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Greek Macedonian cuisine

For the cuisine of the North Macedonia, see Macedonian cuisine.

Macedonian cuisine (Greek: Μακεδονική κουζίνα) is the cuisine of the region of Macedonia in northern Greece. Contemporary Greek Macedonian cooking shares much with general Greek and wider Balkan and Mediterranean cuisine, including dishes from the Ottoman past. Specific influences include dishes of the Pontic, Aromanian, Slavic, Armenian and Sephardi Jewish population.[1] The mix of the different people inhabiting the region gave the name to the Macedonian salad.[2]

History

Ancient and Byzantine periods

Buffalos breeding in Lake Kerkini

The letters of Lynceus of Samos include reference to a Macedonian dish organized by Lamia of Athens for her lover Demetrius I Poliorcetes. Constants on menus across the centuries have been seafood and meats. At the wedding feast by Caranus referred to in Hippolochus's letter, around the 4th or 3rd century BC, grilled fish, eggs, oysters, orioles and a host of roasted delicacies were served.

Ottoman and Modern periods

A continuation from ancient days are dishes such as lamb cooked with quince or various vegetables and fruits, goat boiled or fried in olive oil: modern recipes from Kavala to Kastoria and Kozani offer lamb with quince, pork with celery or leeks.

The arrival of Greek refugees from Asia Minor and Constantinople in the early 20th century brought also Anatolian and Constantinopolitan elements in the cuisine of the region.

Some current specialties are trahanas with crackling, phyllo-based pies (cheese, leek, spinach) and meat plates (such as pork, wild boar and bubalus).

Favourites are tyrokafteri (Macedonian spicy cheese spread) and soupies krasates (cuttlefishes in wine). Unlike Athens, the traditional pita bread for the popular souvlaki usually is not grilled but fried. (Information included from 'Greek Gastronomy', GNTO, 2004)

Various products are produced from the buffalo meat. There is breeding especially around Lake Kerkini.

Appetizers/local products

A plate with tirokafteri
Manouri
Florina peppers

Specialties

Pork with celery
Tiganiá
Two kinds of trahanas
  • Arni me kydonia, lamb meat with quinces
  • Arni me spanachi, lamb with spinach (Kavala)
  • Chirino me selino, pork meat with celery
  • Mangia (Μάντζα), vegetables
  • Manitarosoupa, mushrooms soup
  • Melintzanofai
  • Misoúra, meat
  • Mussels with saffron
  • Soupies krasates, cuttlefishes in wine
  • Souvla and Souvlaki
  • Tiganiá, fried pork
  • Trahanas soup
  • Agriogourouno, wild boar meat
  • Yaprákia, Christmas food in the region of Kozani, meat and rice in pickled cabbage-leaf
  • Various dishes with buffalo meat
  • Various fish plates, especially Pestrofa and Grivadi, fished in the lakes of the region
  • Various types of Loukaniko, sausages

Desserts

Sliced bougatsa served on a plate

Drinks

Retsina
A vineyard in Naoussa, central Macedonia
Frappé coffee

See also

References

  1. ^ Υποψηφιότητα μακεδονικής κουζίνας για τους καταλόγους της unesco
  2. ^ Dimitar Bechev, Historical Dictionary of North Macedonia, Historical Dictionaries of Europe, Edition 2, Rowman & Littlefield, 2019, ISBN 1538119625, Introduction, p. 1.

Sources

Grigoriadou, Efi (2004). Edesmatologion Makedonias (Recipes from Macedonia). Kohlias publications. ISBN 960-437-007-3.

External links