As with many other Greek Australians living in Greece, I was ‘bent’ by the crisis. Almost four months ago, I decided to leave everything behind, as well as a big part of myself, and move to Australia. I can’t say I miss the current situation in Greece, the frustration, nor the tension in Athens, but I do miss the ‘feeling’. Sometimes, I still want to snap my fingers and teleport there, get a ‘taste’ of Greece and return, but I prefer to close my eyes and indulge myself with certain Greek delicacies.

Greek cuisine is all about tasty and delicious traditional products. Once again, it is a bit impossible to get your hands on those fresh Greek foods a native can savour, but there are little markets even in Australia where one can find many regional variations in Greek small foods. The Australian markets offer imported Greek products, true to quality, origin and tradition, conveying important aspects of the Greek culinary culture. They sell preserves, vinegar, sauces, amazing dried beans, lentils and fruit. Pasta, dairy, alcohol and Greek guilty pleasures also have a presence. The olives are always nice and briny; next to the sun-dried tomatoes and oregano from the islands
of the Aegean, perfect attributes to add to a juicy Greek salad.

And with this image in my mind is how I’ll start picking my 15 top Greek products (made in Greece), as 2014 gives way to 2015.

Greek olive oil
Also known as liquid gold. There’s no authentic Greek cooking without olive oil. Most Greeks use two different olive oils. An extra virgin one (of low acidity) as a dressing and for salads, to be consumed raw, and a regular type of non-virgin olive oil, suitable for high heat cooking, usually cheaper. Olive oil is the basis of the Mediterranean and especially the Greek diet, a healthy product that helps digestion and has even proved to prolong life span.

Greek olives – Kalamon
Greek olives are also one of the most popular products of the Greek soil. Their use in ancient Greek cooking was massive, even though modern Greeks prefer to consume them as garnish or appetiser/meze. Black, green, red, the taste depends on how ripe they were when picked. I chose kalamon olives, because they are bigger and have a stronger, fuller ‘xidati’ taste.

Greek feta cheese
It’s beyond doubt the most famous and consumed among Greek cheeses, widely exported and imitated even. This spicy white cheese, made of sheep or goat milk (or a combination of both), is hardly ever missing from the Greek table. It’s a staple ingredient of Grecian cuisine. Dodoni feta is one of the best tasting fetas and top selling Greek exports. A premium quality brined, curd style dairy produce that complements almost every sandwich, salad and of course pie.

Greek coffee
It isn’t similar to any other coffee. The roasting of the beans involves a completely different process. The grind differs as well, therefore the taste is especially aromatic. Loumidis Papagalos is one of the first companies to have packed and distributed Greek coffee, preserving its unique aroma and freshness.

Greek tomato paste
Most commonly available in cans, though it comes in several types of packaging. Greek tomatoes taste different. They are allowed to mature under the mild Mediterranean sun, carrying a sweeter and fuller taste, without added flavouring and artificial colouring. The two top Greek selling pastes are available in Australia as well.

Trahanas
One notable exception of high nutritional value that is considered mostly a winter food, but we cannot resist it during summer either. A traditional, pebble-sized pasta, baked or sun-dried, which is used in soups and stews and can be eaten for breakfast or as a stand-alone dish with yoghurt and basil. If you add some freshly ground pepper and feta cheese to it, it tastes even better. It is cooked with butter or olive oil (some just boil it in plain water), adding milk and salt.

Hilopites (traditional egg-based pasta)
The most indulgent casserole and soup pasta made in Greece. The recipe is actually quite similar to egg noodles – the look and taste, though, significantly differ. Hilopites are usually home-made, taste a tiny bit sourer than normal pasta and remind of linguine strips. The flavour is unique, while they literally melt in the mouth.

Greek phyllo dough and Greek filo pastry
The first is paper-thin sheets of pastry that are carefully brushed with margarine, water, olive oil or egg yolk for the making of savoury and/or sweet traditional crispy pies and desserts (tyropita, spanakopita, striftaria, kataifi, baklava etc). One should know that puff pastry and filo pastry are thicker and used for different purposes like pie bases and stuffed pies.

