Greek cuisine is a Mediterranean cuisine. Contemporary Greek cookery makes wide use of olive oil, lemon juice, vegetables, and herbs, grains and bread, wine, fish, and various meats, including lamb, poultry, rabbit and pork. The most commonly seen grain is wheat, however barley is also used. Also important are olives, cheese, eggplant (aubergine), zucchini (courgette), and yogurt. Greek desserts are characterized by the dominant use of nuts and honey. Some dishes use filo pastry.
Mezés (μεζές) is a collective name for a variety of small dishes, typically served with wines or anise-flavored liqueurs as ouzo or homemade tsipouro. Orektika is the formal name for appetizers and is often used as a reference to eating a first course of a cuisine other than Greek cuisine. Dips are served with loaf bread or pita bread. In some regions, dried bread (paximadhi) is softened in water.
Greek cuisine has a long tradition and its flavors change with the season and its geography. Greek cookery, historically a forerunner of Western cuisine, spread its culinary influence - via ancient Rome - throughout Europe and beyond. It has influences from the different people's cuisine the Greeks have interacted with over the centuries, as evidenced by several types of sweets and cooked foods.