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True Athens

Beyond the Acropolis

Greek Gastronomy

The secret to ordering fabulous French fries in Greece

ByAthensguide

Sep 4, 2009 , , , , ,

French fried potatoes in GreeceYes, I know, why am I writing about French fries on a blog about Greece?
Fries, fried potatoes, patates, French or not, call them what you will, they are served everywhere you go in Greece. The problem is, to my taste, I want them with my meal, not with my salad, and yet, for almost 20 years, everytime I’ve ordered them as I am placing the rest of my order with the waiter, they’ve arrived … with my salad. 
Now, I’m all about experiencing the ‘culture” of my adopted country, so since I don’t eat them all the time, I’m willing to let this somewhat annoying cultural habit slide. I mean, I love Greece, love Greek food, love sitting around the plateia nibbling on plates of food, sipping ouzo and chatting away with good friends … so what if I’m either eating fresh hot potatoes with my tomato-cucumber salad, or cold fried potatoes with my platter of lamb chops?

My husband, Basil, though, is not so forgiving. And since he IS the Greek, he figures he doesn’t have to be so forgiving. So for years he would patiently instruct the server that while we did want fried potatoes, we would like them served ALONG WITH our hot meat dish. But no matter how patiently he explained this, in Greek (he is, after all, born and bred Athenian), no matter how long or short of a tale of woe he gave regarding his meat AND potato fetish, those patates always landed on our table somewhere between the tzatziki and the horiatiki salad.

The problem?
French fries are and will always be, considered appetizers in Greece…

The solution?
If you want your French fries served with your lamb chops, your fish or whatever else your main course may be, …order them AFTER you get your meal. Seriously, don’t even hint to your server that you are thinking about a plate of freshly sliced, hot, crispy potatoes until AFTER he or she places your meat, fish or chicken on the table.

Remember, it does not matter what you do or say, if you order them before you main course, they will arrive hot and crisp, golden brown, but, alas, not with your meal.

By Athensguide

How does a little girl from Skokie, Illinois find herself in historical Athens, leading curious explorers through the winding streets of Plaka, down "pezodromos" to hidden ouzeries for tempting mezedhes and homemade barrel wine? The journey began more than twenty years ago, and regardless of whether the wanderlust comes from the spiritual and culture DNA flowing through my veins, or the alignment of the stars on that cold mid-December day this Sagitterian came into the world, I never seem to tire of exploring my adopted homeland of Greece. Here you'll join me as I explore Athens: be it the back streets of Psirri and Gazi, or through the National Gardens and Zappeio where a family of turtles makes their home, or down wide, treelined Imittou Street in Pagrati, which pulses with Athenian life 24 hours a day. And while Athens has stolen my heart, the rest of Greece vies for my curiousity and wanderlust. My two guys (that'd be the Greek God, Vasilis and our Greek dog, Scruffy) and I can often be found settling in for a long weekend in some charming mountain village, or a quaint fishing port on a nearby island, or learning how Greek vitners are producing wines that rival some of Napa Valley's finests productions, or celebrating a panayeri in Epirus or sharing in the festivities as a family of Cretan sheepherders come together to sheer their 1500 sheep in the spring ... And if you happen to find yourself heading to Athens, consider finding yourself a real home for your stay. Living amongst the locals, be it for 3 nights or 3 weeks, will offer you the chance to experience true Athens, beyond the Acropolis. Choose from one of our 5 beautiful penthouse and historical homes, and who knows, I may be leading you down that winding "pezodromo" to our favorite hidden ouzerie!

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