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GREEK CULINARY GLOSSARY

Arni (ar-née) Lamb

Avgolemono (av-gho-lé-mo-no) Egg and Lemon Sauce

Bakaliaros (bak-a-lee-ár-os) Cod

Baklava (bak-la-vá) Layered, syruped phyllo and nut dessert

Boureki (boo-ré-ki) Baked or fried, dumpling-like mini stuffed savory dough

Diosmo (thee-ós-mo) Mint

Dolmades (dol-má-thez) Stuffed leaves such as cabbage or grape

Elliniko (el-een-ee-kó) Greek, but also refers to thick Greek coffee

Feta Sharp goat cheese

Giouvetsi (yui-vé-tsee) Baked meat, usually lamb or chicken, with orzo and tomato in a special clay pan by the same name

Goudi (ghoo-theé) Mortar

Kafe (ka-féh) Coffee

Kali orexi (ka-leé- ór-e-xee) Bon Appetit

Keftedes (kef-té-thes) Little meatballs

Kima (kee-má) Ground meat

Kourambiethes (kou-ra-mbié-thes) Powdered buttered cookies, like shortbread

Krasi (kra-seé)  Wine

Kreas (kré-as) Meat

Lathera (la-theh-rá) A group of stove-top stews in which Olive Oil is the main flavoring

Lathi (lá-thee) Oil. Greeks use the word oil generically to mean Olive Oil

Latholemono  (la-tho-léh-mo-no) Oil & lemon dressing or marinade, usually made with oregano

Lathoxitho (la-thó-xee-tho) Oil and red wine vinegar dressing

Melitzanosalata (mel-eetz-an-o-sa-lá-ta)  Eggplant puree, one of the classic Greek dips

Meze (me-zéh) Appetizer

Mezedaki(a) (me-z-thá-kee) (me-z-thá-keea), plural Diminutive of Meze

Mezedes (me-zé-thes)  Plural of Meze, appetizers

Moussaka  (moo-sa-ká) Eggplant, ground meat and bechamel casserole

Nero  (neh-ró) Water

Orektiko (or-e-ktee-kó) Appetizer

Orexi (ór-e-xee) Appetizer

Orzo (ór-zoh) Rice-shaped pasta also known as krithareki

Ostraka (ós-tra-ka) Shellfish

Ouzo (oó-zo) Anise-flavored liqueur

Pastitsio (pa-stée-tseeo) Macaroni baked with ground meat and bechamel

Pitta (pée-ta) Savory pie

Psari (psá-ree) Fish

Psito (psee-tó) Baked

Psomi (pso-meé) Bread

Rigani rheé-gha-nee) Oregano

Skordalia (skor-tha-lee-áh) Garlic and potato or bread puree

Skordo (skór-tho) Garlic

Skordostoumbi  (skor-tho-stóom-bee) Red wine vinegar and garlic dressing

Souvla (sóov-la)  Spit roast

Spanakopitta  (spa-na-kó-pee-ta) Spinach pie

Steen skara  (stéen ská-ra) Grilled or barbecued

Tarama (ta-ra-má) Fish roe, usually carp, sometimes gray mullet

Taramosalata  (ta-ra-mo-sa-lá-ta) Fish roe spread

Tiganito  (tee-gha-nee-tó)  Fried

Tiri  (tee-reé) Cheese

Tzatziki (dza-dzeé-kee) Yoghourt, cucumber and garlic dip

Vrasto (vra-stó)  Boiled or poached

Xithato (xee-thá-to) Flavored with vinegar, or briny

Xithi  xée-thee) Vinegar

Yiahni (yee-ach-neé) Stew

Zesto  (zes-tó) Hot

Zoumi (zou-meé) Broth

Source:

The Food and Wine of Greece
©Diane Kochilas, St. Martins Press

Photos by Madelyn Miller

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