Spices and Seasonings
That something "extra" that adds taste and aroma to food is of the utmost importance since it should merely accent the dish and neither alter nor spoil its natural flavour. Spices are abundant in Greece, and grow either in the wild or are cultivated. Even the most cursory glance will show us that they have more to offer than just a flavour, a great deal more.
Parsley: Is used more than all the others. It is best fresh, retaining all its natural goodness. It is rich in vitamin C and is not only invigorating and appetising but nutritious as well.
Dill: A plant with a highly distinctive aroma. It is used in many ways in the preparation of food and is very nutritious.
Celery: A very pleasant vegetable. The whole plant can be, and is, used. It is good for the health and is rich in vitamins and other natural chemicals.
Mint: An aromatic plant with a very pleasing smell. It is used both as a medicine and a deodorant.
Basil: This is both an ornamental and aromatic plant which grows easily. It has a strong aroma, brings out the taste of food and also has tonic properties.
Capers: An appetising and spicy supplement to any salad they may also be used as mere garnish. The buds may be pickled. Tart in taste, capers are rich in vitamin C and beneficial to many of the body's vital functions.
Coriander: A Mediterranean plant with yellowish brown seeds and an aromatic taste which is like a combination of lemon peel and sage. The ancient Greeks and Romans knew of it and used it. It is a common ingredient in Cypriot recipes.
Oregano: This plant grows in the wild and has a very characteristic, almost overpowering aroma. It contains several essential oils and has many medicinal properties.
Rosemary: Exceptionally spicy and tart it is indispensable to certain dishes. It is also used on skin and hair, either therapeutically or cosmetically.
Bay leaf: The well-known leaf of this beautiful bush adds the finishing touch to many a tasty dish.The essential oil of the bay is not only appetising but is also of practical and medicinal use.
Onions: Perhaps the most common seasoning through not strictly a spice. They are essential and little food is prepared in Greece without them They are valuable for their wide range of uses, being good for the heart (though not in the romantic sense), the nerves and the digestion and have a mild tranquillising effect as well.
Garlic: It has a distinctive and, some find, an unpleasantly pungent smell but it is natural bounty. It is a natural antiseptic and is used to treat many illnesses. It has been prized since antiquity, when it was first cultivated, as both food and medicine.
