Like other ancient civilizations, the basic ancient Greek foods were cereals, legumes, oil, and wine. Many ancient Greeks lived in Magna Graecia (Megale Hellas), so the food of the Romans overlaps that of the Greeks. There were, of course, other influences on ancient Greek foods, especially from Asia. We know the Greeks had a wide variety of […]

Question: What Did the Ancient Greeks Eat? Answer:The foods of ancient Greece were similar to foods we eat today, but did not include many that have become important parts of modern Greek cooking. For example, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and bananas didn’t arrive in Greece until after the discovery of the Americas in the 15th century, because […]

There were many foods and beverages consumed in ancient Greece that we might not be anxious to try today, like cheese and garlic added to wine, but no more unusual than at least one of the foods that were considered to be aphrodisiacs. When we think of bulbs, the first thing that comes to mind […]

Bouquet Garni for Soups & Sauces There’s nothing quite as disconcerting as finding a whole allspice berry or piece of dried rosemary in a sauce or bowl of soup. A tip from Margarita Krasanaki. Cure Your Own Olives Greek olives are known the world over for their variety, flavors, and colors. Learn about the methods […]

Feta is a white cheese and is the most consumed cheese in Greece. It’s also the most widely exported Greek cheese. And feta cheese is exclusively Greek. In 2005, after sixteen years of hot debate, the European Union’s highest court decreed that “feta” is protected as a traditional Greek product, and that none of the […]

Kikeon is something between food and drink. The word “kikeon” (eoea?i) comes from the verb “kikan” (eoeUi), which means thickening by continuously stirring. The recipe that is given best resembles the ancient version of “Kikeon”  Greek : Αρχαίος χυλός Κικεών Serves / Yields : 4 persons INGREDIENTS 3/4 cup (120 gr) semolina 375 gr riccota cheese 2 spoons […]

Ancient Greek dinners often led to symposiums. A people who enjoy companionship, eating with others, followed by singing, dancing or conversation and who hate a lonely meal, could do lettle else but invent the symposium. It is the logical next step in a coherent view, an existential pholosophy: I eat, discuss, sing, dance, therefore I […]

It would be a serious omission to end this brief account of ancient Greek nutrition without making a passing mention of wine. Other than a daily beverage, wine in essence was regarded as food, and figured prominently at every meal, breakfast included.

The relatively large-scale consumption of legumes and cereals is another nutritional characteristic that markedly sets apart ancient Greeks from other European peoples. Legumes and cereals were the fare of the poor and constituted the dietary basis for the majority of Greeks who could not often afford expensive meat, both in ancient and more recent times. […]

It appears that in classical times Greeks ate two meals a day, although in the pre-classical period daily meals amounted to three. Breakfast was usually called “αριστον” [ariston] and in the Byzantine period the participle “αριστευσας” [aristefsas] signified not only the student who had earned a mark above “very good” but also someone who had […]