The hot summer days in Greece do not allow heavy eating. In fact the less the better since digestion and scorching heat are not a good match. While for some a cold coffee or milk chocolate is enough as a start up 'breakfast', others marry them with cheese pie (tyropita) or other Greek pies. Around 10am the mercury rises to 30 degrees Celsius and the last thing on one's mind is food. Consumption of water and other beverages is preferred and recommended throughout the day. A dive to the cool waters of a nearby beach is the best weapon against the blazing sun. Nevertheless, all the 'splishing' and 'splashing' somehow helps our appetite.
At lunchtime the mercury has already risen to 38 -and sometimes 40 degrees Celsius- which means only one thing; being next to a hot stove is the last thing on ones mind. A Greek salad or Green salad (marouli) and feta cheese are good and light lunch options. One of the favorites is fresh fish like nnular seabream (sparos) or Gilthead seabream (tsipoura). The first one can be fried in sun-flour oil and the second one is excellent baked in the oven. Here below is a gilthead seabream my dad caught on one of his fishing trips_
Of course many people like grilled food. The best options are homemade sausages with leaks from the village and pork fillets (psaronefri). If one bothers enough to heat up a grill one should not forget to grill green or red peppers and other veggies like aubergines and courgettes. Grilled food is healthier. In addition, vegetarian options like lady fingers (mpamies), fasolakia and stuffed green peppers are excellent options for a hot summer's day. Last but not least, side dishes such as boujiourdi, strapatsada and tzatziki paired with lovely Greek bread will do the trick as well.
All in all, I was happy to eat more vegetarian food, fish and occasionally some grilled meat like the fillets we grilled a few days before I left Greece.
If you visit Greece don't hesitate to ask for some of those dishes.
Enjoy!
