Here in Greece, pies (pites) are very popular and we usually cook one pie a week! The reason is simple! You can cook it once and you can have it for 3-4 days, any time you want (for breakfast or snack).

Well, lets see the top 5+1 of them…

Melitzanopita (eggplant pie)

Spanakopitta (Spinach pie)

Makaronopitta (pie with pasta)

Prassopita (leek pie)

Galatopita (milk pie)

Lemon pie

Today we are extremely happy to announce the new version of EatGreek’s design!

We choose the present our recipes in a flexible way for different monitor sizes. Also the way the recipes are displayed gives EatGreek a more magazine-like feel and let you search through our archives in a more playful way!

Easter is the most sacred observance in the Greek Orthodox faith. On all days of the Holy Week there are rituals in the church which recounts the Passion of Christ.
The main Easter traditions are:

Holy Thursday:

The housewives make Easter sweets (brioches and cookies) and dye red eggs.
In the afternoon in the church, the priest read the 12 gospels and after the ritual, women decorate the epitaph.

Holy Friday:

Τhe Holy Friday is the day of transfer the epitaph. The epitaph wandering around the church and the streets, while the Christians follow behind. Is a day of mourning.

Holy Saturday:

The Holy Saturday is the night of the Resurrection. At 12 o’clock at night, the priest gives the Holy Light to the Christians and chants “Christ is risen”. Christians take the Holy Light with Easter candles and greet each other by saying “Christ is risen” (Christos Anesti) and replying “Truly the Lord had risen” (Alithos Anesti o Kyrios). In many areas lit fireworks. It’s the day of Resurrection, day of joy and celebration.
The Holy Saturday ends the fasting of Lent and returning home to eat “magiritsa soup” and clink the red eggs.

Easter Sunday:

On Easter Sunday Christians celebrate the Resurrection. On Sunday noon roasting lamb or goat kid and ends the Holy Week.

Easter Monday:

Another national holiday, Easter Monday is a day to take things slowly, and certainly a day filled with delicious leftovers!

Shrove Monday (Greek: Καθαρή Δευτέρα), also known as Pure Monday, Ash Monday, Monday of Lent or Green Monday, is the first day of the Eastern Orthodox Christian and Eastern Catholic Great Lent. It is a movable feast that occurs at the beginning of the 7th week (40 days) before Orthodox Easter Sunday.

On Shrove Monday Orthodox stop eating animal foods and foods produced by animals and start fasting [Sarakosti (The Lent)], which represents the 40 days that Jesus fasted in the desert.

Also the joy of all, and especially children on Shrove Monday, is flying the kite! Some information is interpreted by flying the kite as the desire of man to scare away evil.

The menu of Shrove Monday is usually accompanied by some of the following recipes:

Lagana

Revithokefedes (chickpeas balls)

Taramosalata (fish roe salad)

Roasted Florina’s peppers

Fried octopus

Saganaki with shrimps

Domatokeftedes from Santorini

Giant beans in the oven

Dolmadakia yalantzi

The “Martis” is a very old custom which is common custom among the peoples of the Balkans. The custom of “Martis” (the twisted white and red thread, which people wear in the right hand to prevent them from sun burn) is believed to have originated in ancient Greece (Eleusinian Mysteries) where mystics tied a thread to their right hand.

According to the tradition, the “Martis” is made the last day of February and worn from March 1st until the end of the month. At the end of the month, remove and hang on the branches of a rose blooming to donate and let the first swallows get it to build their nest.

The myth…

In ancient times, March was the first month of the year. A shenanigan he did against the other months (his brothers) was the reason to get January the leadership.

Once upon a time the twelve months decided to create wine in a barrel so they can drink whenever they want.
So March said “I will throw the first grape must to barrel to make wine and then it’s your turn.”
The other months agreed.

When grape must became wine, March said “I threw first the grape must, so I will drink first.”
The other months agreed.

So March opened a little hole at the bottom of barrel, and began to drink. He drank all the wine and did not leave a drop.

Then was the turn of April to go to drink wine but he found it empty. April gets angry and said it to the other months. When other months heard about that they get angry too and they were wondering what to do.

So everyone agreed January to punish March which was the elder brother. Then January beat the hell out of him. He removed him also the primacy to enter every year in March, and start the year in January.

Since then March when remembers the game that played to his brothers and drank more wine, laughs and the weather is sunny. When he remembers the punishment, he cries and it rains.

Appetizers are easy, quick and delicious! Everybody love them and they are the easy way to go for parties, festivals, Holidays etc.
So, these are my top 10 appetizer recipes for 2010. Enjoy…

Anchovy with oregano

Roasted tomatoes

Stuffed tomatoes with tuna

Kritikos Dakos

Fried zucchini flower

Saganaki with shrimps

Fried Mussels

Batter with meatballs

Domatokeftedes from Santorini

Stuffed squid with peppers and kasseri cheese

2010 is almost here!!!
So, here there are some ideas for New Year’s Eve dinner that will please all your guests!

Appetizers

Cheese Souffle

Olive paste

Eggplant rolls

Main Dishes

Calf with kefalotiri cheese

Stuffed pork roll

Braised beef with rice

Desserts

Lemon pie

Melomakarona

Diples

and of course don’t forget the Vasilopita (New Year’s cake)

Vasilopita (New Year’s cake)

and organize the table…

How to organize a formal lunch or dinner

Kali Chronia!!!
Happy New Year!!!

Christmas are getting closer and we want to prepare the perfect dinner for our family and friends!

