Traditional Greek Village Salad

When planning your visit to Greece, it's essential to familiarize yourself with the local cuisine to make sure you're fully prepared for the culinary experiences. While many tourists anticipate savoring classics like spinach pie, lamb gyros, and Greek salads, there are some intriguing twists to these dishes that might surprise you.

While you'll undoubtedly encounter an array of delightful flavors, it's worth noting that gyros in Greece are typically made from pork, the coveted spinach pie (spanakopita) often takes a backseat to its cheese-filled (tiropita) or "greens" filled (hortopita) counterparts, and the traditional Greek salad is quite different.

In the United States, the term "salad" typically means leafy greens. When you order a Greek Salad in America, it's common to expect a bed of lettuce with all the customary Greek accompaniments like beet, pepperoncini and chicken. However, an authentic Greek salad, known as Horiatiki, contains none of that. There are never leafy greens. Why you ask? The reason behind it is simple—lettuce isn't a staple in the Greek diet since it's a cool weather crop. With the scorching climate of Crete, lettuce cultivation isn't easy.

A real traditional Greek salad, the Horiatiki, consists solely of tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, sliced red onions, Kalamata olives, and, of course, feta cheese. The dressing is a blend of dried oregano, salt, and a generous drizzle of high-quality extra virgin olive oil. This is the essence of the Greek salad, and it's utterly delicious in its simplicity.

During my visits to Greece, I've found myself enjoying this delectable salad on an almost daily basis. The freshness of the vegetables in Greece is unparalleled, and despite my attempts to replicate the taste at home, it's never quite the same. Perhaps those of you residing in sunnier climates will have better luck in your endeavors. Should you wish to give it a shot, I've included the recipe below.

Embrace the flavors and enjoy every bite, or as they say in Greek, "καλή όρεξη" (kali orexi)!

TRADITIONAL RECIPE:

• 3 tomatoes, cut into wedges

• 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced into thick half-moons

• 1 medium red onion, sliced into rings

• 1 green pepper, sliced into rings

• 16 kalamata olives

• About 7 ounces of feta cheese in a block

• 1/4 of a cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• Sprinkle of salt