The Macedonian cuisine () is the cuisine of the region of Macedonia in Greece. Contemporary Greek Macedonian cooking shares much with general Greek, wider Balkan and Mediterranean cuisine, including dishes from the Ottoman past. Specific influences include dishes of the Asia Minor Greek, Aromanian and Megleno-Romanian, Pontic Greek, Slavic, Armenian and Sephardi Jewish population. The mix of the different people inhabiting the region gave the name to the Macedonian salad.
History A continuation from the ancient period 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. Thessaloniki has been city to a Sephardic Jewish community since the late 15th century, following its expulsion from Spain in 1492, brought with it the culinary tradition of Sephardic Jewish cuisine that blended Spanish, North African, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean influences. The monastic community of Mount Athos has its distinctive traditional cuisine uses bread, olive oil, wine, olives and vegetables. The Mount Athos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the oldest vineyard and viticulture of Greece for more than a thousand years. Thessaloniki is a UNESCΟ City of Gastronomy, has become Greece’s first city to join the UNESCO Creative Cities Network for Gastronomy.
Some current specialties are trahanas with crackling, filo-based pies (cheese, leek, spinach) and meat plates (such as pork, wild boar and buffalo). Others are tyrokafteri (Macedonian spicy cheese spread) and (cuttlefishes in wine).
Unlike Athens, the traditional pita bread for the popular souvlaki usually is not grilled, but rather fried (information included from , Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO), 2004). Various products are produced from the buffalo meat. There is breeding especially around Lake Kerkini.
List of the Greece’s PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) certified and PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) certified products and specifications are approved by the Ministry of Rural Development and Food. Greece for its Mediterranean diet has been added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.
Local products
Selected local products are: Honey, Pligouri, Kavourmas Pastourmas Kiwi of Pieria, Apple of Kastoria Peach of Naoussa, Krokos Kozanis (saffron) Potato of Kato Nevrokopi Crispy cherries of Rodochori, Olive oil of Thasos Green olives of Chalkidiki, Throumba olives of Thasos, Agourelaio olive oil of Chalkidiki, Beans Gigantes-Elefantes of Prespa Beans Gigantes-Elefantes of Kastoria Beans Plake Megalosperma of Prespa Beans Gigantes-Elefantes of Kato Nevrokopi Beans Kina Messosperma of Kato Nevrokopi Lagana, bread Paximathia, rusks Ifkadia, the Thracian version of the pappardelle pasta Couscous, with the well known the handmade couscous of Kalampaki. Koulouri Thessalonikis, sesame bread ring (a type of simit). Pinakoti, bread from Mount Athos in Chalkidiki. Mussels, of Makrygialos, Pieria. Mushrooms, of Grevena region. Petroto, cheese of Chalkidiki , cheese of Grevena and Kozani Kefalograviera, cheese of Florina, Grevena, Kastoria, Kozani Mpatzos, cheese of Chalkidiki, Florina, Grevena, Imathia, Kastoria, Kilkis, Kozani, Pella, Thessaloniki Manouri, cheese of Chalkidiki, Florina, Grevena, Imathia, Kastoria, Kilkis, Kozani, Pella, Pieria, Thessaloniki Feta, cheese of Chalkidiki, Florina, Grevena, Imathia, Kastoria, Kilkis, Kozani, Pella, Pieria, Serres, Thessaloniki Kasseri, cheese of Chalkidiki, Florina, Grevena, Imathia, Kastoria, Kilkis, Kozani, Pella, Pieria, Serres, Thessaloniki
Appetizers
Selected appetizers: Ajvar, spicy dip from Florina Atzem pilaf, from Vertiskos Bouyiourdi, Eggs Vlachika, Tomatoes with eggs, Baked feta with honey, Feta topped with olive oil and oregano, Foustoroun with Kavourmas, type of omelette Gkaikanas, type of omelette from Naoussa Fried Bahovite peppers (Aridaia peppers), from Pella Gavopsara Naoussa, eggplants roasted in salt water with mustard from Imathia Itsli Kefte, Icli Kofte (Kibbeh), Itsli Meatball. Kichí of Kozani, a type of cheese pie (tyropita). Kolokythopita (zucchini pie) Kolobarina, Kolokythopita without filo from Chalkidiki Loukaniko (sausage), Manitaropita, mushrooms pie Melintzanosalata Mpoumpari, Patatokeftedes, patato fritters Perek pie, feta cheese pie from Pontic Greek cuisine Pickled Macedonian green peppers, short green peppers in brine also known as piperakia Red peppers of Florina, it can be roasted, sliced and served by adding olive oil and garlic Red pumpkin with mpatzos. Saganaki, fried kefalograviera cheese Siron with paskitan and garlic, from Pontic Greek cuisine Skordalia, Spanakopita Tabbouleh salad, Tahini Tanomenos sorvas, yogurt type of soup from Pontic Greek cuisine Taramosalata Tirokafteri, spicy cheese spread or dip made of whipped feta cheese with hot peppers and olive oil Tomato Triantafyllo, one tomato stuffed of chopped onion, olive oil, oregano, parsley, olives Tirokroketes Tiropita
