Four Greek Delicacies Among the Top Foods of the World for 2022

Four Greek delicacies have made it to the top 50 foods of the world for 2022 according to TasteAtlas, an experiential travel guide for traditional food.

According to the votes of food enthusiasts and travelers, the top delicacy in the world is Japanese curry. Served in three main forms: curry over rice, curry udon, and curry bread is one of the most popular dishes in Japan.

Second place belongs to Picanha, a cut of beef from Brazil and in third place is Ameijoas à Bulhão Pato from Portugal, a recipe of steamed clams, and a dressing of garlic, olive oil, coriander, lemon, and white wine.

Four Greek delicacies in the top 50 world foods for 2022

There are four Greek delicacies that are included in the list of TasteAtlas that collates authentic recipes, food critic reviews, and research articles about popular ingredients and dishes.

They are:

Paidakia

Ribs of lamb or ‘Greek lamb chops’ is a popular delicacy in Greece. In most restaurants, you will find the rack of lamb ‘frenched’, where the rib bones are exposed by cutting off the fat and meat covering them for better presentation. But that’s not how the Greeks like their lamb.

Most Greek recipes call for the lamb to be cut into small rib chops, called ‘paidakia’ also called ‘Greek lamb chops’. A rack of lamb is the entire set of ribs (usually 8) and these small ribs (paidakia) can be purchased and served “single cut” (with one rib bone) or “double cut” when too small.

Gyros

Greece’s most popular fast food delicacy, gyros (with the correct pronunciation being ”yee-ros”) are something that you cannot easily forget after a visit to Greece.

The name literally means ”round” or “loop” and many theories exist about the origin of gyros. Is it just a Greek variation of the globally known Turkish kebab? Or could it date back to ancient times, when the army of Alexander the Great was known to skewer and roast various cuts of meat on long swords over an open fire?

The spicy taste of the slow-cooked meat, combined with fresh tomatoes, onions and Greek yogurt, made this wrapped delicacy popular from the very first moment of its inception.

Mainly made with pork or beef, new variations have emerged with chicken, fish, seafood or even vegan alternatives for those who don’t eat meat.

Giouvetsi

Giouvetsi, yiouvetsi, or youvetsi is a Greek dish made with chicken, lamb or beef and pasta, either kritharaki or hilopites, and tomato sauce.

Other common ingredients include onions/shallots, garlic, beef stock, and red wine. It is characteristically baked in a clay pot and served with grated cheese.

Paula Wolfert, an American author of nine books on cooking and the winner of numerous cookbook awards, called it “one of the most famous of all Greek Island lamb dishes.”

Bakaliaros

The battered-fried salted cod is the traditional food Greeks eat on the 25th of March, the anniversary of Greek Indepepndence Day.

Try bakaliaros coated with beer batter and then fried and you will have the most crispy and delicious cod ever that you won’t be able to resist devouring more and more bites

The top 50 dishes from around the world according to the TasteAtlas are as follows: