Kavourmas - a traditional Greek slow-cooked meat delicacy. Made from pork and beef, the meat is salted ,and simmered for hours in spices (nutmeg, clove, allspice). It is a hearty, savory, and tender dish served in a clay pot topped with feta cheese. On the menu it was called the food of Alexander the Great. Grady thought he was pretty cool eating what ole Alex ate!

Gyro - of course! Seasoned meat—typically pork or chicken (not lamb like we assume in the US). It is roasted on a vertical rotisserie, sliced, and served with grilled, oil-brushed pita bread and tzatziki (yogurt-cucumber sauce) on the side. Of course Grady loved these!

Feta me meli - an appetizer featuring a block of feta cheese wrapped in phyllo dough, baked or fried until golden and crisp, and drizzled with honey and sesame seeds. So stinking good!

Greek semolina halva - a traditional, vegan Greek dessert pudding made by toasting semolina in oil, then boiling it with syrup, nuts, and spices. It was pretty good (different). We were given it for free when we were finished eating. They like to throw a free dessert at you at the end of every meal! Part of why we are getting so chubby!

Hummus - This really doesn't belong here, hummus is actually from the middle east. But here is the Greek version! Hummus in Greece is heavily focused on tahini, lemon, and high-quality olive oil. Greek recipes might include cumin, paprika, and a small amount of Greek yogurt. It is served topped with whole chickpeas and kalamata olives. SO GOOD!

Moussaka - A traditional Greek casserole with layers of sautéed eggplant, potatoes, and a savory minced lamb or beef, topped with a creamy béchamel sauce and cheese, then baked in a little crock pot. It is a super popular "Greek comfort food," commonly served in tavernas. We both loved this stuff (I found a vegetarian version).

Tzatziki - is a traditional Greek dipping sauce made from thick, strained yogurt (usually sheep or goat) mixed with cucumber, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and dill or mint. I honestly could eat this on everything!

Koulouri Thessalonikis - a traditional, iconic Greek street food consisting of a crunchy, sesame-seeded bread ring. Originating from Thessaloniki during the Byzantine era, it is a staple breakfast or snack throughout Greece, often sold by street vendors and in bakeries. We had it twice (on 2 different food tours). We were unimpressed both times!

Spanakopita - a traditional Greek savory pastry consisting of flaky phyllo dough filled with a mixture of spinach, feta cheese, onions, herbs, and eggs then brushed with olive oil, baked until golden brown. This stuff was so freaking good!

Bougatsa - a traditional Greek breakfast pastry or dessert originating from Thessaloniki, consisting of crispy, buttered phyllo dough wrapped around a sweet semolina custard, served warm with powdered sugar and cinnamon. I could eat this every day!! SO YUMMY!!

Baklava - This was probably included in the Turkey page as well. It is traditional to the entire region. It is a rich, flaky pastry made of multiple layers of buttered phyllo dough filled with chopped nuts and spices. After baking, it is drenched in a honey-based syrup, which soaks into the pastry. Who doesn't love baklava!

Traditional Greek coffee - It is made by boiling ultra-fine ground coffee beans in a small, long-handled pot (a briki), and brewed slowly over low heat on hot sand (hovoli). It is served unfiltered with the grounds in small cups, allowing the grounds to settle to the bottom before drinking. And it is topped with a creamy foam known as kaimaki. It was unpleasantly strong!

Calamari gyros - grilled calamari rings with grilled vegetables, warm pita bread and tzatziki sauce. This dish is a popular, lighter Mediterranean alternative to traditional meat gyros. It was pretty good.

Dakos - A classic appetizer featuring a dry barley rusk topped with grated tomato, crumbled feta, olive oil, and herbs. It is basically Greece's version of bruschetta. It was seriously delicious!

Kritiki Salata - A salad specific to the island of Crete. It features tomatoes, cucumbers, eggs, avocado, olives, potatoes, feta cheese, and soaked barley rusks (which are like really hard bread sticks - I'm not a fan). It is dressed with olive oil and oregano. All my favorite things (except the rusks which I picked out)

Saganaki - pan-seared cheese—commonly Kefalograviera, Kefalotyri, or Graviera—resulting in a crispy, golden crust and a warm, gooey interior. Typically dusted with flour and fried, it is served with lemon juice. We ate way to much of this!! It was so good!!

Gemista - a classic Greek dish of "stuffed" tomatoes filled with a mixture of rice, herbs, and olive oil, then baked until tender. It is a quintessential vegetarian Mediterranean dish. Really good!

Graviera Kritis cheese - The most popular cheese in Crete. Because there are no cows on Crete, all local cheese is made from sheep or goat milk. This one is mostly made from sheep's milk. It tastes a lot like Manchego - one more thing we ate way too much of!

Briam - a traditional Greek oven-roasted vegetable casserole of zucchini, potatoes, eggplant, and onions—slow-cooked in significant amounts of olive oil and seasoned garlic, oregano, and parsley. This was right up my alley! I could eat this every day!

Galaktoboureko - a traditional Greek dessert consisting of fresh goats milk custard baked between layers of filo pastry, soaked in a scented sugar syrup (often featuring lemon or orange). To die for!

Portokalopita - traditional, ultra-moist Greek orange cake made with shredded phyllo dough instead of flour, soaked in a fragrant honey-orange syrup. Yet another free dessert (served with Raki - similar to moonshine!). The dessert was incredible.

Kritharoto me garides - one-pot comfort food of orzo cooked in a creamy, tomato-based broth with shrimp, often flavored with ouzo and herbs. Shrimp heads are often used to make the stock. It was really good!

Xerotigana - a traditional, deep-fried pastry ribbon folded into the shape of a bow ties then fried in olive oil until crisp. Once fried, they are drenched in warm honey and sesame seeds. They were really good.

Cretan Kalitsounia - a traditional small handheld pies from Crete, Greece, featuring thin dough stuffed with fresh mizithra cheese and herbs. They were ok... not as good as I thought they would be.

Candied kumquats - a popular delicacy from Corfu. Small, whole bitter-sweet citrus fruits simmered in a sugar syrup until translucent and tender. They are a popular way to preserve the fruit for months. They were actually pretty good. Now I want a Kumquot tree in our back yard!

Chocolate-covered kumquats - a specialty on the island of Corfu, are a candied kumquat fruit coated in dark chocolate. Known locally as a "golden mandarin" treat. I liked them. I'm not sure Grady or Darren were all excited about them.

Tyrokafteri - spicy cheese dip in Corfu and Greece. It is a mezze dish made from whipped feta cheese, hot peppers, olive oil, and Greek yogurt. Also known as "cheese-burning". It was pretty good.

Grilled Talagani - A traditional handmade cheese from sheep and goat's milk grilled and drizzled with balsamic. Really yummy!

Pastitsada - a slow-cooked cockerel (young male chicken) stew, from the island of Corfu. It is cooked in a spicy red tomato sauce and served over pasta. Darren had it... I think he liked it.

Lamb souvlaki - basically it is lamb kebobs. It's a popular Greek food consisting of small, marinated chunks of lamb threaded onto skewers and grilled over charcoal. It is marinated in olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and oregano. Per Darren, it was good.