Specialties
Selected main courses: Arni me kydonia, lamb meat with quinces Arni me spanachi, lamb with spinach from Kavala Arni Κapamas, lamb with kapamas cooking technique Agriogourouno, wild boar meat. Beef stew, from Chalkidiki Bourani or Borani, from Pieria Buffalo in the gastra, from Serres Beef cheeks with pappardelle, from Imathia Bakaliaros, cod fish, the most well-known recipe is the fried bakaliaros mainly served with skordalia dip and fried potatoes. There is also Bakaliaros plaki. Bakaliaros with wild greens, Couscous, with beans and vegetables, from Thessaloniki Tarhana with sausage and hapsopilavon (pontian pilaf with gavros fish), from Kilkis Hirino me selino, pork meat with celery Dolmades, also known as Dolmadakia or Sarmadakia, stuffed grape leaves Dolmades yalanci, stuffed grape leaves without minced meat Euriste, recipe with chylopítes (type of pasta) from Pontic Greek cuisine Fasolakia, green beans that are simmered in olive oil with other vegetable ingredients, belongs to ladera which translating to "oily", vegetable dishes cooked in olive oil. Fasoulotavas, recipe with baked giant dried beans called gigantes, a version is gigantes plaki Fasolada, Gemista, stuffed peppers or stuffed tomatoes. Grivadi (kyprinos) with spinach, İmam bayıldı, Lamb with wild greens, from Chalkidiki Leeks and rice with sour plums, Lentils with bulgur, Lamb with chickpeas, from Pieria Louvidia with plivrimes, Greek Green Beans (Fasolakia) with pork pancetta Mantza, vegetables Manti, from Pella Makálo, meatballs with garlic sauce from Kastoria. Makaronia with eggplant sauce, Makedonian Tsomplek, Manitarosoupa, mushrooms soup Melintzanofa, Misoúra, meat plate. Moussaka, Mussels with saffron, Ospriada Makedoniki, a mix of legumes Patsas, hot soup. Petoura (petila), a type of hilopites Sardines with cabbage from Pieria, Spanakorizo, Pontic Magiritsa, Siron with paskitan and garlic, from Kilkis Soupies krasates, cuttlefishes in wine Souvla, Souvlaki, and Kontosouvli, Tas kebab, Thracian Karvavitsa, from Pieria Tigania, fried pork. Trahanas, may be soup. Tsigerosarmades, Trahanas with sausage and hapsopilavon (pontian pilaf with gavros fish), from Kilkis Tourlou, also known as Briam, belongs to ladera dishes, made from eggplants, zucchini, onions, potatoes, tomatoes Yaprákia, Christmas food in the region of Kozani, meat and rice in pickled cabbage-leaf (a variation of sarma) Various dishes with buffalo meat. Various fish plates, especially pestrofa and grivadi (kyprinos), fished in the lakes of the region. Various types of loukaniko, sausages.
Desserts
Selected desserts: Akanés, from Serres Amygdalota Armenovíl / Armenonville, from Thessaloniki Ashure Baklava from Asia Minor, Bougatsa krema (cream), Galaktoboureko, custard pie with syrup Galatopita, milk pie with the well known the Sarakatsaniki galatopita from Pieria Crêpe, Komposta, from peach or other local fruits Diples Dondurma, Turkish mastic ice cream Éclair Halvas with tahini Halvas with semolina, Halvas sapoune, also known as jelly halvas Karydopita Kariokes, small sized walnut-filled chocolates and shaped like crescents Knafeh (kadayıf) from Constantinople, Kiounefe, Kazan Dibi, Kourkoubinia Kourampiedes Kydonopasto Laggites, or Tiganites Loukoumades, fried honey doughnuts Loukoumi, Malli tis grias Madolato Melomakarona Muhallebi, or Mahallebi Moustalevria, Moustopita, Mpezedes (Mareges) Pandespani Pastafrola Pasteli, honey sesame bar Poniró, from Serres Rizogalo Roxákia, Revani, from Veria Sáliaroi (Saliaria), from Kozani Samali, extra syrupy Greek semolina cake with mastic Şekerpare Spoon sweets, Trigona Panoramatos Thessalonikis, Tsoureki Tulumba, syrupy dessert. Candied fruits, known as fruit glace with the well-known the marron glace. Candied fruits can be found in Greece in specialty candy shops selling along with other related products exclusively, such as dried fruits, nuts, jellies, koufeta, loukoumia, chocolate bars, sokolatakia (bonbon), pralines, spoon sweets, pasteli, halva, fudge, petit four, granola, granola bars, sweet spreads, breakfast cereals, energy bar, and others.
Drinks
Selected beverages and drinks: Frappé coffee, invented in Thessaloniki in 1957. Greek coffee, Salepi Ouzo Retsina Tsipouro Wine, Liqueur, Greek mountain tea, Beer, Beer in Greece Xino Nero, from Florina Mineral water, from several recognized water sources from Greece. Sparkling mineral water, mineral carbonated water from sources from Greece.
See also Greek cuisine Greek restaurant Ottoman cuisine Byzantine cuisine List of Greek dishes Cuisine of the Mediterranean
References
Further reading
External links