Ancient Greek FoodTypical ancient Greek cooking essentials are bread, olives, olive oil, figs, local organic cheeses, made from the milk of local domestic farm animals, such as goats which are in abundance and easily kept on the hilly and rocky environment.
Local wines made from the regional grapes which are grown, including ouzo, an aniseed type spirit which farming generations have perfected the recipes over years, and vegetables which have been produced from the soil of local areas and almost all are organically grown without the use of pesticides. Included in these ancient Greek food essentials are local fishes and delicious seafood, caught in the waters surrounding mainland Greece and the individual islands. ************************  Recipe For Greek Salad These herbs grow in abundance and the bees which pollinate them, add flavour to the locally produced honey. Some of the islands consist of larva rock, which historically made it more difficult to produce certain vegetation with which to create tasty ancient Greek food. Nowadays, however, they can be sourced from other islands, or from the mainland, so it's much easier to acquire any produce that takes your fancy. Foreign cultures have influenced Greek cuisine, and this can be recognised often. For example, Gyros, which came from the Turkish cuisine of doner kebabs, probably from the Turkish invasion in the year 1453.
Foods such as the pomegranate are depicted in early Greek art, though it was a fruit that first originated from the east. Pomegranates are still to this day very symbolic in Greek festivities including weddings and religious occasions. The foods of ancient Greece were similar to foods we eat today, but did not include many that have become important parts of modern Greek cooking. For example, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and bananas didn't arrive in Greece until after the discovery of the Americas in the 15th century, because that's where those foods originated. Lemons, oranges, eggplant, and rice also arrived later. But the ancient Greek foods contributed to a varied diet. Vegetables, legumes, and fruit were the mainstay, and fish was a favourite. Hunting brought game to the menu. Ancient Greek Food Some of the foods eaten by ancient Greeks were: Vegetables
Fruit
Legumes
Fish & Seafood
Meat, Poultry & Game
Grains/Cereals
Herbs & Spices
Other Foods
Such was the importance of sailing and fishing that fish was a major part of the local diet of ancient Greek foods. Fish, shellfish, squid and eels were consumed in more or less any manner possible. The richer families may have extended their diet to caviar, oysters and turtles. Smoked fish was even imported from as far afield as the Black Sea and Spain. Meat was a far less common dish. At home you would have been more than happy to have sausages or hare. Any animal capable of producing food was valuable alive. Goats cheese, for example could be happily produced in great volume.
During the summer, fruits and vegetables were readily available - fresh. Fruits were eaten in all possible ways, while vegetables were preferable when well dressed. However, for over the winter people were advised to dry out and preserve them; a popular choice of ancient Greek food. Apparently, one manner of preserving a whole variety of fruits is to put them in honey, carefully ensuring that no one fruit touches another. To preserve green vegetables you only needed to put them in a receptacle treated with pitch. Seasonings of all sorts were imported. Garlic, onions and mustard were highly popular. And, as with today, olive groves grew in abundance. They were quite capable of supplying far beyond the reaches of Greece itself even then. Wine, too, was readily available and cheap. Each area, as today, produced its own distinct flavour. The Aegean islands, especially Lesbos and Chios, were said to be the best. The wine was transported in amphorae and was then strained through fine cloth prior to use, relieving it of the bitty sediments left in during production. Olympics | Philosophy | Government | Pottery | The Arts | Fashion | Jewelry | Food
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Sheep and pigs are kept by local farmers too. Poultry is left to roam in peace and the organic eggs are fresh and tasty. 
Eastern influences in Greek food came from the times of Alexander the Great who travelled the continents trying to conquer the world and make it part of his Greek Empire. 
Any kind of poultry, however, would not be out of place on a table. Pheasants, chickens, all were available.
