A Week of Greek Menus for Spring

Spring meals see the return of lots of seasonal fruits to the menu, which are not as abundant in winter months. Also, in preparation for "beach season" during the summer, we're all looking at our waistlines, and starting to decrease the amount of heavy foods that helped keep us so warm in winter.

Note: Traditional Greek meal patterns have a heavy meal in the middle of the day (dinner), usually served around 3 in the afternoon, and a lighter meal at night (supper), eaten around 9 or 10PM. The custom of taking a rest after dinner is still followed in many families, and "quiet hours" are still observed in many parts of Greece - when public noise must be kept to a minimum - usually during late afternoon.

Greek meal planning tends to follow the Greek Orthodox pattern of fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays, so on those days, even for those who may not follow fasting guidelines strictly, meat is not included. Also based on traditional customs, a roast or significant meat dish is served on Sundays, while during the rest of the week, fish and ground meat are more normal.

Always on the Table

Whether they're listed in meal menus or not, three foods are almost always present on my table:

• Crusty country bread,
• a slice of feta cheese, and
• Greek olives.

Sample Spring Menus