When I think about the most convenient American meal for families, hamburger and fries comes to my mind. However, Ciabatta bread, feta cheese, and extra virgin olive oil are the three components in one of the quickest and most satisfying meals Greek families eat daily. Why do Greek families love eating simple meals together? In order to answer my question, I interviewed Greek native Spyridoula Cheimariou. Dr. Cheimariou was born and raised in Athens, Greece. After she earned her Masters degree in Cognitive Science from the University of Athens, she attended The University of Iowa where she earned her Ph.D. in Speech and Hearing Science. Currently, Dr. Cheimariou is an Assistant Professor in the Communicative Disorders Department at The University of Alabama. On a bright and sunny Friday afternoon, I traveled to her office at the Speech and Hearing Center and asked questions about her past and present experiences with food, family, and olive oil back home in Greece.

KM: How did food fit into your daily life?

SC: Usually, all of the family comes together for lunch and dinner, but the breakfast is not so big in Greece. When I was a kid, I would eat something small like pies in between breakfast and lunch. The whole family would not eat their first meal together until around 1:30 or 2pm. Then, we would eat together again around 9pm. My family and I would spend a lot of time eating together; we would eat together for at least two hours.

KM: Can you recall specific food memories you would like to share?

SC: My mother made artichokes and I hated eating them as a kid. But, now I love eating them as an adult. Recently, I went home to visit my family and she cooked homegrown artichokes in olive oil. There are other foods like burgers that I ate with my family in Greece, but we did not eat them like they do here in America. We would cook our burgers in onions and eat them with rice. We hardly ever ate hamburgers with buns.

KM: Why do you think some Greek citizens today cook the same meals that their ancestors made in the past?

SC: Greek people always think about what the earth is giving them. We have mostly plant-based produce like olives and legumes. The major difference between what Greeks consumed then and now is that they ate less meat. Meat is expensive in Greece because we do not have a large production of cows. This is why Greece does not have big meat industries.

KM: I am about to cook my first Greek meal. What foods do you think I should make?

SC: Greeks cook simple dishes that would be considered side dishes in America.

Some examples are

-Spinach, rice, and feta cheese

-Leeks, rice, and feta cheese

Tzatziki sauce is a popular and easy appetizer dip. Here are the ingredients:

-greek yogurt

-cucumbers

-garlic

-extra virgin olive oil

And, you just mix them together

Tzatziki Sauce Recipe

https://www.thespruce.com/cucumber-dill-greek-tzatziki-sauce-recipe-1806843

KM: Do you know why olive oil is so popular in Greece?

SC: Greece has a lot of foods that are based in olive oil. For instance, green beans, tomato sauce, and olive oil is a common meal in Greece. Also, people cook other vegetables like okra IN tomato sauce and olive oil as well. Personally, I like olive oil because it is better than other oils I have tried. When I dip my bread into my salads for instance, I let the olive oil soak up to make my bread tastier.

KM: What is one thing you miss about your country?

SC: I miss the food. When I first came to America, I could not find the same food quality like I had in Greece. The tomatoes are a revelation in Greece for example. In Greece, you would go to a farmers market to buy your tomatoes and a bakery to buy your bread. Now, in America, I go to Target and get everything I need. But, I have to spend more money in America than I would in Greece to get good food quality.

KM: What is the best motto that describes the meaning of food in Greece?

SC: Food is family-oriented.