Food Guide

Avgolemano - A Greek soup as well as a sauce, both of which are made from chicken broth, egg yolks and lemon juice. The main difference is that the soup has rice added to it. The sauce is thicker than the soup.

Baklava - Popular in Greece and Turkey, this sweet dessert consists of many layers of butter-drenched phyllo pastry and topped with spices. The Greek word phyllo means "leaf." Culinarily, phyllo it refers to tissue-thin layers of pastry dough used in various Greek and Near Eastern sweet and savory preparations, the best known being baklava and spanakopita. A spiced honey-lemon syrup is poured over the warm pastry after it's baked and allowed to soak into the layers. Before serving, the dessert is cut into triangles and sometimes sprinkled with coarsely ground nuts.

Calamari - As a ten-armed member of the the mollusk family, squid is related to both the octopus and the cuttlefish. Squid meat has a firm, chewy texture and mild, somewhat sweet flavor. Also called calamari, squid can range in size from 1 inch to the seldom seen 80-foot behemoth of the deep. Squid can be panfried, baked, boiled, stir-fried or coated with batter and deep-fried. The ink can be extracted from the ink sacs and used to color preparations like pasta or to flavor dishes such as calamares en su tinta ("squid in their ink"), a popular Spanish dish.

Dolmades - From the Arabic word for "something stuffed," these are vegetables or fruits stuffed with a savory, well-seasoned filling. Among the most popular dolmades are grape leaves stuffed with a filling of ground lamb, rice, onion, currants, pine nuts and various seasoning. Other foods used as casings include squash, eggplant, sweet peppers, cabbage leaves, quinces and apples. Dolmades are usually braised or baked. They may be eaten hot, cold or at room temperature, and served as an appetizer or entree.

Eclair - A small, oblong, cream-filled pastry made with cream-puff pastry dough. Unlike cream puffs, eclairs are usually topped with a sweet icing.

Figs - Originally hailing from southern Europe, Asia and Africa, figs were thought to be sacred by the ancients; they were also an early symbol of peace and prosperity. There are hundreds of varieties of figs, all having in common a soft flesh with a plenitude of tiny edible seeds. They range in color from purple-black to almost white and in shape from round to oval. Although considered a fruit, the fig is actually a flower that is inverted into itself. The city of Attica is famous for its figs…so much so that Solon, the ruler of Attica, actually made it illegal to export figs out of Greece, reserving them solely for his citizens. Every inhabitant of Athens, including Plato, is considered a “philosykos”, literally translated, “a friend of the fig.” And Mithridates, the Greek King of Pontus, heralds figs as an antidote for all ailments, instructs his physicians to use them medicinally, and orders his citizens to consume figs daily. As a token of honor figs were used as a training food by the early Olympic athletes, and figs were also presented as laurels to the winners as the first Olympic games.

Gyro - A Greek specialty consisting of minced lamb that is molded around a spit and vertically roasted. The meat is usually sliced, enfolded in a pita and topped with grilled onions, sweet peppers and a cucumber-yogurt sauce.

Kabob - Small chunks of meat, fish or shellfish that are usually marinated before being threaded on a skewer and grilled over coals. Pieces of vegetables can also accompany the meat on the skewer. Also called shish kebab and shashlik.

Keftedes - These are fried Greek meatballs. Usually made of veal, lamb, beef, or a combination of the three along with onion, garlic, bread, mint, parsley and red wine. The keftedes are about the size of a shelled walnut and are rolled in flour then fried.

Loukoumades - These are basically Greek donuts. The dough is rolled into small bite sized balls and fried like your typical donut, but then when they are served they are dipped into boiling honey and sprinkled with sesame seeds or nuts. These are typically fair food and are eaten with a toothpick.

Mousaka - Originally from Greece, mousaka is a popular dish throughout most of the Near East. Its basic form consists of sliced eggplant and ground lamb or beef that are layered, then baked. The variations, however, are endless and the dish is often covered with a basic French white sauce made by stirring milk into a butter-flour. Other variations include the addition of onions, artichokes, tomatoes or potatoes.

Pastitsio - Pastitsio is a layered meat and pasta dish generally made with ziti and then topped with a white bechamel sauce and baked. The casserole begins with a layer of pasta, then a layer of meat then another layer of pasta topped with the sauce. The meat is spiced with heavily with cinnamon and nutmeg to give this dish its signature taste.

Pesto - An uncooked sauce made with fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, parmesan cheese, and olive oil. The ingredients are crushed together with a mortar and pestle . This classic, fresh-tasting sauce originated in Genoa, Italy, and although used on a variety of dishes, it is a favorite with pasta. Now there are also "pestos" made from myriad other ingredients ranging from cilantro to mint.

Pilaf - This is a rice based dish which originated in the East and always begins by first browning the rice in butter or oil before cooking it in stock. Pilafs can be variously seasoned and usually contain other ingredients such as chopped, cooked vegetables, meats, seafood or poultry. In India they're highly spiced with curry. Pilaf can be served as a side dish or main dish.

Pomegranate - Nature's most labor-intensive fruit , it is about the size of a large orange and has a thin, leathery skin that can range in color from red to pink-blushed yellow. Inside are hundreds of seeds packed in compartments that are separated by bitter, cream-colored membranes. Each tiny, edible seed is surrounded by a translucent, brilliant-red pulp that has a sparkling sweet-tart flavor. To eat, cut the pomegranate in half and pry out the pulp-encased seeds, removing any of the light-colored membrane that may adhere. Pomegranates can be eaten as fruit, used as a garnish on sweet and savory dishes or pressed to extract the juice. The pomegranate has been grown since ancient times for its delicious fruit and its handsome orange or, occasionally, creamy yellow flowers. Pliny mentioned it calling it "Malum punicum", or "apple of Carthage", because it was widely grown in North Africa. The plant has traditionally been considered a symbol of beauty and fertility. Persephone, daughter of Demeter, the Goddess of growth and abundance, was forced to spend four months of each year in the underworld, because she had eaten four seeds of the pomegranate, when she was held captive by Hades.

