Traditional cookery is being lost, or stolen
Which foods are truly traditional, and which will end up with their reputation shredded, or as the target of profiteers, is an exceptionally timely question in view of the Olympic Games, which are a huge opportunity to promote traditional Greek products and recipes throughout the world. But this opportunity was one Greece did not take full advantage of, Antonia Trichopoulou, professor of nutrition at the University of Athens, told Kathimerini. Over the last few decades, she has studied at least 50 traditional foods and recipes (from fruit preserves, to Greek salads, such as tzatziki, taramosalata, aubergine salad to Cretan pies from wild greens, moussaka, Santorini fava and other dishes). Preconditions for standardizing production, in accordance with the regulations for export across Europe, have not been met. This is the main reason this opportunity is going to waste, despite the submission of the pertinent report by Trichopoulou in her capacity as president of the committee set up three years ago by the Organization for the Certification and Monitoring of Agricultural Products.
