We are talking about spanacopita (spinach pie), tyropita (cheese pie), prasopita (leek pie), dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), calamata olives, extra virgin olive oil, green beans marinated in a tomato sauce, souvlaki, Greek mountain tea, frappe (ice coffee), Greek wines, and the list is endless. There is an explosion of interest in the Mediterranean diet, and Grecian specialties offer a new exciting choice. Tourism in Greece has seen a tremendous increase after the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. When visitors with a demanding palate discover the quality and delicious taste of Greek cuisine, they search for it whenever they return. Of course, this is facilitated by the large selection of restaurants, cookbooks and easy-to-find ingredients. Although pronouncing some Greek names may be awkward, it will unlock many tasty discoveries. And remember, the very first cookbook was written in Ancient Greece in 4 B.C. by Apicius and was titled “The Art of Cooking.” Culinary traditions found in Classical and post-Classical Greece influenced Rome and Byzantium, which formed the basis for many cuisines in Europe. The only surviving recipe from Apicius’ cookbook describes the preparation of fillets of fish with olive oil. Follow his recipe below, and some of Apicius’ secrets are soon to be yours!

Fish:

6 shallots or sweet onions
Fish stock (or 1 cube)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Water
1 lb. of salt-fish (or sole, cod, salmon fillets)

Sauce:

1 tablespoon of honey
1 tablespoon of white wine or cider vinegar
1 tablespoon of boiled wine

Chop shallots or sweet onions and put them in a cooking pot. Moisten the bed of onions with a fish stock, olive oil and water. Place pieces of salt-fish in the middle, bring to a boil then cook gently over low heat. Season with the fish sauce, which includes honey, white wine or vinegar, and boiled wine. Decorate with fresh parsley.

This year, don’t forget to add a taste of Greece to your table. Kali Orexi (Bon Appetite)! Ω