The Greek Non-Breakfast
Photograph from steve.wilde on Flickr
I'm headed to Greece tomorrow, and was curious what I'd be eating for breakfast over the course of ten mornings. A little research proved that Greeks don't really do breakfast given the late lunching (between 3 and 4 p.m.) and dinnering (after 9 p.m.). Coffee sweetened with honey and a cigarette seems pretty standard, and if food has to be involved, then maybe a piece of pita or bowl of yogurt. This photographer went for DIY pita sandwiches, one with honey, and the other with ham and cheese, when on the Greek isle of Rhodes. Anything else I should look forward to?
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16 Comments:
you can always rely on toast with jam or a drizzle of awesome Mediterranean olive oil. When in Greece, live like them and have a heartier dinner then. :) Have a great trip! Looking forward to your Greek post!
gargupie at 9:03AM on 06/29/09
Its true - breakfast tends to be a cup of coffee, and maybe a biscuit/cookie.
Honestly, going to Greece this time of year just revel in all the best fresh fruits and vegetables. Try to eat out alot and try different things. Restaurateurs in Greece love foreigners as they eat early and are out of the restaurant before the locals start dining - so at least two sittings in an evening. Be sure to also have some good Greek fast food like a Gyros or Souvlaki sandwich.
mrbill1234 at 9:27AM on 06/29/09
I'm half-Greek, so all I can say is be afraid, be very afraid! And despite what you hear about the Mediterranean diet from peppy food personalities, for heaven's sake, never ask for second portions!
HeartofGlass at 9:34AM on 06/29/09
My favorite breakfast in Greece was fresh yogurt drizzled with honey and walnuts -- very refreshing and delicious. Enjoy! Greece is just amazing.
gbania at 10:12AM on 06/29/09
Coffee. Dark, mysterious, and bitter.
shoneyjoe at 11:16AM on 06/29/09
I second the yoghurt and honey with nuts - the Greek yoghurt there is amazing. You'll be hooked the minute you try it. Delicious!
cickert at 11:23AM on 06/29/09
The yogurt with honey is indeed amazing. Not to miss.
In Athens there is no shortage of bakeries that will sell scrumptious ham and gruyere filled pastries and other pan-European like goodies.
Make sure to get at least one gyro. I won't have one in the states because it will ruin the perfect specimen of street food that Greece has shown me. Yum.
photovox at 11:46AM on 06/29/09
I am envious you are going to Greece tomorrow!
It is an unbelievable, magical and special place!
If you choose carefully to avoid the places that are geared strictly toward tourists, including Americans, you will love the food!
Try to find the places where greek people eat.
The tomatoes are spectacular! I think that what we consider tomatoes is a completely different species! They are incredibly juicy and flavorful!
The bread is incredible.
The seafood divine.
Try to eat at small local tavernas also, as they tend to have the freshest fish.
Try to take the recommendations of the tavernas and restaurants.
Enjoy it!!!
Hope you have a memorable time!
Lovesfood at 1:44PM on 06/29/09
I've been to Greece twice--Athens, Santorini and Ios. All the hotels had a breakfast, and yes it was touristy but no matter that Greek food is awesomeness, you will like having an American breakfast. One hotel in Santorini scrambled their eggs in olive oil, though, avoid that. Another put hard boiled eggs out in a bowl, no chilling of any kind, so maybe avoid eggs. Yogurt and jam or honey is great. If your hotel doesn't have a breakfast, buy a fresh loaf of bread and a jar of jam at a mini mart, they make the best bread!
One of the best meals my husband and I ever had, and we talked about this just last night, was this: a fresh loaf of bread (bought everywhere), kalamata olives, red pepper pate and tzaziki--all we got at a mini mart around the corner, and we ate it with a bottle of red wine on the balcony of our hotel overlooking Santorini and the volcano in the caldera. Amazing.
If you go to Santorini, get the tomato fritters (some restaurants call them "tomato balls") which you can't get anywhere else and we completely missed until our second trip. They are amazing! We also ordered a plate of tzaziki at every meal, with bread. Know that some restaurants bring you bread and whether you eat it or not, they charge you for it. It's not free bread like it is here, you know?
I envy you so much. Greece is beautiful, and we loved it so much we went back (can't say that about many places). I can't wait to hear what you've eaten!
tignor at 2:29PM on 06/29/09
If you're going to be in Athens, please go to Taverna Strofi, it's just under the Parthenon (well, you can see the Parthenon from nearly any part of Athens, awesomely).
For breakfast, we stuck to hotel breakfasts since it was included, and they always had the general stuff available - yogurts, honey, fruit, etc., and lots of breads, cheeses, and cured meats, but they had a breakfast bend to them - like croissants for bread, but less buttery/flaky than I'd say we have here.
Ahhh, Greece was a lot of delicious food. Can't wait to hear your thoughts when you get back!
http://feistyfoodie.blogspot.com/search/label/greece
feistyfoodie at 4:24PM on 06/29/09
lol. coffee and a cigarette for breakfast. that is basically what i saw everywhere in Athens. yogurt and honey and walnuts for sure. find a bakery and try my favorite - a wiener wrapped in pastry. and do make sure to get a frappe. yes, made with instant nescafe, but a classic.
jennywinker at 5:24PM on 06/29/09
Erin, I just got back from Greece last week, and you're right about the coffee and cigarettes. Some of the hotels we stayed at gave us breakfast, and we joked that our breakfast (even the sparse looking toast with jam and juice) was a bigger breakfast than over half the Greek population's. For one breakfast though, we splurged on some amazing Greek pastries and fresh squeezed OJ. Also, enjoy the fact that 90% of the restaurants you see there will be traditional Greek. No other ethnic cuisine from other countries. It boggles my mind when some travel guides (*coughfrommerscough*) will suggest Mexican, Italian, and Japanese restaurants. Wander the back streets for the local, non-touristy restaurants when you can and get seafood if you're by the ocean. Fresh caught fish is the best, but read the menu carefully - the restaurants are fairly nice about informing you if their seafood (mostly the cephalopods) are not fresh, but frozen. Enjoy some horiatiki and tzatziki for me, I miss it too much already!
uninorth at 10:19PM on 06/29/09
Oh, my. . .yes, @jennywinker, the frappe! It's really simple--instant strong coffee, sugar and ice shaken up, that you sip while you read the paper. Here's the recipe, but be warned--it doesn't taste as good here as it does over there!
http://greekfood.about.com/od/mezethesdrinks/ht/frappe.htm
betteirene at 1:59AM on 06/30/09
You're going to greece... you have EVERYTHING to look forward to. God, how I want to go back!
dirtygreek at 11:13AM on 06/30/09
I just got back from studying abroad in Athens. Greek yogurt with honey and nuts was most definitely one of my standbys, Greek almonds are delicious! But don't forget to hit up some of the bakeries. Tyropita, Spanakopita, and all manners of croissants make great breakfasts on the go. And so so yes @jennywinker. Frappe is amazing. We never figured out how they fit in so much caffeine.
amandejoie at 4:42PM on 06/30/09
When I lived in Thessaloniki, I was always surprised at the number of burly men waiting in line at my bakery with me who'd buy a "pita" pastry (often apple) and wash it down with a giant box of "Milko" chocolate milk. What I'd give for a Milko! I love your photos & commentary, thanks for bringing back fond memories!
hollywoodcerise at 6:04PM on 07/23/09