Greek CuisinePresentation by Yelena Shvarts, Toni Wilhelm,

AND Roxana Burciaga

Introduction

Greece is located in the Balkan region and borders Albania,Macedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey. The population is about 11 million people and consists almost Entirely of Greek Ethnicity, although there are about 1 million Immigrants from Albania.Most of the population belongs to the Greek Orthodox Church with a small Muslim Minority. Greek is the official language, but French and English are spoken and there are numerous Dialects.(1)The capital of Greece is Athens.

Greece is known as the largest producer of olive oil in the world.(1)Greece has a significant fishing industry located in its coastal areas and on its islands.

Gender Equality – Family life was patriarchal until just recently. Men were the providers and women took care of the home and children. Women received full voting rights in 1956. The Family Law of 1983 established legal gender equality in family relationships and decision making.

Marriage – Considered the normal condition for adulthood. Average age to marry is late twenties for women and mid-thirties for men. Divorce rate is very low. In the early 1900’s, arranged marriages were common. Now it is not common. Marriages partners choose each other.

Household – Nuclear families are the most common. It is not uncommon for grandparents to live with the family. Greek people are very family oriented.(2)

Family

Birth – Most babies are born in hospitals and are doted on. Importance is placed on the Baptism of the child which introduces the child into the Orthodox Community and when the baby’s name is officially conferred.

Education – The public school system was created in 1833, with a literacy rate of 95 percent. Schooling is free and compulsory for the first nine years and optional and free for the next three. There are state universities, technical schools, and vocational school systems although they do not have the capacity to educate everyone.

Social Life – Most socializing is centered around a close circle of family and friends. Activities are centered around eating, drinking, playing games, music, dancing, and conversations. It is considered disgraceful to become inebriated at these functions. (3)

Maternity benefits include a maternity allowance and birth grant. The birth grant is a flat rate sum paid at the birth of the child to a parent who has worked at least 50 days in the last year. Maternity leave is mandatory for 17 weeks, paid, and must be taken 56 days prior to birth and 63 days after birth. Mothers who have worked 200 days in the last two years receive a cash benefit from the social security office. Jobs are protected for one year after. Women are prohibited from working a night shift for one year after birth. Breast feeding mothers can reduce their work hours by one hour a day for the first year. There is a one day paternity leave for working men. Parental leave is unpaid leave for either parent for up to 3.5 months for at the time of birth or adoption. It can be used until the child reaches 3.5 years old. Parents are guaranteed four days a year to visit a child’s school.(3)

Family Leave

The word “Orthodox” is delivered from two short words orthos meaning “correct” and doxa meaning “worship”.Christianity originated in Palestine, spread rapidly throughout the Mediterranean basin, and by the end of the 4th century, was recognized as the official religion of the Country.(4)

Holidays:January 1st , New Years DayEaster is the most sacred observed holiday in the Greek Orthodox faith. Their preparations and

customs remain as some of the most traditional in modern Greek life. Fasting begins on the Monday which is a Lent day.

August 15th, the Day of the Holy SpiritDecember 25 Christmas

“ The life of an individual Christian is understood in the context of the community of the faithful.Each person is called to live the godly life and advance in spiritual and moral growth into fullness

of the Divine Life itself, grace” (Father Robert G. Stephanopoulos)

Religion

Rules of the Orthodox Church influence eating habits. Greeks will abstain from foods containing meat, dairy products and eggs during the Lenten days that precede Easter, Christmas, and other religious occasions.

Up until the 1960’s, meat was very expensive. Greece is a mountainous country which means there is no room to raise cattle. Farmers would raise goats and sheep instead. This contributes to many dishes that use lamb as a main ingredient.

Lemons are commonly used for flavoring. Dairy Products are usually in fermented forms. Things like yogurt and

cheese. Feta is the most commonly consumed cheese. Potatoes and eggplant are the most commonly consumed vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables are preferred raw or in salads. Green and black olives are in many dishes. Olive oil is used in food preparation.(5)

Traditional Food Habits

Health

Compared to other countries Greece doesn’t have huge problems with obesity, type two diabetes, or blood pressure. All of this can be related to the healthful diet they consume (Mediterranean diet- low intake of meats/red with high consumption of olive oil, fruits, and vegetables.) However we do see a high percentage in tobacco use. (6)

Health

48%

28%

6%

1%

7%

6%4% CVD

Cancers

Respiratory Diseases

Diabetes

Other NCDs

Communicable, Ma-ternal, Perinatal and Nutritional Conditions

Injuries

(6)Leading health concern in Greece is cardio vascular disease which can be related to the amount of people using tobacco products. Smoking decrease oxygen to the heart, increases blood pressure and heart rate, increased blood clotting, and damages cells that line coronary blood arteries and other blood vessels. (11)

In the article Eating habits of university students living at, or away from home in Greece, student’s showed a decrease in fruits, meat, and cheese consumption and an increase in snack consumption. Globalization or acculturation, who’s to blame? (12)

1 Whole chicken 2 Quarts water 1 Large onion 2 Carrots cut in half 2 Celery stalks, cut in half 2 Large Eggs ¼ Cup Lemon Juice ½ Cup Orzo Oregano to taste Salt & pepper to the taste

Avgolemono Soup with Chicken

Place the chicken and whole onion in a large pot with 2 quarts cold water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low, skimming when necessary. Add carrots and celery in broth and continue to boil on low heat. When finished, remove chicken, carrots, celery and onion from the broth.

