The Greek Non-Breakfast

"What's for breakfast?" is not a question you'll hear in many homes here in Greece. Because of Greek eating customs - late lunches (3-4 PM) and even later suppers (after 9 PM) - a meal early in the morning hasn't been terribly important. Many of us grab a cup of coffee or tea and leave it at that, while others have milk and a paximathaki (rusk), or beef it up with the breakfast that's been served in my home for years (photo at right): a cup of black tea sweetened with honey, some feta cheese, olives, and bread. Another favorite is a bowl of yogurt with honey or a piece of fruit. The now numerous shops that sell designer coffees and teas attract many who make them the first food/beverage stop of the day.

The Greek custom of grabbing a midmorning kolatsio (snack) prevails. What we didn't eat for breakfast, we make up for (often several times over) with a snack around 10-11 AM. If we're working, we stop what we're doing and go to the nearest corner bakery or fast-food vendor for a cheese or cream pie, spinach pie, or some other tasty treat and bring it back to enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea. At home, this midmorning break is a great time to share with neighbors, and I often serve Greek coffee with paximathakia or koulourakia, not-too-sweet biscotti and cookie twists.

Out here in the country where crops, livestock, flocks, olive trees, or vineyards need tending, breakfast traditions haven't changed for centuries. A quick cup of something warm at home, and the rest gets packed up and taken along. Because foods have to travel well, they're often similar to my home breakfast: cheese, bread, and olives.

Favorite Greek Breakfast Foods & Snacks

• Greek teas (photos)
• Greek olives (photos)
• Greek cheeses
• Bougatsa - creamy custard pie
• Crusty Greek bread
• Koulourakia portokaliou - citrus and spice cookie twists
• Paximathakia portokaliou - orange sesame biscotti
• Spanakopita - spinach and feta cheese pie
• Sugar-Sprinkled Donuts
• Tyropita - cheese pie
• Yogurt with Honey

_{Photo © J. Stanfield}

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