What do the Greeks eat in Summer?

1. What do the Greeks eat in Summer? Keep reading and you will find out…

2. Summer… • Crete attracts thousands of tourists every summer because of the wonderful beaches, the sunshine, the music and the vivid and pleasant people as well. … However, there are much more things that bring visitors here. The summer food habits of Cretan people are very interesting and delicious .

3. The weather is warm, the sun shines and the gardens are full of miracles. Fresh and juicy vegetables, like tomatoes, cucumbers, wild spinaches, aubergines, and fruits such as peaches, melons, watermelons, figs are the main ingredients of Cretan cuisine.

4. Religious celebrations are also a main factor that determines the food habits in Crete, in the hot months of summer. Most of them take place during the celebration of the Virgin Mary's Assumption, on the 15th of August.

5. From the first day of August and for 14 days Christians follow severe fasting and they don't eat any meat, fish, oil, e.t.c. The 15th of August is a closing day, which people honor with family gatherings. There they eat roasted lamb with potatoes. There is also an exception concerning the fasting, on the 6th of August, which is the Jesus' celebration, and people consume fish.

6. Another important summer celebration is that of Saint Ioannis, which is also accompanied with fasting. The older people believe that if someone doesn't fast will be punished. However such beliefs consist prejudices from the past. • Despite of the religious celebrations, Cretan people prefer eating light and delicious food with oil during summer days. An ordinary and favourite dish is “gemista“, vegetables filled with rice and various spices. Gemista is often accompanied with “dolmades”, which are vineyard's leaves with the same filling.

7. A very simple and delicious meal that we can enjoy in summer evenings is “dakos”. It is prepared with tomato, rusk, skim-milk cheese and oregano. • And of course every meal goes with cretan wine!!

8. Gemista (recipe) • 6 tomatoes (for being filled) • 6 green peppers (for being filled) • 3 red peppers (for being filled) • 3 aubergines (for being filled) • 3 courgettes (for filling) • 3 green peppers (for filling) • 3 red peppers (for filling) • 3 onions (for filling) • 1/2 bunch of parsley (for filling) • mint (for filling) • salt, pepper • olive oil • 2 1/2 cups with rice • 1 ½ kilo of potatoes

9. Instructions • Prepare the vegetables to be stuffed and reserve their pulp. • Place the rice in a bowl. • Add the onions, the fresh herbs, the shredded tomato or aubergine or courgette pulp and any reserved juices or pulp, half the olive oil. • Season with salt and pepper and mix well. • Place the prepared vegetables in a deep baking dish, tightly packed. • Fill each vegetable with the prepared stuffing, but only three-quarters full, leaving room for the uncooked rice to expand. • Cover with the reserved sliced round tops. • Pour the rest of the olive oil on top of each vegetable. • Pour into the bottom of the dish the grated fresh tomatoes, mixed with the water, season with salt and pepper all over and bake in a pre-heated oven, gas no. 5 (375 grades F/190 grades C), for 1.5 hours. • Baste the vegetables at least twice, in order to keep them moist on the top.

10. Grilled octapus (Htapodaki sta Karvouna) Ingredients: • 4 1/2 pounds of octopus, fresh or frozen (defrosted) • olive oil to coat For the sauce: • 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil • juice of 2 lemons or vinegar (about 4 tablespoons) To garnish: • crushed Greek oregano (rigani)

11. Instructions: • Place the whole octopus (cleaned) in a pot with enough boiling water to to cover generously. When it resumes boiling, cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and drain. When cool enough to handle, rub the octopus with your hands under running water to remove the dark outer membrane. This comes off fairly easily, and if it doesn't all come off, that's all right. • Place the octopus in the pressure cooker with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, seal, and when pressure is reached, lower the heat and cook for 10 minutes. Use quick pressure release, remove the octopus and drain. • When the octopus is cool enough to handle, cut off the tentacles, and cut the head sac into 1/2 inch strips. Brush with olive oil (or brush the grill) and grill over low coals for about 45 minutes to 1 hour (test for tenderness). • Just before serving, cut tentacles into 3/4 to 1 inch pieces (on a diagonal), and make the sauce: whip the oil and lemon juice or vinegar in the blender until it thickens (a few seconds). Pour over the octopus, sprinkle with oregano, and serve. • Another taste: Serve grilled octopus with slices of lime.

