Coming to Greece as a volunteer has many advantages! Interesting projects! A great culture! Beautiful people! And AMAZING FOOD! Make sure you try the Greek gastronomy, if not in a proper Greek household cooked by Greek people, then at least in some local taverna! Make sure you take back home (if you go back J), some recipes to surprise family and friends with your new cooking competence!

Gastronomy, an Ancient Greek word, signifies the relationship between the senses and food, and exemplifies the attitude of the Greeks to life and food.

The ingredients and methods of the Greek kitchen established itself more than 3,000 years ago. These simple methods have characterised the original and unique flavours of the best Greek cookery. As an example, an enduring tradition is portable cooking being shared in a courtyard.

History records many Greek cooks in ancient times, such as Thimbron the Athenian, Archestratus (who penned the first known cookery book), and Soteriades the Sage, who claimed he prepared different dishes for different moods and ages - the young, the lovers, the older men and the ancient philosophers.

The Mediterranean cuisine is rich in vitamins and proteins and is based mainly in Greek foods such as olive oil, feta cheese and numerous vegetables that give the Greek cuisine a unique taste. The Greek climate is ideal for all of these foods, and also the lots of colorful fruits.

Some of the unique Greek tastes that are unforgettable are as follows:

For the lovers of sea food you will find a lot of fresh fish, octopus and squid. All of the Greek food goes very well with Greek wine either white, roze, red, the traditional white wine (retsina), ouzo or tsipouro.

After your meal enjoy Greek sweets like, baklava, milk pie, bougatsa, kataifi and many more. For those that prefer more natural tastes try Greek fruits like red water melon, yellow melon, pears, grapes, figs and many more. There is so much variety to choose from with Greek cuisine, that you can always find something new and unique to sample.

Many regions all over Greece serve traditional foods and meals that are unique to those particular regions, and cannot be found anywhere else. In this case, it is sometimes wise to try something new from the menu and experiment with the Greek tastes, instead of ordering something "safe", which you have already tried and know. Go on, be a little adventurous next time you are out dining.

You can find some great recipes at:

• Ultimate Guide to Greek Food
• Kerasma - Greek Mediterranean Gastronomy

YIAMIIII!!!!!