Now that temperature is rising, it’s good to have these ideas handy. A picnic is always a perfect opportunity to prepare something delicious. And of course is a perfect opportunity to relax and enjoy nature with your friends and family.

If picnic had rules, there would be these two:

1. Everything should be pre-prepared, in order to enjoy nature without worrying about anything else.
2. Every food should be eaten easily.

Trying to make your life a little bit easier, we thought of presenting you some interesting recipes for the so called Greek “mezethakia” aka finger food. These can make perfect appetizers at every occasion, they are ideal for a school or work lunch, and of course they are what you’ll need in case of picnic / excursion.

Dolmathes – Dolmathakia – Stuffed vine leaves

A world famous Greek snack, made with vine leaves stuffed with rice and herbs, cooked in the pot. Usually in Greece, we make dozens of them. It’s eaten both cold and warm, with lemony sauce or without. It’s eaten by hand, really fast and before you know it you are eating your fourth dolmathaki. That’s magic!

Ps. It’s not an easy recipe, and that’s the main reason why we make dozens of them, when we do.

You can find the recipe here:

http://www.mygreekdish.com/recipe/greek-dolmades-recipe-stuffed-vine-leaves/

Greek Salad

There is no such thing as inappropriate time to enjoy a Greek salad. Surely you’ll need a fridge to save it before you consume it, but the taste result will compensate you. You can cut all the vegetables, pack them into bowls with lid, and add the extra virgin olive oil on top, when you are ready to consume it. A clever alternative would be to prepare your salad by putting vegetable pieces on wooden sticks and make a salad skewer. Again, extra virgin olive oil must be applied right before you consume it.

2 large tomatoes
2 cucumbers
1 green pepper
1 onion in slices
6-8 Kalamata Olives
Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Feta cheese (1-2 medium pieces)
Oregano

How to:

First, cut in normal pieces all of the vegetables. Then mix them well. Add the feta cheese and the Kalamata Olives. Drizzle with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, and add a pinch of oregano. In case you make them skewers (remember: finger food) be sure to chop them into bite – pieces, and not drizzle them with anything until it’s time to be eaten, otherwise they will soak and lose their fresh crunch.

Pies

Yummy in pieces. A homemade pie is the essence of comfort food. You can prepare a large baking pan, so you will enjoy your pie for a few days. There are so many Greek recipes for pies that you’ll be amazed. In a previous post we have gathered some of the most unique ones that also have a local character, so here’s a main idea of what we’re talking about:

• Mpoureki from Chania
• Ladenia from Kimolos
• Cheese pie from Skopelos
• Mpougatsa from Thessaloniki
• Kreatopita from Kefallonia

Fried Meatballs – Keftedakia

The ultimate meaty finger food of Greece is present in every occasion, whether it’s a birthday party, a family dinner or a picnic. Keftedakia is a very famous Greek recipe, made with ground meat and herbs. They are delicious, aromatic and eaten by hand. They are enjoyed both warm and cool, and usually they are made in dozens, because everyone eating meat, seems to enjoy them much.

You can find the recipe here:

http://www.greek-olive-oil.com/greekmeatballsrecipe.html

Olive bread / Fresh Bread with Olive tapenade

If you like Greek Olives then this is a must. You can either prepare from the previous day many olive bread rolls, or alternatively you can bring fresh warm bread, and bring along your homemade olive tapenade in order to spread it on.

Olive bread recipe:

http://kalamataolivesgreek.com/olivebreadrecipe.html

Olive paste / tapenade recipe:

http://kalamataolivesgreek.com/olivespatepasterecipe.html

Greek appetizers are very common in our daily diet, in our dinners, in taverns and in restaurants. It’s a perfect way to explore more tastes and add variety to your dishes. Greek appetizers are offered for a finger food occasion, whether it’s a party or a casual picnic. Feel free to explore more Greek recipes, and learn more about Greek products here:

http://www.greekbrands.com