Taverna (in Greek ταβέρνα), is a word taken from the Latintaberna (in plural tabernae), meaning “shop” (see Roman taberna). The Latin word derived from tabula, meaning “table”.
The earliest evidence of a Greek restaurant was discovered at the Agora of Athens during excavations conducted by the American School of Classical Studies in the early 1970s.[1] Large quantities of cooking and eating utensils were found at the taverna such as plates, mixing bowls, lidded casseroles, spits for broiling meat, mortars for chopping and grinding, as well as a cooking bell and a variety of jugs.[1] Large amounts of fish bones and shellfish remains were also found, revealing the restaurant's offerings of oysters, mussels, murex, and large fish.[1] A nearby wine shop, possibly in association with the restaurant, served local Attic wine, as well as a wide variety of wines imported from Chios, Mende, Corinth, Samos and Lesbos.[1]
Establishments serving wine were also present in the Byzantine Empire, as evidenced by a 10th-century CE ordinance setting a curfew to prevent alcohol-induced "violence and rioting".[2]
Cuisineedit
A typical menu for a modern taverna often includes:
Appetizers or entrées like tzatziki (yogurt, garlic and cucumber dip), melitzanosalata (eggplant dip), tirokafteri (whipped feta cheese, with hot peppers and olive oil dip), spanakopita and dolmades or dolmadakia - (rice mixture with fresh herbs such as mint and parsley and sometimes pine nuts-and in some regions minced meat is added-tightly wrapped with tender grape leaves and served with a thick and creamy, lemony sauce)
Baked dishes (magirefta) including a wide variety of seasonal vegetable dishes such as moussaka (eggplant or zucchini, minced meat, and béchamel sauce)
Tavernes usually open at noon, with dinner hours starting at 20:00 and reaching a peak around 22:00.[3] As tourism has grown in Greece, many tavernes have attempted to cater to foreign visitors with English menus and touts or "shills" being employed in many tavernes to attract passing tourists. Similarly, tavernes in tourist areas pay commissions to tour guides who send business their way.[4]
In literature and artedit
The lead character in the play and film Shirley Valentine written by Willy Russell leaves her husband and family in Liverpool for a vacation where she has an affair with a waiter at the taverna and ends up working in the taverna.[5]
Galleryedit
A taverna in the Anemomilos district of Corfu town.
Choriatiki, a Greek salad typically served at a taverna.
Cox, Anthony (2001). Still Life in Crete: A Singular View. Parkland, FL: Universal Publishers. ISBN1-58112-691-3.
Dalby, Andrew (1996). Siren Feasts: A History of Food and Gastronomy in Greece. London and New York: Routledge. ISBN978-1-13-496985-2.
Hiestand, Emily (2003). "Lessons from the Taverna". In Haberger, Larry; O'Reilly, Sean; Alexander, Brian S. (eds.). Travelers' Tales Greece: True Stories. Travelers Tales. pp. 65–74. ISBN1-885211-99-6.
Riggs, Thomas (1999). Contemporary Dramatists (6th ed.). Detroit, MI: St. James Press. ISBN978-1-55-862371-2.
Shear, T. Leslie (1975). "The Athenian Agora: Excavations of 1973–1974" (PDF). Hesperia. 44 (4): 331–374. doi:10.2307/147506. JSTOR 147506.
Further readingedit
Stone, Tom (2002). The Summer of My Greek Taverna: A Memoir. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN978-0-74-324771-9.