12. Htapodaki sta karvouna (grilled Octapus)

13. Feasts • 29th of August • We celebrate the feast of Saint John • Everybody eats fava • The History of the Fava Bean & Recipe is as old as the hills. Fava could be found in public taverns since time began, it finally made a triumphant entrance to the living rooms of the 'well to do'. Such is the mystery of the delectable fava, that tracing its origin has become an impossible task. • From Bean to Lentil:The only thing we know for sure is that its name originated from the word "favus" which is the Latin word for the broad bean. It is known that the fava dish was originally made with the broad bean. And that much later on, the broad bean was replaced with an easier version, the yellow shelled lentil. • Particularly tasty, (and hard to find as well as expensive) is the fava of Santorini, used by the locals as Italians use pasta. We are talking about a basic food which is served is various different ways, depending on the time of year. • Summer fava is made with red sauce capers and is named 'married'. Winter fava is sauted with fried 'kabourma' (smoked pork).

14. Fava • Ingredients • 1 cup of fava to 2 - 2 1/2 cups water approximately • 1 1/2 small onion • extra olive oil • 1/2 a lemon • salt

15. Instructions: • wash the fava lentils well • set to boil in a large non-stick cooking pot, (mediumheat) adding enough water to create a thick paste. • keep checking in case the fava has dried out half way though cooking time add a roughly chopped • small onion & 2 tablespoons of olive oil (optional) • salt to taste • when the fava is cooked, remove from fire & allow to cool • blend or mash the mixture well scoop the amount you want into a serving dish • place the remainder of the mix in the fridge to use later • SERVE with an extra lashing of olive oil, half a squeezed fresh lemon & 1/2 a roughly chopped onion to dress • Fava dip can be served warm or cold

16. Tomato & Feta Salad • For 4 servings you need: • 4 medium organic tomatoes • 1 cup feta crumbled • some fresh oregano • freshly grounded pepper • some extra virgin olive oil

17. Instructions • In a bowl, place the tomatoes cut into bite sizes. • Add the feta and sprinkle some pepper and oregano. • Sprinkle some olive oil on top. • To get the best taste from the fresh oregano, put the leaves under some hot water before chopping them (it releases the oils).

18. Classic Cous Cous Salad INGREDIENTS • 4 fl oz (125ml) olive oil • 8 fl oz (250ml) luke warm/tepid water • 1 teaspoon honey • 1 and half teaspoons of dry yeast ,1 lb (450g) whole meal flour • 1 teaspoon of sea salt ,2 onions finely chopped • 10 pitted olives ,1 tablespoon rosemary

19. INSTRUCTIONS • 1) Place water in a bowl and add honey, stir until • dissolved • 2) Add the yeast, set aside for 10/15 minutes until foamy • 3) Add in 3 tablespoons of olive oil, mix and add salt • 4) Sift half of the flour into a bowl • 5) Make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture,sift in remaining flour or enough to make a firm dough • 6) Turn out onto lightly floured board, knead for 10 min. • 7) Knead into a firm dough • 8) Set aside to rise for 2-3 hours, until double in size • 9) Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a pan, heat • 10) Add the onions and fry over low heat until golden, set aside

20. 11) Add the olives to boiling water and blanch for a few • seconds • 12) Drain olives and pat dry with paper towel, finely chop • 13) Add olives and rosemary to onions, and toss together • 14) Add to dough and knead for 1/2 min. make into a rounded mound • 15) Grease a baking tray with olive oil, flatten dough on the tray • 16) Cover lightly with a towel and set aside for 1 hour • 17) Preheat oven to (190°C), (375°F),(Gas Mark 5) • 18) Bake for 10 minutes, reduce oven to (180°C), (375°F), (Gas Mark 4) • 19) Coat with olive oil and bake for 30 minutes until golden

21. Thanks for watching… Made by: Tania Ginevraki Klio Voutsadaki Debbie Kontoroucha