Prawn - There is a great deal of confusion about this term because it's used to describe several different shellfish. The first definition refers to a species that's part of the lobster family and includes most crustaceans. These "prawns" are 6 to 8 inches in length and have pale-red bodies deepening to dark-red tails. A second definition applies to the freshwater prawn often confused with shrimp. In truth, these prawns migrate (much like salmon) from salt water to fresh water to spawn. They look like a cross between a shrimp and a lobster, with their bodies having narrower abdomens and longer legs than shrimp.

Scone - This Scottish quick bread is said to have taken its name from the Stone of Destiny (or Scone), the place where Scottish kings were once crowned. The original triangular-shaped scone was made with oats and griddle-baked. They come in various shapes including triangles, rounds, squares and diamonds. Scones can be savory or sweet and are usually eaten for breakfast or tea.

Smelt - The smelt is anadromous, meaning that it migrates from its North American saltwater habitat to spawn in fresh water. It's a small fish with a translucent silver-green back shading into shimmering silver sides and belly. Its delicate flesh is rich, oily and mild-flavored. There are many varieties of this fish, the most widely distributed being the rainbow smelt, found along the Atlantic coast. Two popular Pacific Coast varieties are whitebait and eulachon. The latter is also called candlefish, a nickname that came about because Indians would dry these high-fat fish, run a wick through the flesh and use them for candles.

Souvlaki - This Greek specialty consists of lamb chunks that have been marinated in a mixture of oil, lemon juice, oregano and seasoning before being skewered and grilled. Some souvlaki skewers also include chunks of vegetables such as green pepper or onion.


Egyptian Edibles

Bamia - Bamia is ochra.

Basboosa - Basboosa is Egypt's answer to the Greek baklava. Popular in Greece and Egypt, this sweet dessert consists of many layers of butter-drenched phyllo pastry and topped with spices. Culinarily, phyllo it refers to tissue-thin layers of pastry dough used in various Greek and Near Eastern sweet and savory preparations, the best known being baklava and spanakopita. A spiced honey-lemon syrup is poured over the warm pastry after it's baked and allowed to soak into the layers. Before serving, the dessert is cut into triangles and sometimes sprinkled with coarsely ground nuts.

Bataatis - Potatoes.

Falaafil - These are patties formed from soaked ful beans then garnished with tomato and lettuce, aysh (bread) and tihina sauce (kinda like salsa).

Fateer - Fateer are large round phyllo pastries stuffed with a variety of things such as cheese, ground meat, pigeon, clotted cream, coconut, raisins, or mixed nuts.

Fool - A very popular dish in Egypt, these are simply buttered beans.

Gambari, Tibaan and Gandofli - In order these are shrimp, eel, and scallops.

Gatoux - A fluffy, french-style pastry.

Hummos - A protein-rich appetizer dip made from chickpeas, yogurt, garlic, and lemon.

Konafa (Kanafa) - A dish of batter "strings" fried on a hot grill and stuffed with nuts, meats, or sweets. Very much like Funnel Cakes that you can buy at carnivals and the like.

Koshan - Koshan is a very popular meal in Egypt, it's a mix of pasta, rise and lentil topped with fried onions and garlic sauce.

Laban zabadi - Yogurt that is fresh and unflavored, usually sweetened if with honey, jams, preserves, or mint.

Mahshee - Vegetables stuffed with mixtures of spiced rice and meat, very simalar to the Greek dolmades. Among the most popular are grape leaves stuffed with a filling of ground lamb, rice, onion, currants, pine nuts and various seasoning. Other foods used as casings include squash, eggplant, sweet peppers, cabbage leaves, quinces and apples.

Mashwi (firaakh) - Mashwi is chicken, firaakh means grilled.

Mohamas and Goz - Mohamas are dried seeds that are a very popular snack food in Egypt. Goz is mixed nuts.

Molokhiyya (Molokhia) - A leafy green summer vegetable native to Egypt, very simalar to spinach and is often used in soups or stews.

Samak - Fish.

Shawirma - Egypt's answer to the Greek gyro. A Greek specialty consisting of minced lamb that is molded around a spit and vertically roasted. The meat is usually sliced, enfolded in a pita and topped with grilled onions, sweet peppers and a cucumber-yogurt sauce.

Torly - A mixed-vegetable casserole or stew, is usually made with lamb, or occasionally with beef, onions, potatoes, beans, and peas.

Turshi - Turshi is a souplike stew usually cooked in brine with lots of vegetables. It's supposed to go great with beer and is usually sold in bars as an appetizer.

Taamiya with koftas - Koftas are Egypt's answer to the Greek keftedes. Fried meatballs that are usually made of veal, lamb, beef, or a combination of the three along with onion, garlic, bread, mint, parsley and red wine. The koftas are about the size of a shelled walnut and are rolled in flour then fried. Taamiya is what us folks in Greece would call falafel, so if you see a guy named Taamiya with a cart selling food, run!

Wara' enab - Egypt's answer to the Greek dolmades. These are stuffed grapeleaves.

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