Below is some information about foods in ancient Athens (some of it is just general to all of Greece, but I tried to focus on Athens specifically when I could). Recipes and sources are at the end.
Before I get into the foods themselves, I'd like to talk about the hospitality culture in Ancient Greece. The idea was called Xenia, and was summarized by these two principals.
1. The respect from hosts to guests. Hosts must be hospitable to guests and provide them with a bath, food, drink, gifts, and safe escort to their next destination. It is considered rude to ask guests questions, or even to ask who they are, before they have finished the meal provided to them.
2. The respect from guests to hosts. Guests must be courteous to their hosts and not be a threat or burden. Guests are expected to provide stories and news from the outside world. Most importantly, guests are expected to reciprocate if their hosts ever call upon them in their homes.
(Xenia (Greece), Wikipedia, Accessed Sept 10, 2024...and the source of this passage was cited as...Reece, Steve. 1993. The Stranger's Welcome: Oral Theory and the Aesthetics of the Homeric Hospitality Scene. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.)
While they had all of the food listed below (save a few of the more modern ingredients in some of the recipes), grapes, olives, and grains are what is know as "The Mediterranean Triad" as it makes the backbone of the diet of Ancient Greece and Rome. So, you'll want to highlight these foods in the samples and dishes you share when exploring Ancient greek food with kids.
BREAD and GRAINS
Wheat didn't grow well in Greece, but Barley did (the
Romans even called the Greeks "Barley Eaters."). But Athens imported wheat
from other countries, and became known for its white wheat bread. Its commercial
bakeries ran all night. The poor still ate millet and emmer bread (and whole grain barley porridge and maza) which was looked down on by the upper class. Socrates called whole grain bread "pig food." Spelt was also available in Greece, and in greek myth was a gift from the Demeter, the goddess of agriculture and the harvest. Many of these grains were also used in various porridges, drinks, and in other recipes. Like meats below, small samples of breads and grains were often sacrificed to the gods, especially to Demeter and her daughter Persephone.
In the summer, the drought season in Greece, farmers would burry grain in underground granaries and large vases called pithos, and unearthed in the fall when planting begun.
(Note, the imported wheat was Triticum aestivum...commonly known as "Bread Wheat" and used all over the world today.)
MEAT
In
Athens, you couldn't eat most domesticated meat (cows, pigs, sheep,
goats) unless the animal was sacrificed to the gods. During festivals cows and pigs were
sacrificed and the meat was cooked and handed out to the public. For
banquets the wealthy would also sacrifice a large animal. A piglet was
attainable for the middle class (it cost about 3 days wage of a public
servant).
Wild caught foods such as fish, rabbit, wild foul like duck and
pheasant and smaller domestic animals like geese, quails, chicken,
however didn't have to be sacrificed to the Gods before they were eaten.
Fish
was the most common meat. Tuna, sea bass, grey and red mullet,
grouper, and eel were esteemed and expensive. Carp, catfish and pike
were common, and parrotfish was one of the cheaper fish. Small fish like anchovies
were cheep but not as desirable. Dried fish of various sorts were
common. (And it was a meat Christians could eat without worrying whether
it had been sacrificed). They also had shellfish like oysters and scallops and ate things like squid and octopus as well.
Meat was prepared in various ways. Sausage (usually from pigs) was common for both rich and poor.
Ground meat such as meatballs were also used. Larger pieces of meat
were often roasted, though whole legs, or hams, were rubbed with salt
and smoked by hanging high over a fire. Meat was also pickled with herbs in wind vinegar. (Dawson pg 10)
DAIRY
Eggs from geese, chickens and quail
(cooked soft or hard boiled, and used as ingredients)
Cheeses
- feta cheese (may have even been mentioned in Homer's Odyssey)
- something like cottage cheese
- yogurt (also used as skincare)
- various other cheeses
Milk was not usually not drunk except as a medicine, but it was made into cheese. Butter was considered "barbaric."
Even in the cities, most households kept hens, so they would have fresh eggs to eat. (Dawson pg 19)
VEGETABLES AND LEGUMES
(vegetables were eaten fresh and sometimes dried)
A greek myth tells that Athena and Poseiden, god of the sea, each wanted to make the region of Attica their own, and so they had a competition as to who could provide the best gift. Athena's gift of the Olive tree was considered the better gift, and she became the city's patron goddess.