Retsina
Since wine processing was in fact invented in Greece, it is a tradition dating back to antiquity. The Greek winery offers many diversities, one of which is retsina. A yellow white wine with an intense resin taste, served on its own or diluted with water, even coke and lemonade. Retsina Malamatina is a trademark alcoholic Greek drink.

Greek tahini
A sweet paste made from ground hulled sesame seeds, tahini can be spread on a slice of bread, mixed with sauces and gives a distinctive flavour to cakes and humus when combined with lemon juice, olive oil, spices and herbs. It is a basic ingredient of the traditional Greek halva, has a great nutritional value, containing more protein than milk and nuts, vitamin B, E, magnesium, iron and calcium. Tahini is an ethnic market stall holder that definitely deserves its own place in the larder.

Greek vine leaf wraps
Stuffed vegetables are common in Greek cuisine. Grape leaves are an essential to make dolmadakia, a favourite dish. The leaves are a deli food, sold in jars filled with ‘almi’ (salt, water and oil). The unique flavour and success of this dish depends on the quality of the leaves. Tender grape leaves are used to wrap rice mixed with meat, pine nuts and herbs, usually ‘bathed’ in lemon juice.

Greek salt
Compared to other sea salts, Greek sea salt is rather mild and inexpensive, let alone a good source for our daily intake of iodine. It can be found in an array of commodity shops in the world and has its own special place in every recipe.

FIX beer
Fix is a brand of Greek lager beer. The brewery that produces it was founded in Athens, Greece, by the Fuchs family in 1864. FIX Hellas has made a great return in the Greek market, offering a strong and flavoursome beer, well respected in the world beer market. FIX Hellas has managed to reintroduce the most historic Hellenic beer, taking over the local market, and even exporting the good worldwide, in a time of crisis. Fairly holds the title of the ‘national beer of Greece’.

Mastiha chewing gums
Mastiha is an ancient Greek product from the island of Chios. The mastiha chewing gum is not harmful to the teeth and will give you a very distinctive taste of the Aegean.

ION amygdalou
Who can say no to chocolate? ION ‘áμõãäÜëïõ’ is not just any chocolate. Its milky taste is unique, especially when combined with Greek roasted almond pieces. I rest my case.

Greece might be a world away, but Grecian delights are waiting to be discovered in the Greek precincts of Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, Western and South Australia.
These small businesses are Greek and Cypriot treasure troves and offer a large selection of Greek groceries, meat even (mostly smoked), olive oils, feta, kefalotiri, haloumi, traditional pasta, coffee, sweets – my favourite is the little Greek shortbread crescents and ‘glika tou koutaliou’ – not to mention numerous imported goodies which are hard to find.
I’ve also included a list of places where one can find these products (and many more) in Australia:

NSW
Bossley Park General Store & Deli in Bossley Park, Sydney
David’s Fresh in Homebush, Sydney
Earlwood Wines in Earlwood, Sydney
Gymea Fresh Deli in Gymea, Sydney
Lamia Super Deli in Marrickville, Sydney
Thessalia Butchery also in Marrickville, Sydney

QLD
The Greek Deli in Bokarina
Basfoods in Underwood Brisbane
Delta Continental Food Wholesalers in West End, Brisbane
Hellene Food Brokers in West End, Brisbane
Manolas Brothers Delicatessen in Broadbeach, Brisbane
Samios Foods in Coorparoo, Brisbane

SA
Kalymnos Pastries in Torrensville, Adelaide

VIC
Athena Deli in Oakleigh, Melbourne
Colossus Supermarket in Doncaster, Melbourne
Delicatessen, Prahran Market in South Yarra, Melbourne
Fresh Co. Deli in Northcote, Melbourne
Laikon Deli in Richmond Melbourne
Preston Market in Preston, Melbourne
Steve’s Deli, South Melbourne Market in South Melbourne

WA
Kakulas Brothers in Northbridge, Perth

It is not impossible to discover Greek goods in large supermarkets the likes of Coles, IGA, Renaissance, even Woolworths. Most stores have successfully diversified into both regional foods and also whole foods, featuring a good selection of Cypriot and Greek produce, mostly made of imported pulses, grains and ingredients. The variety of spices is outstanding, therefore worth mentioning, catering for all the locals who miss the taste of home, at a fraction of the price of anywhere else. Enjoy!