Breakfast

BREAKFAST

Here is a really helpful link about meditteranean diet ---> @http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterranean_diet ** BREAKFAST: **

"What's for breakfast?" is not a question you'll hear in many homes here in Greece. Because of Greek eating customs - late lunches (3-4 PM) and even later suppers (after 9 PM) - a meal early in the morning hasn't been terribly important. Many of us grab a cup of coffee or tea and leave it at that, while others have milk and a //paxima**tha**ki// (rusk). Another favorite is a bowl of yogurt with honey or a piece of fruit. The now numerous shops that sell designer coffees and teas attract many who make them the first food/beverage stop of the day.

The Greek custom of grabbing a midmorning //kolatsio// (snack) prevails. What we didn't eat for breakfast, we make up for (often several times over) with a snack around 10-11 AM. If we're working, we stop what we're doing and go to the nearest corner bakery or fast-food vendor for a cheese or cream pie, spinach pie, or some other tasty treat and bring it back to enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.

Out here in the country where crops, livestock, flocks, olive trees, or vineyards need tending, breakfast traditions haven't changed for centuries. A quick cup of something warm at home, and the rest gets packed up and taken along. Because foods have to travel well, they're often similar to my home breakfast: cheese, bread, and olives.

** LUNCH: **

Greek cooking traditions date back thousands of years. Greeks today eat some of the same dishes their ancestors did in ancient times. These include //dolmades// (stuffed grape leaves) and many of the same fruits, vegetables, and grain products. A Greek, Archestratus, is thought to have written the first cookbook in 350 B.C.

The Greek diet has been influenced by traditions from both the East and West. In ancient times, the Persians introduced Middle Eastern foods, such as yogurt, rice, and sweets made from nuts, honey, and sesame seeds. In 197 B.C., when Rome invaded Greece, the Romans brought with them foods that are typical in Italy today including pasta and sauces. Arab influences have left their mark in the southern part of Greece. Spices such as cumin, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves play a prominent role in the diet of these regions. The Turks later introduced coffee to Greece. Potatoes and tomatoes were brought from New World after exploration of the Americas began about five hundred years ago.

**DINNER:**

 Greek dinner starts sometime around 10:00 PM and ends sometime after 1:00 or two AM!  The atmosphere of most tavernas (especially the ones the locals frequent) is most festive into the wee hours of the morning with loud conversations which relegate the greek music to a background role, children running everywhere, cigarette smoke mixed with the aromas of tasty dishes, small cats under tables in search of scraps, and much beer and wine flowing happily from glass to mouth.

 It is amazing to see that on most nights, every taverna in every Greek town is packed with people! Greeks don't wait for the weekend to go out, and after a good meal they enjoy a few more hours of conversation and drinks at the table, or at a nearby cafeteria, or bar. It goes without saying that there is no closing hour established for restaurants, bars, cafeterias and night clubs. About ten years ago the government almost toppled when they tried to establish a 4:00 AM closing time for night clubs! No government has since attempted the same feat.

 Most everything on a Greek taverna menu is straight forward. You may choose from a great variety of Greek delicacies like Pasticcio, Mousaka, or giuvetsi, or from a variety of pasta dishes. Greeks often ignore menu items when ordering and instead they custom order their own plates and most often order much more food than is possible to consume!

**BREAKFAST ** **LUNCH **

**DINNER **

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BREAKFAST THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL The students of the B Class of our school have prepared and they have offered us several options for a nutritious breakfast. Have a look to this very interesting happening of our school TEACHER Nikos Thymianidis Course B3 Class - 3rd GYmnasio of Elefsina media type="file" key="υγιεινό πρωινό.flv" align="center" width="576" height="432"