Olive oil was not only important to the Greeks for food, but also for fuel in oil lamps, and bathing and skincare. It was also used for anointing during rituals and special occasions.
Artichokes
Asparagus*
Olives*
Lettuce
Cabbage
Cucumber
Celery
Onions
Leeks
Garden Peas
Lentils (lentil soup was a commoners typical dish)
Black Beans
Broad Beans
Fava Beans
Chickpeas
Lupin Bean
*Hippocrates used this as a diuretic
*Olives were eaten as a fruit only after being conserved in brine or vinegar (and the process of brining took months)
FRUITS
Grapes (and raisens)
Dates
Figs
Pomegranate
Plum
Apples
Pears
Quince
Muskmelon/Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo, introduced in 3rd Century BC)
Watermelon (yellow rind by the 1st century, not yet red until early middle ages)
NUTS/SEEDS
Beechnuts
Chestnuts
Walnuts
Almonds
Sesame
Flax
(Acorns were often consumed by the poor. WARNING: Only edible if processed so that tannin is removed)
SPICES
I've noted common uses for spices, and which spices I know were imported (but others listed might be as well). Imported spices would be more expensive than things that grew in Greece. Some longer notes are also included below where you see asterics *).
Anise
Cardamom***
Caraway Seed
Cassia (imported)
Celery Seed
Cinnamon (imported)****
Coriander (condiment in food and wine)
Cumin
Dill
Fennel (imported, used in vinegar sauces)
Garlic (widely used)
Ginger (imported)**
Lavender
Marjoram
Mint (flavoring for meat sauces)**
Mustard
Oregano**
Parsley
Pepper, black and white (imported)****
Poppy Seeds (imported, used on breads)
Rue
Saffron
Salt
Thyme**
The works of Hippocrates (459–370 BC) contain 300 medicinal plants
classified by physiological action: Wormwood and common centaury (Centaurium umbellatum Gilib)
were applied against fever; garlic against intestine parasites; opium,
henbane, deadly nightshade, and mandrake were used as narcotics;
fragrant hellebore and haselwort as emetics; sea onion, celery, parsley,
asparagus, and garlic as diuretics; oak and pomegranate as
adstringents.[10,11]
****Ancient Greeks wore crowns of parsley and marjoram to prevent drunkenness while feasting.
*Many herbs, including those used for cooking, were also considered to have medicinal uses.
Garlic - intestinal parasites, diuretic (Hippocrates)
Celery - diuretic (Hippocrates)
Marjorum - crowns of parsley and marjoram were warn at feasts to prevent drunkenness
Parsley - diuretic (Hippocrates), crowns of parsley and marjoram were warn at feasts to prevent drunkenness
**Residue of DNA of these were discovered in amphora in sunken ancient Greek trading ships. I don't know if the items were being imported or exported. But still, if they were being traded they probably would have been available in Athens, a major trade destination.
***The ancient Romans and Greeks used Cardamon in their perfumes.
****Peppercorn and cinnamon was imported from India. Pepper was common
enough that ordinary people could use it, at least in small quantities
(though Pliny complained about the price, and noted that white pepper
cost twice as much as black).
DRINKS
Wine & Grape Juice
Water (usually with a little wine mixed in, to kill germs)
Barley Tea
OILS/SAUCES/OTHER
Vinegar
Olive Oil
Honey (also used in skincare)
RECIPES
Chrysocolla (Flaxseed candy)
Honey Fritters
Pasteli (Sesame Honey Candy)
Honey Cheesecake
This has a lot of extra info about Ancient Greek deserts as well.
Petimizi/grape molasses
You can also sometimes find this in Greek or mediteranian markets. Several recipes below use this this. Moustokoulora, Mustalervria, and the Grilled Quail. You could also try it on the Tagenites (greek pancakes).
