About Greek Cuisine
 A
Brief History of Greek Cuisine
In Greece, food is a central topic of conversation. Debates about
how to prepare a Moussaka take place over cell phones.
In markets, customers and indignant greengrocers can be heard exchanging
oaths (and sometimes wielding knives) in arguments over the freshness
of vegetables. Taxi drivers will tell you they won’t go to
America because of the artificial “plastic” tomatoes
there and how the cheese from their village is the best in Greece.
In a country that traditionally has been poor agriculturally, making
the most of meager produce has evolved from necessity to a national
obsession with food. As necessity breeds innovation, Greek cuisine
comprises a rich diversity of cooking styles, ingredients, and
flavors. It also has a unique and colorful history dating from
antiquity and has incorporated outside elements from Italian, Turkish
and French cuisines.
From Antiquity to Byzantium
Most of what we currently know about cuisine in ancient Greece
comes from Athenaeus’ Dipnosophistae (lit. "The
Banquet of the Learned"). His work is a compilation of a series
of discussions among the intellectuals at a banquet. In addition
to his accounts of the conversations had about morality and religion,
there is also information about what was actually served at the
banquets. Unfortunately, Greek cuisine in antiquity was not as
exciting as it is today; consisting primarily of gruel, legumes,
fresh and salted fish, olive oil, vegetables and very little meat.
Most meat was eaten during sacrifices and religious holidays. Vegetarianism
has a long tradition in Greece and was espoused by Pythagoras who
abstained from meat for moral reasons. Even to this day, the ultra-religious
abstain from meat and animal products on Wednesdays and Fridays
as well as during the forty days of Lent.
It was not until the rise of Byzantium, that cuisine began to
emerge as an art form. The royal court had a staff of professional
cooks who began to expand the traditional repertoire of foods to
include foodstuffs imported from all corners of the empire such
as spices and caviar. After the fall of Byzantium, the courts of
Ottoman Sultans inherited many of these culinary styles (and cooks)
and expanded on them with their own traditions. Under the Ottomans,
Greek cuisine was heavily influenced by Turkish cuisine. Remnants
of this can still be seen today in dishes such as Tzatziki (a
yogurt-cucumber dip), Imam Bayildi (eggplant casserole), Soutzoukakia (spiced,
sausage shaped meatballs in tomato sauce), Souvlaki (meat
kebabs in pita bread) and Moussaka (eggplant and meat
casserole which makes use of French béchamel). In the small
areas of Greece that were under Venetian (not Ottoman) dominion
such as the Ionian Islands and the Cyclades there is a strong Italian
influence. Dishes of Italian origin include Bourdeto (a
fish stew from Corfu) and Poutinga (blood pudding expressly
forbidden by the Greek Church). Greeks also adore pasta and claim
to be the largest per capita consumers in the EU.
Independence – Not Turkish Coffee.... Greek Coffee!
After the Greek War of Independence (1820s), there was a movement
in Greece among gastronomes to purge the indigenous cuisine of
eastern elements in an effort to Europeanize it. Many of the spices
that were used in traditional dishes were omitted resulting in
a simpler, blander, end product. Ironically, when the first wave
of refugees from Asia Minor started arriving in Greece in the 1920s,
they became renowned for their culinary expertise which included
the use of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cumin.
What is Greek Food, Then?
 Defined
broadly, Greek food is any ingenious way of making a simple meal
using the lots of fresh vegetables, lamb, fish, chicken, Feta cheese,
olives, capers, and tomatoes. Herbs and spices generally include
oregano, dill, fennel, bay leaves, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg.
Greek cuisine relies on the tastes of the freshest produce available.
Although it is possible to make a Horiatiki Salata in
America, it just can’t compare with the lusciously red tomatoes
sprinkled with oregano that you get everywhere in Greece. There
are also subcategories of Greek cuisine: cooking in large casseroles,
stews, grilled meat and seafood specialties, and filo items (pites).
Each type of cooking is represented by a specialty restaurant. Tavernas can
be found all over Greece and specialize in pre-prepared casserole
items (Moussaka, Pastitsio, vegetables stuffed
with rice) which are plated out at a moment’s notice. Psistaries serve
only grilled meats which are ordered by the kilo for large parties. Pites,
filo pastry pies stuffed with greens are generally bought from
bakeries and eaten on the run. They are rarely served in restaurants
and are considered "laiko" or village cuisine,
made at home or purchased from either a bakery or a street vendor
specializing in one type of pita. The mark of a housewife’s
culinary prowess is how fast she is able to “open” filo
to make a pita for unexpected guests.
The Greek restaurant in America – Cheeseburger, Cheeseburger,
Cheeseburger. Pepsi, no Coke.
Greeks have brought their passion for food to the North America.
Virtually every city in the United States has at least one diner
or “family” restaurant owned by Greeks. Indeed, Greeks
have a monopoly on this type of restaurant. The menus usually feature
hamburgers, hotdogs, meatloaf, eggs, a few Greeky items (like Moussaka or
a Gyro Plate) and almost always a rotating pie display. You may
ask why a people with such a rich and healthful culinary tradition
have traded in the olive oil for a can of corned beef hash and
home fries. Simple. These types of restaurants are an expression
of the Greek concept of the restaurant as a casual, functional, "laiko" or
working people’s establishment. The cuisine remains simple,
based on whatever ingredients are readily available. Unfortunately,
in North America this means fewer vegetables and fresh seafood,
and more butter, meat and saturated fats. This trend has also caught
on in modernizing Greece, which has resulted in an alarming rise
in child obesity rates.
With the growing consciousness of the connection between diet
and health, traditional Greek eating habits have sparked a lot
of interest among researchers and diners alike. There has been
an increased demand for Greek as well as other Mediterranean cuisines,
which has been met by an increasing number of Greek restaurateurs
opening Greek restaurants as opposed to diners with a few Greek
items. Many of the owners of these Greek restaurants started with
a diner or family restaurant and have either moved on or are looking
for a secondary business venture. Most often their menus are disappointingly
unhealthy reincarnations of the Greek sections of diner menus listing
the standard Moussaka, Pastitsio, and Spanakopita, sometimes sneaking
in prime rib as a choice and serving all entrées with a
choice of curly fries or baked potato. They usually offer a flambéed
Saganaki, which has become a signature item in Greek restaurants
in America. The flambé is a dramatic final touch that originated
in Chicago and is rarely done in Greece.
Our Approach
 A
small number of Greek restaurants are reviving older eating habits
offering a lighter version of Greek cuisine using less butter and
cream sauces, more vegetables, and less beef. Following the tradition
of the cuisine that is its inspiration, this approach highlights
the freshness of the main ingredients without drowning them in
a heavy sauce or oil. The result is a lighter, tastier version
of the original that incorporates all of the flavors that are characteristically
Greek.
At The Olive Tree we have striven to perfect this approach for
the past twenty five years. Our menu offers both old Greek classics
and entrees which make use of traditional ingredients in innovative
ways. You will probably not find items like Scallops Kataifi and
salmon wrapped in filo at most Greek restaurants, but we believe
that the richness of Greek cuisine can be expressed beyond the
standard repertoire of Greek dishes. In all our years of business
in Rochester, we have seen the enthusiasm for this cuisine grow
and we attribute this to our creative approach. We take great pleasure
in showcasing the best of Greece and serving you the best Greek
food you’ve ever had!
Kali Orexi!
Bon Appetit!
The Olive Tree
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