So, here there are some ideas for a fascinating Christmas dinner that will please all your guests!

Appetizers

Spanakopitta (Spinach pie)

Roasted tomatoes

Peppers with Feta

Main Dishes

Chicken with orange

Meats with peppers and cheese

Chicken “bundt”

Desserts

Sweet yogurt

Christmas log (Christmas roll)

Kourabiethes

And of course don’t forget to organize the table…

How to organize a formal lunch or dinner

Kala Christougenna!!!
Merry Christmas to all!!!

*  * 。 • ˚• ˚ ˛ • ★  Merry  Christmas ★ 。* 。。 ° ˛˚˛
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ ° *  °˛ * _Π_____*。*˚ ˚ ˛ •˛•˚ ° 。 ° ˛˚˛ *
°* ° ˛˚˛ * ˛ •˚˛* ˛•˚ */_________/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ • •。
* 。。˛˚˛ * ｜ 田田田 ｜門｜ ˚ ˛ •˛•˚ ° 。 ° ˛˚˛

Honey is an aromatic, sticky, sweet material derived from the nectar of plants that bees collect and convert into a dense liquid that store them in the honeycombs.

Honey contains 77% -78% sugar (mainly fructose and glucose) and because of the relatively low humidity does not favor the growth of microorganisms.

Honey is the most valuable human food. Provides energy to muscles, clarity in mind, disinfects and regulates the digestive system. Regular use gives vitality to the body and helps to prolong life.

Honey has a tendency to crystallize. At first crystals formed on the bottom and walls of the jar and makes it difficult to handle. The crystallized honey does not loses its properties.
The main reason for crystallization of honey is the ratio glucose/water. Usually the flower-honey crystallizes in a few weeks, the pine-honey in a few months and acacia-honey takes years to crystallization.
A method to prevent crystallization of the honey is mixing different types of honey. Quickly crystallize species with slow crystallization.

The only Greek honey with a protected designation of origin is the fir honey. It has amber color and it never crystallize bacause the sugar that it contains is lower than any other types of honey.

Types of honey

The composition, quality, including the type of honey vary from plant to plant, region to region and even from year to year, because affected by climatic conditions and flora. The dark honeys are more tonic properties (antioxidants data).

Acacia Honey

The honey from Acacia is too light and thin but has a special smell and refreshing taste.

Fir Honey

It is rich in minerals. Contains vitamins in very small quantities, but even this dose helps in better assimilation of sugars by the body.

Heather Honey (Ereikomelo)

This is a very nutritious honey, which is very stimulating for the human body and it is mainly sold in health food stores.

Sunflower Honey

The sunflower grown in large areas in our country, especially in northern Greece, and gives a rich honey production. This honey is a good source of polyphenols.

Thyme Honey (Thymarisio)

Considered of excellent quality honey because of splendid color, taste, stimulants and antiseptic properties. Also acts in a preventive cardiovascular disorders and has beneficial effects in disorders of the urinary and digestive system.

Chestnut Honey

Produced from the nectar and honey secretions of chestnut, which offers exceptional quality. Apart from trace elements, is that it can act as an astringent in cases of dysentery.

Pine Honey (Pefkomelo)

The honey of pine is a high nutritional value and this is mainly due to the large number of different substances present in the composition. Since these substances exist as metals and minerals (calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, etc.) that are in high concentrations in Greek Pine.

Honey works against fatigue

• Cures or relieves internal disorders (ulcers of the stomach, insomnia, sore throat, some heart disease), increases muscle strength, etc.
• For outdoor use heal burns, wounds, nose and pharynx disease.

Honey Mixture for stomach

It is a very good ‘natural’ remedy for intestinal parasites and the aches and stomach problems.

• 5 teaspoons propolis
• 5 teaspoons honey
• (If you suffer from colitis, add 5 teaspoons fresh pollen)

Mix the ingredients and add the mixture in a glass jar.
Mix 1 teaspoon with a glass of water and consume this amount (1 glass) every day.
You can keep the mixture in the refrigerator for 10 days and recommended use is for 10 days.

Honey Mixture for pharyngitis and sore throat

• 50ml water
• 25ml honey (thyme)
• 20drops of essential oil of sage
• 25ml propolis tincture

Stir in the water the remaining ingredients and with a spoonful of the mixture do gargle 2-3 times a day.

Honey Mixture for vaginitis

• 1lt water
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon propolis tincture
• 4-5 drops of essential oil tea tree

Mix all ingredients together and then do vaginal washes (according to specific, combats fungi and bacteria because tea tree oil is antiseptic).

Honey Mixture for burns

• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons propolis
• very little lavender essential oil

Mix all ingredients together well and put it over the burn or eczema.
You can keep the mixture in the refrigerator for a long time.

88 Greek products are recorded along with Santorini’s fava!

The Santorini’s fava (yellow split peas) enshrined in European Commission’s decision as Protected Designation of Origin (PDO).

Also included in the EU list of Protected Designation Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) with 7 more European agricultural products.

Until now, along with Santorini’s fava, 88 Greek agricultural products have already entered the EU list of PDO and PGI products:

• 27 olive
• 10 Table Olives
• 20 cheeses
• 23 fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes
• 1 product bread
• 1 fish
• 1 honey
• 2 mastic, gum
• 1 essential oil
• 1 spice

Pending applications for guarantee another 8 products:

• Chios’ mandarin
• Naxos’ potato
• Ilia’s raisins
• Sitia’s fermented milk
• Elassona’s lamb
• Halkidiki’s green olive oil
• and Taxiarhis’ dried figs