Moustokouloura (Grape molasses cookies)
This recipe is time consuming but supposedly easy to make (less time consuming if you have a really good Greek market where you can buy the petimizi/grape molasses in stead of making it yourself). The recipe uses alcohol but it bakes out (and I've read you can use grape juice in stead). It does use one spice they definitely wouldn't have used (Allspice), but I've found other versions of this recipe without it, so you could omit that for a more authentic ancient Greek version. Cloves (which which were in every Moustokouloura recipe I found) reached the Roman world by the 1st Century AD, so they could have been a new delicacy. Find more history of these here.
Grape Must Pudding - Mustalevria
Tagenites/Attanitai (Pancakes With Honey)
Usually a breakfast food, just like today. Site has history.
3 Easy Ancient Greek Recipes - Pancakes, Lentil Soup, and Nut Cake
Maza (Barley Bread Balls)
Served with olives, cheese, and eggs.
(Dawson pg 6)
Ptisane /Kykeon (Barley Tea with Mint) - Two different blogs have similar recipes, under two different names.
Koulouria/Kollyra (Bagel Shaped Bread Rolls With Sesame)
A bread that was around since ancient times, but is still popular in modern day Greece. The traditional greek Easter bread known as cuddura is believed to be etymologically linked to kollyra.
Greek Mushroom Bread
It's named after shape...and contains no mushrooms.
Greek Style Country Bread
Ancient Greek Trieme (Ship) Shaped Bread (CONTENT WARNING)
The article this recipe is in talks about some innuendo related to how the Greeks wrote about this particular loaf of bread. But while I don't suggest having your kids read along with you on this, I highly doubt that kids will see anything in the bread itself except a Grecian ship, especially if you show it with a picture or model of one. So, I wanted to share this in spite of the content warning. You can always skip down to the end for the recipe, and skip the description of the dicey history.
Spelt Honey Cakes and Tuna Steak
This one talks about these cakes as sacrifices.
Barley Porridge
Barley porridge was a common meal in greece. This recipe mentions
vikings, not the Greeks, but porridge was pretty similar wherever it was
made. For a more authentic Greek porridge, use honey, not sugar.
Ancient Greek Lentil Soup
Another site (here) has the same recipe, but contains more historical background
9 Greek and Roman Recipes
Greek recipes included:
- Athenian Cabbage
- Garlic Cheese
- Olive Relish
- Honey Glazed Prawns
Skewered Meat
- Meat was often cooked on skewers, over a fire, like shish kabobs. Might be glazed with Petimizi/grape molasses or served with Garum.
Grilled Quail (or chicken) Glazed with Grape Syrup (Petimizi)
Could be used on chicken but cooking times might need to be changed. I don't know for certain this was an ancient recipe, but I do know that it includes ancient ingredients including Petimizi/grape molasses (which can sometimes be found in Greek markets).
Ancient Greek Fish Recipe
Scroll to the bottom for the recipe.
Home-made Garum (Roman Fish Sauce)
While
it was a "roman sauce" it was actually derived from an earlier Greek
sauce, and was popular in Greece more than Rome. Garum was "used as condiments
for literally everything: from meat
and fish to vegetables, salads, desserts, bread, and wine dipping."
This is a modern version that feasible to make at home...if you're brave enough
to try it.
Cheesy Mackerel with Roasted Barley Flour Dough
SOURCES
I've cited books in the text as I wanted to share page numbers and this was info added later. I am sorry I didn't directly cite the online sources in the text above. I can't remember now which info came from which source below, unfortunately. In addition to this list there are some other sources linked directly in the text above.
Food In Ancient Greece
What Did the Ancient Greeks Eat
Ancient Meals and Eating Habits Part I: Greeks
Ancient Greek Food
Ancient Greek Cuisine (Wikipedia)
The History of Greek Bread
History of Mushrooms
Lemon Trees in Greece
Chickens and Religion
Spices the Flavored Greek Cooking
Foods and Feasts in Ancient Greece by Imogen Dawson, Published 1995, Zoe Books, England (affiliate link to amazon)
History of Spices: McCormic Spice Institute
Historical Review of Medicinal Plant Usage
Muskmellons Originated in Persia
The History of Cucumbers
The History of Artichokes
The History of the Watermelon
History of Cucumbers
Tavola Mediterranea - Last checked posts for greek recipes Sept 2024
Silk Road Gourmet - Last checked posts for greek recipes Sept 2024
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