Cooking with Greek PDO products

Greece is a place full of natural beauties, history, unique climate and smiling people. Its fertile land offers products of high nutritional value that do not exist anywhere else in the world and it is important to know them and to use them daily in our cooking. Healthy cooking needs healthy cooking utensils and mostly pure products.

Many Greek products officially have the mark PDO and declare in their title their place of origin and their special taste. Over a hundred wines, cheeses, olive oils, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, bakery and confectionery products, seafood, essential oils and other products of animal or non-animal origin from all over Greece are known by the mark "PDO", while many of us do not even know them! We must not forget that the traditional products are important both for our country and for the Mediterranean diet!

What are PDO products

Products of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), according to the European Legislation, Reg. 510/2006 are called the products that come from a specific area to which they owe their characteristics. Τhese products were developed in the right environment and for this reason gave a best and high quality taste and many nutrients. They gained reputation and most of them received the mark PDO (Product of Designation of Origin) or PGE (Protected Geographical Indication).

The production of these products are done exclusively in the specific region of origin, while in general we can find them in all corners of Greece. The mark PDO ensures the unique character of each product and the geographical origin, protecting us from various imitations.

Until today, more than 100 Greek products have been recorded as PDO, of which 33 types of wines, 20 different cheeses, 19 varieties of olive oil, 26 vegetables, fruits and legumes, 2 varieties of honey, as well as the traditional Botargo of Messolonghi, the Krokos of Kozani and the Masticha of Chios (also the mastic oil and the mastic gum). The most important categories of "PDO" products are the following:

Olive oil, the Greek

Olive oil is the most characteristic product of Greece that we all love and use on a daily basis. There is no Greek house without olive oil and the vast majority of Greek / Mediterranean cuisine recipes are based on oil. The exceptional varieties of oil have been recognized worldwide and have made this product  the most recognizable Greek product in the world. Nineteen labels have the mark of Protected Designation of Origin. Some "PDO" olive oils that you should use in your cooking are the following:

Viannos of Heraklion Crete PDO

Lygourio of Asclepieion PDO

North Mylopotamos of Rethymno Crete PDO

Krokees of Laconia PDO

Petrina of Laconia PDO

Kranidi of Argolida PDO

Peza Heraklion of Crete PDO

Archanes Heraklion of Crete PDO

Kalamata PDO

Kolymbari of Chania Crete PDO

Sitia of Lassithi Crete PDO

Apokoronas of Chania Crete PDO

Agourelaio of Halkidiki PDO

Galano of Metaggitsi Halkidiki PDO

Wine

Since ancient times, viticulture in Greece and worldwide is divided according to the varieties of wine and their place of production. Wine is an important product and for this reason its certification is noteworthy.

Thrace, Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaly, Attica, Peloponnese, Crete, the Ionian Islands, almost all the Aegean islands, have their own wines and their origin is protected. Some of the most famous Greek "PDO" wines are:

PDO Wines Anchialos - Magnesia 

PDO Wines Amynteon - Florina

PDO Wines Archanes - Heraklion 

PDO Goumenissa - Kilkis Wines 

PDO Wines Dafnes - Heraklion 

PDO Wines Zitsa - Ioannina Wines 

PDO Wines Lemnos - North Aegean 

PDO Wines Mantinia - Arcadia 

PDO Wines Mesenikolas - Karditsa  

PDO Wines Monemvasia-Malvasia - Laconia 

PDO Wines Naoussa - Imathia 

PDO Wines Nemea  - Corinthia, Argolida

PDO Wines Paros & Malvasia Paros - Cyclades 

PDO Wines Patra - Achaia

PDO Wines Peza - Heraklion 

PDO Wines Plagies Melitona - Halkidiki 

PDO Wines Rapsani Wines - Larissa

PDO Wines Rhodes - Dodecanese Wines 

PDO Wines Robola Wines - Kefalonia 

PDO Wines Santorini - Cyclades Wines 

PDO Wines Sitia & PDO Malvasia Sitia - Lassithi 

PDO Wines Chandakas-Candia & PDO Malvasia Chandakas - Candia - Heraklion

Olives, the tree of the goddess Athena

In Greece, since ancient times, there is a long tradition in the processing of black olives, in contrast to other oil-producing countries, where the green olive dominates.

The olive that was most easily consumed was the "throumba", the ripe olive. Of course, there are also other types of olives which are a favorite choice in Greece.

The varieties of edible olives are different from those that can be oiled. Τhere are olive tree that are intended only for the production of edible olives and others that are intended only for oiling. In many areas of Greece, mixed varieties are used for both purposes. Both have high nutritional value and excellent taste. Below are the most important varieties of "PDO": 

Olive of Kalamata PDO

Conservolia of Amfissa PDO

Conservolia of Atalanti PDO

Conservolia of Rovia PDO

Conservolia of Stylida PDO

Throumpa of Thassos PDO

Throumpa of Chios PDO

Throumpa of Abadias Rethymno Crete PDO

Conservolia of Pelion Volos PDO

Green Olives of Halkidiki PDO

Other gifts of the Greek land that have been marked with a Protected Designation of Origin

The unique products of Greek nature are recognized worldwide for their nutritional value and high quality taste.

Krokos Kozanis, this exotic flower with the purple color, is a "gourmet" choice. It is collected only in the place where it grows. Have a characteristic aroma and give taste and color to foods and sweets, while it is also a "superfood" whith antioxidant substances. 

Masticha is cultivated exclusively in the southern part of the island of Chios, has beneficial anti-cancer and anti-aging properties, is unique in its kind and known worldwide!

Among the "PDO" products are the aubergine of Leonidio and the tomato of Santorini are the most famous of the vegetables, while from fruits we know the oranges of Maleme Chania, the kiwis of Sperchios, the firikia and the apples of Zagora of Pelion, raisins of Corinthos and Zakynthos, the peaches of Naoussa, the cherries of Rodochori, the figs of Kymi and Taxiarchis of North Evia, the pistachios of Megara and Aegina.

Three new Greek products are included in the PDO category

From 2021, the sardine of Kalloni, the honey of Ikaria known as "Anamma" and the melichloro cheese of Lemnos are considered as PDO-PGE products - three products from the North Aegean! 

Greece, with the distinctions it receives for the products of high nutritional value, plays a leading role in the world market. It is our responsibility to cook healthily with the recognized PDO products but also to show our country in the next generations.