Help. We are seriously missing Greek food this year. I have recipe books and can manage dolmades, kleftiko and a couple of other things but, Greek Salad, it never tastes the same. Anyone got any special secrets, am I missing something. Yammas, Belinda
Message posted by Janw on 26 July 2006 at 10:31pm - IP Logged
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Lol as my husband would say you are probably missing garlic.
He has amazed me though,doesn't like Tzatziki but our friend showed him how to do it greek style and he makes it amazing.I am the one that eats it,as you may have gathered he doen't like garlic.
Message posted by Dorothea on 26 July 2006 at 11:56pm - IP Logged
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yes, I think it maybe that it tastes better in Greece. I bring back the herbs and spices etc, but garlic? there's a thought. It just tastes different when you are there, not that i'm pining you understand. Lol, Belinda
Message posted by Alisos on 27 July 2006 at 12:18am - IP Logged
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I've never had Greek Salad with garlic in it but everyone makes it their own special way.
The restaurants I used to work in all had a similar recipe. Cut the tomatoes into biggish chunks, peel the skin off the cucumber and cut down it lengthways. Then cut across it and slice off some big chunks. Fill the bowl nearly half and half tomato and cucmber, add some slices of red onion and green pepper. Either put a slice of feta cheese on top or crumble it over then add 4or 5(?) olives before sprinkling with oregano and adding olive oil.(There was a reason for it being that amount of olives but I can't remember why now)
Nearest I've come to it over here is by using big ripe beef tomatoes.
Message posted by alikee on 27 July 2006 at 12:44am - IP Logged
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Organic cucumber makes a huge difference too, believe me, our supermarket cuc's are just too soft and organic ones have that crunch that corfiot ones have!
Ali
Message posted by Hazel (Forum Editor) on 27 July 2006 at 1:15am - IP Logged
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It's all about the greek tomatoes lol they are the best, I think alison is right, the closest we'll get is using ripe beef tom's. Wow, would kill for a good greek salad now....mmmmmmmm !
Ais x
Message posted by epsilon3E on 27 July 2006 at 3:22am - IP Logged
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yep hazel and aisling answered your question belinda the secret is in the tomato. the majority of corfu taverns and restaurants use home grown products in there salads. you cannot compare grocery store brought tomatos to home grown ones here in the united states mass produced and chemical tampering to feed the needs of the masses have created a new breed of mainstream tomato we all come to know thats juiceless colorless and tasteless. now hungry from the beach, beautiful environment and quality corfu climate also add on to the experience of a mouth watering greek salad. next time you are in corfu and eating a tomato salad notice all that red juice in the olive oil that is what gives the taste and irresistable urge to dip a whole loaf of bread in there and absorb it all up. heres a picture of a few tomatos from my garden in corfu no need for salt at all once u split the tomato in half u see sugar clusters then is when you realise that its a fruit and not a vegetable!
Message posted by seaangler (Chat Room Administrator) on 27 July 2006 at 4:15am - IP Logged
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seaangler
.....You are makeing my mouth water just talking about it epsilon....Yes two years ago i brought one of the beef tomatoes back to England and kept the seeds...I did manage two grow some but still it did not taste the same as from corfu....The awnser lies in the soil me thinks....chris
Message posted by manasta on 27 July 2006 at 7:50am - IP Logged
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I think what makes the tomatoes so special is the amount of sunshine they receive whilst being grown in real soil. The sun light turns the starches in the tomatoes into sugars which gives the special full sweet flavour. Our northern climate can rarely replicate the intensity of sunlight available to the tomato plants grown in Corfu. In addition most of the tomatoes grown commercialy for consumption here in the UK have never had their roots in soil - they are grown in chemically "fed" water and rockwool.
I have no idea how commercially produced tomaotes in Greece would be grown.
But a tip for improving the flavour of even UK salad stuff generally, is not to eat it straight from the fridge. Take it out a couple of hours before you want it - chilling is death to flavour.
Lynn
Message posted by sooz on 27 July 2006 at 9:24am - IP Logged
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Definitely use beef tomatoes over here, but I find the salad tastes best if you sprinkle with oregano. Also make sure you use Kalamata olives for the authentic taste!
Sue
Message posted by Stuart on 27 July 2006 at 10:54am - IP Logged
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Just goes to show that everyone has their own recipes for Greek Salads.
The taverna I worked in never put vinegar or capers in the salads and they wouldn't buy Kalamata olives for them either. Their authentic taste came by using olives they had picked the year before off their own trees!
I should know - I was one of the idiots stuck halfway up a ladder plucking the darned things off the tree with a plastic comb contraption. It may sound like fun but it can be very wet and cold up there after a while!
Stuart
Message posted by seaangler (Chat Room Administrator) on 27 July 2006 at 3:41pm - IP Logged
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seaangler
That's very strange Stuart I thought woolly monkeys weer only native to Mexico...lol..chris
Message posted by Belinda on 27 July 2006 at 10:47pm - IP Logged
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Thank you all, I was well off the mark with my Greek salad. Epsilon, how could you, show me a photo of those lovely, luscious tomatoes. I'll have a go the weekend and get some capers. Yammas, Belinda
Message posted by george weymouth on 17 August 2006 at 5:04pm - IP Logged
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Tomatoes, cucumber, red onions, green pepper, olives, feta cheese, oregano and greek olive oil.
The difference on the taste there and here is that the products there, are more natural and fresh because of the weather, and the proper olive oil. Trust me in one thing. You cannot find proper greek olive oil less than £3.50. I know that very well because I import olive oil from Greece and I know the prices.
Here in Weymouth for example there is a 99p shop that has 5 packets of Melissa Greek Spaghetti for £1! Is this possible? :)
Message posted by Big Geoff on 17 August 2006 at 6:07pm - IP Logged
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Some very informative and interesting posts on this thread - thanks guys!
Just to add my own agreement with what has already been said. Its definitely the tomatoes that hold the key to a good salad, be it Greek or otherwise. There are hundreds of varieties of tomatoes available. I have grown my own this year. They were doing very well until the current colder spell which was sadly just as they were ripening! Even so, they are tastier than shop-bought ones. The variety of tomatoes grown in Greece must be different I guess, they seem less juicy but more solid and full of flavour. When we are in Corfu we regularly make Greek salad and they taste great. Back home, nice enough but just not the same.
Never heard of capers or vinegar in a Greek salad, but then again Manos is Greek and I'm not!
Right, I'm off to make a Greek salad now - bland tomatoes or not!!
Message posted by apollonia on 18 August 2006 at 2:38am - IP Logged
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When I make greek salad, I always use cherry tomatoes, they may be a little more expensive but their taste rewards you! Furthermore, They are more juicy
In general, everything is cut into small pieces in greek salad, this way the incredients mingle better.
Last but not least, dont buy oregano from supermarkets. Collect oregano from mountains in Greece and stick to it, since it doesnt have an expiration date.. The smell is wonderful, the taste of course, also
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