Greece is good to visit all spring, early summer and full autumn, almost until December. It is at this time, without the sweltering heat that the asphalt increases, that Anna Delianidi offers to taste Athens.
You need to live in Athens so that when you wake up in the morning, you can look at some ancient places outside the window, fortunately, there are a huge number of them here. Those who do not remember the laws of Solon, the endless myths and clear rules by which the sirtaki dance, come here to wander around the city, which remembers more than all of us put together. There are no sandy beaches in the middle of the streets, the metropolis lives its own life, obeying the laws of traffic: in the morning everyone goes to the center for work, in the evening everyone goes from the center to the sea.
Greek cuisine, based on the use of olive oil, the tradition of a wide range of snacks from seafood, legumes and olives, on the preparation of hot dishes from the freshest fish and meat, is gaining new fans every day. Unfortunately, we know little about Greek wine, which is worthy not only of a separate article, but also of a novel, an ode and a hymn. If you find yourself in the Greek capital, be sure to pay homage to the white Robola Kefalonia Gentili from the island of Kefalonia and Thalassitis Oak Barrel Gaia from Santorini, the birthplace of the white grape variety Asirtiko — the most famous in Greek winemaking. Those who prefer classic varieties will be completely delighted with the Chardonnay Estate Biblia Chora, and the most famous dessert wine is considered Vinsanto Sigalas.
Under the selected dishes and wine in Greek restaurants usually bring fresh, freshly baked bread, and olive oil to it. With this combination, the wine can be drunk for a long time and pleasantly. Especially if you are sitting in the city center with a view of the Acropolis, as in the Tudor Hall restaurant of the King George Palace Hotel. As for the dishes that are definitely worth trying, here, of course, everything depends only on your endurance. The Greek feast is a test of the volume of the stomach, but it is almost impossible to break away from the meal. Traditional Greek salad with fresh vegetables and feta and bean salads, various varieties of eggplant preparation, white yogurt sauce with olive oil, garlic and cucumbers, the famous taramosalata-and these are just snacks! Add to them small octopuses, shrimps on the grill or in tomato sauce, squid in batter and different types of pickled olives and olives! Do you think you can get up from the table?! What about the hot stuff?! Meat meatballs, lamb with potatoes, baked lamb, moussaka, sea bass fillet in cream sauce, grilled salmon. But behind them comes the turn of baking. Pies with spinach, goat cheese, cookies and nut rolls, all kinds of cakes and cakes…
What exactly can and should be prepared at home after a trip to Athens? Of course, the traditional Greek salad, you just need to remember that the main version of it does not add any salad leaves, only tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, sweet onions and olives, on top of a large enough piece of feta, and on the table — olive oil, salt and freshly ground pepper for salad dressing. Zajiki sauce, which is suitable for meat and fish dishes, is also easy to prepare — you will probably find its recipe on our website!