Let the chicken cool and pull the meat from the bones. Dice into medium cubes and set aside.

Add the orzo pasta into the broth and cook, uncovered for approx. 10-12 min.

While the orzo is cooking, prepare the egg lemon mixture. In small bowl beat the eggs and lemon together and whisk till smooth texture. When the orzo finished cooking, turn off the heat. Ladle about two cups of broth in bowl and slightly cool down.

Slowly add the hot broth to the egg-lemon mixture while continued to whisk. Once the broth incorporated, add the mixture into the pot of chicken soup and stir to blend well throughout about 5 min.

Traditional, the soup is served without the chicken meat or vegetables, but can be added when served.(7)

Recipe Description

Exact origin of the lemon is not known but is believed to originate in India, Northern Burma, and China. It entered Europe in the 1st Century AD and spread to the Mediterranean around 1000-1150 AD.

In this recipe, the lemon is used as a flavoring. Nutrient Profile. 1 Cup Serving

Calories 61 Vitamin C 112 mgCarbohydrates 21.1 g Folate 31.7 mcgDietary Fiber 1 g Calcium 17.1 mgSugars 5.9 g Magnesium 14.g mg

Potassium 303 mg Health Benefits – Anti-Inflammatory, Anti Oxidant, Aids in

digestion (Alkalising affect in the body), Antibacterial (H. Pilori). (8)

Lemon

Nutrition profile: Serving size - 1 cup Calories 420 Calories 90Protein 38g Protein 4g Carbohydrate 14g Carbohydrates 13g Dietary Fiber 1.25g Dietary Fiber 2.5gCholesterol 224 mg Cholesterol 48mgSodium 152mg Sodium 182 mgPotassium 125mg Potassium 198mg Fat 21g Fat 1.5g Saturated 6g Saturated .38g Sugar 2g Sugar 4gCalcium 5% Calcium 4.25% Iron 10% Iron 8.75%

Nutrient Profile

(9)

2 Quarts vegetable stock 1 Large onion 2 Carrots cut in half 2 Celery stalks, cut in half ½ Cup quinoa 2 Large Eggs ¼ Cup Lemon Juice Oregano to taste Salt & pepper to taste

Recipe Modification

Most care is provided by mothers and grandmothers so it is important that you never offend them by saying, “Well your mother’s actually wrong what really cause diabetes is..”

Highly contextual culture- Keep body language open, friendly, and always keep eye contact.

Speak kindly, softly, and respectfully. Start with general questions- well being, interest etc. Greeks have considerable respect for authority figures so you may

have to offer advice (note: Always ask permission to give advice.) Touching between opposite sex is inappropriate may come off as

sexual overturn. If you don’t repeat to offer advice you may come off as indifferent-

You don’t really care. Building a relationship is key to helping someone great way to make

them feel welcomed is by offering tea or coffee. The way you treat your guests (patients/clients) determines the status of your care. (10)

Counseling Tips

1. World Geography: Understanding a Changing World, s.v. "Greece: Country Overview,". http://worldgeography.abc-clio.com/, accessed July 15, 2013.

2. http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Greece.html

3. http://www.childpolicyintl.org/countries/greece.html

4. Grammenos, Dennis. "Cyprus: People." In World Geography: Understanding a Changing World. ABC-CLIO, 2000-. http://worldgeography.abc-clio.com/, Accessed July 15, 2013.

5. http://aglaiakremezi.com/articles/general/making-most-meat.html

6. World Health Organization, Greece: Health Profile, http://www.who.int/gho/countries/grc.pdf, Accessed July 15, 2013.

7. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/cat-cora/avgolemono-chicken-soup-with-egg-lemon-sauce-recipe/index.html

8. http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1938/2

9. www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/

10. Kittler, Sucher, and Nelms. Food and Culture. 6ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning; 2012

11. Ratini, M. Smoking and Heart Disease. WebMd. July 2012. http://www.webmd.com/smoking-cessation/quit-smoking-heart?page=3. Date Accessed: July 17, 2013.

12. Papadaki A, Hondros G, A Scott J, Kapsokefalou M. Eating habits of university students living at, or away from home in Greece [abstract]. Appetite. 2007 Jul;49(1):169-76. Epub 2007 Feb 11. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed. Date Accessed July 16, 2013. PMID:17368642.

References