Anyone who has ever tasted Greek cuisine, combined with the sea breeze, sirtaki and ice-cold ouzo, will forever remember the typical taste that literally makes you want to "lick your fingers".
But the taste of the food in Hellas would not be the same without some super-characteristic spices for Greece.
Here they are.
Oregano
This uniquely aromatic spice can be found everywhere in shops, markets, taverns, on the table at home, in the garden and in beautiful bunches in pots and pots on terraces. Fresh or dried, oregano adds a specific taste to Greek dishes, enhancing and revealing to the maximum the harmonious taste of the products in the dish. Although the spice is characteristic for Greek salads, pizzas, stews, meats, marinades, in fact Greeks add it almost everywhere. Therefore, you may find oregano as a rather atypical addition to French fries, for example. And the taste will pleasantly surprise you.
Rosemary
This strong and extremely special aroma is very often present in Greek dishes. Lamb, potatoes, delicious breads, wonderfully flavored olives and appetizing stews are the most common dishes that are prepared with rosemary in Greece.
Basil
The countless types of basil that grow and are used as a spice in Greece are widely used in the local cuisine. The fresh leaves add an unique taste to any salad, and even just a few green pieces of them change the taste completely. Because of the warm climate for most of the year and even all year round, access to fresh basil is extremely easy, so the favorite Greek spice is used more in this version than dried.
Dill
It is especially honored in Greek cuisine, where it is used not only as a spice, but also as a medicinal herb. It is believed to bring health, strength and longevity to whoever consumes it. So the abundance of dill in some of the dishes can only please you. It is most often added to Greek soups, appetizers, salads, sauces, fish, to flavor shrimp, mussels, seafood, etc.
Bay leaf
In Greece it has a much wider application and is honored. It is used in many dishes, including meat stews, potatoes - prepared in a variety of ways, Greek-style fish, marinades, vegan stews, etc.
And for something delicious for dessert, check out our suggestions for Greek cakes and Greek pastries, and why not our all-time favorite Greek buhti.
