef’s knife.
3. Lift the bread out of the water and squeeze the pieces lightly, leaving them quite moist. In batches, puree the bread together with the garlic mixture, oil, and vinegar in a blender or processor. Transfer the puree to a large bowl.
4. Stir the cucumber and parsley into the bread mixture, and sprinkle the capers and mint over the top. Serve right away, or cover and chill for several hours before serving.

Grilled Whole Fish in Grape Leaves

Serves 6

• 6 whole mackerel or other small, whole, bone-in fish (8–10 ounces each) scaled and gutted
• Salt
• 1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 24–40 grape leaves
• Olive oil
• Lemon wedges, for garnish

1. Remove the heads from the fish, or leave them on, as you prefer. Liberally salt the fish inside and out, and rub inside and out with lemon juice.
2. Gently squeeze the excess liquid out of the grape leaves without wringing them dry. Wrap enough grape leaves around each fish to enclose it completely, head to tail. Place the wrapped fish on a platter, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to several hours.
3. When you are ready to cook the fish, heat a grill to medium. Lightly coat the grape leaf wrapping with olive oil.
4. Place the fish on the grill and cook until the leaves are lightly charred all around and the fish flakes easily when pierced with a fork, 8–12 minutes. Serve right away, garnished with the lemon wedges.

Tzatziki

Makes 2 cups

When yogurt first appeared in Greek cuisine, garlic was already a daily food of the laboring people. The combination of the two quickly took on a third partner, another common food: cucumber. Tzatziki is part sauce, part salad. It is drizzled over every gyro, spooned upon pilafs, spread over dolmades, dolloped into soups, and slathered on fritters.
Editor’s note: It’s also perfect on warm pita bread.

• 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2–4 cloves garlic
• 11⁄2 cups plain yogurt
• 1 small cucumber
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or dill (optional)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1. Spread the salt on a chopping board and finely chop the garlic on top of the salt.
2. Transfer the garlic and salt to a medium-size bowl, add the yogurt, and stir until creamy.
3. Peel the cucumber and remove the seeds if they are large. Finely chop the cucumber. Squeeze it to remove some of the liquid, then add it to the yogurt.
4. Stir in the mint or dill, if using, the pepper, and the vinegar. Mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Tiropita or Cheese Triangles from Margaret Naumes

Makes about 75 triangles

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 8 ounce package cream cheese
• 1 pound feta cheese
• 1 pound phyllo
• 2 sticks butter, melted

 
1. Mix eggs and the three cheeses together, blending thoroughly. Cut phyllo sheets lengthwise into 3-inch-wide strips.
2. Cover remaining phyllo dough with a damp cloth so it doesn’t dry out.
3. Brush strip with butter, place 1 tablespoon of cheese mixture at one end of strip, and fold into triangle shape (like folding a flag). Butter the top. Repeat until phyllo is used up.
4. Bake at 350ºF until golden brown. Repeat until filling is used. These can be frozen before baking.

Spanakopita from Ann Panteleos

Serves 8–10 as an entrée

• 4 10-ounce packages of frozen chopped spinach
• 3 sticks unsalted butter, divided
• 2 bunches scallions, sliced
• 6 eggs
• 1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened
• 1 pound feta cheese
• 1⁄2 bunch fresh dill, chopped
• 1⁄2 cup olive oil
• 1 pound phyllo sheets

1. Thaw spinach in colander and squeeze out water until as dry as possible. Sauté 1 stick of butter with the scallions and add spinach. Stir until all moisture disappears.
2. Beat eggs well. Add softened cream cheese and feta cheese, and mix with spinach. Stir in chopped dill.
3. Mix olive oil with remaining melted butter and brush 11x14-inch pan lightly. Place about 12 sheets of phyllo into pan, brushing each sheet with melted butter and oil. Spread spinach mixture and add additional 12 sheets on top, again brushing with butter mixture.
4. With a sharp knife, score through the top sheets in 2-inch squares. Bake at 350ºF for about 45 minutes, or until brown and flaky.

The Wines of Greece

By JoAnn Actis-Grande

Wine has always been central to the Greek way of life. Greeks may have been the very first to produce wine, with four-thousand-year-old traces found on the island of Crete. Ancient Greeks introduced winemaking to Italy, and many Italian grapes, such as Malvasia and Moscato, have Greek origins. Later the Greeks brought winemaking to France, Spain, and even Asia.

In Greek mythology, Dionysus, a son of Zeus, was the god of wine. Dionysus introduced the grapevine and taught mortals the secrets of its cultivation and fermentation (among other things, but that’s another story). There were many festivals in celebration of Dionysus, and the tradition of festivals still holds in Greece. Here in the United States, they are called glendis or “good times.” They are associated with Greek Orthodox churches but are open to the public. All of them celebrate with music and food, and most with wine.

Just as Greek cuisine is increasingly appreciated, so are Greek wines. Greece has always been blessed with an excellent climate for growing grapes, but today, through investment in technology and winemaker training at some of the finest schools in the world, Greece is producing award-winning wines from its indigenous grapes.

Retsina, the national drink of Greece (along with ouzo), is white or rose and is best served cold. It has a semisweet, pine-resin taste—a unique flavor. Many traditional Greek tavernas make their own, stored in their own barrels. While Retsina may be an acquired taste for some, there are many fine Greek wines without this resin flavor.

There are seven wine-growing regions in Greece and three hundred indigenous grape species. The primary export regions are: Macedonia in mountainous northern Greece, with its cooler and even growing climate; Nemea, a region on the Peloponese, southwest of Athens; and the island of Santorini (site of the legendary Atlantis). The white wines rival those produced anywhere in the world, and the red wines produced from or blended with indigenous grapes deliver a taste that you can find nowhere else.

Great Greek grapes to look for, alone or blended: white—Assyrtiko, Aidani, Malagousia, Petroulianos, Athiri, Moschofilero, Savatiano, Roditis, Robola, Muscato; red—Agiorgitiko, Mandelaria, Xynomavro, Negoska, Mavrodaphne.

• Savatiano Megapanos ’06: A dry wine produced from Mesoghea and Savatiano. Crystal clear color, refreshing taste, and
  fine aromas. Perfect with Mediterranean fish dishes.
• Petroulianos, Vatista’s ’05: A lively dry wine from Petrouliano, aged in oak. Serve with salads and seafood.
• Nasiakos Moscholfilero: 100 percent Moschofilero. Perfumed, full flavored, and well balanced. Hints of orange and spice. Serve with game and poultry.
• Boutari Evinos ’03: A blend of Xynomavro and Merlot. Mix of flavors: plum, cocoa, coffee, and red berries. Great with lamb and grilled meats.
• Nemea, Haggipavlu ’03: 100 percent Agiorgitiko. A ripe, opulent style. Smooth with great depth, ruby color, and leather and smoked-green-pepper aromas. Pairs well with veal and pork sausage.
• Kappa Xynomavro Syrah 03: Produced with 55 percent Xynomavro and 45 percent Syrah. Deep purple color with elegant bouquet and rich taste. Perfect
  with steak.

For assistance, inquire at your local wine fine wine shop, restaurant, or the N.H. Liquor Commission. See also  http://www.ethniccellars.com.