External linksedit
Look up taverna in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Soc.Culture.Greek FAQ (Tourist Information)
January 09, 2024
taverna, other, uses, disambiguation, taverna, greek, ταβέρνα, small, greek, restaurant, that, serves, greek, cuisine, taverna, integral, part, greek, culture, become, familiar, people, from, other, countries, visit, greece, well, through, establishment, taver. For other uses see Taverna disambiguation A taverna Greek taberna is a small Greek restaurant that serves Greek cuisine The taverna is an integral part of Greek culture and has become familiar to people from other countries who visit Greece as well as through the establishment of tavernes tabernes plural in countries such as the United States and Australia by expatriate Greeks A taverna on the Greek island of Naxos Contents 1 Etymology and history 2 Cuisine 3 Operations 4 In literature and art 5 Gallery 6 See also 7 References 7 1 Citations 7 2 Sources 8 Further reading 9 External linksEtymology and history editTaverna in Greek taberna is a word taken from the Latin taberna in plural tabernae meaning shop see Roman taberna The Latin word derived from tabula meaning table The earliest evidence of a Greek restaurant was discovered at the Agora of Athens during excavations conducted by the American School of Classical Studies in the early 1970s 1 Large quantities of cooking and eating utensils were found at the taverna such as plates mixing bowls lidded casseroles spits for broiling meat mortars for chopping and grinding as well as a cooking bell and a variety of jugs 1 Large amounts of fish bones and shellfish remains were also found revealing the restaurant s offerings of oysters mussels murex and large fish 1 A nearby wine shop possibly in association with the restaurant served local Attic wine as well as a wide variety of wines imported from Chios Mende Corinth Samos and Lesbos 1 Establishments serving wine were also present in the Byzantine Empire as evidenced by a 10th century CE ordinance setting a curfew to prevent alcohol induced violence and rioting 2 Cuisine editA typical menu for a modern taverna often includes Bread usually loaf bread sometimes flat bread Meat such as lamb pork and beef Salads such as Greek salad Appetizers or entrees like tzatziki yogurt garlic and cucumber dip melitzanosalata eggplant dip tirokafteri whipped feta cheese with hot peppers and olive oil dip spanakopita and dolmades or dolmadakia rice mixture with fresh herbs such as mint and parsley and sometimes pine nuts and in some regions minced meat is added tightly wrapped with tender grape leaves and served with a thick and creamy lemony sauce Soups such as avgolemono egg lemon soup and fasolada beansoup Pasta such as spaghetti napolitano pastitsio baked layers of thick pasta and minced meat mixture topped with a thick bechamel sauce Fish and seafood dishes such as baked fresh fish fried salt cod served with skordalia garlic sauce fried squid and baby octopus Baked dishes magirefta including a wide variety of seasonal vegetable dishes such as moussaka eggplant or zucchini minced meat and bechamel sauce Grilled dishes such as souvlaki Wine including retsina mavrodafni and other Greek red white wine varieties Beer Spirits such as ouzo tsipouro and Metaxa brandy Fruit Desserts such as baklava galaktoboureko etc Operations editTavernes usually open at noon with dinner hours starting at 20 00 and reaching a peak around 22 00 3 As tourism has grown in Greece many tavernes have attempted to cater to foreign visitors with English menus and touts or shills being employed in many tavernes to attract passing tourists Similarly tavernes in tourist areas pay commissions to tour guides who send business their way 4 In literature and art editThe lead character in the play and film Shirley Valentine written by Willy Russell leaves her husband and family in Liverpool for a vacation where she has an affair with a waiter at the taverna and ends up working in the taverna 5 Gallery edit nbsp A taverna in the Anemomilos district of Corfu town nbsp Choriatiki a Greek salad typically served at a taverna See also edit nbsp Greece portal nbsp Food portalList of Greek restaurantsReferences editCitations edit a b c d Shear 1975 pp 356 357 Book of the Eparch 19 as quoted in Dalby 1996 Biscuits from Byzantium p 196 Hiestand 2003 p 65 Cox 2001 p 97 Riggs 1999 Willy Russell Sources edit Cox Anthony 2001 Still Life in Crete A Singular View Parkland FL Universal Publishers ISBN 1 58112 691 3 Dalby Andrew 1996 Siren Feasts A History of Food and Gastronomy in Greece London and New York Routledge ISBN 978 1 13 496985 2 Hiestand Emily 2003 Lessons from the Taverna In Haberger Larry O Reilly Sean Alexander Brian S eds Travelers Tales Greece True Stories Travelers Tales pp 65 74 ISBN 1 885211 99 6 Riggs Thomas 1999 Contemporary Dramatists 6th ed Detroit MI St James Press ISBN 978 1 55 862371 2 Shear T Leslie 1975 The Athenian Agora Excavations of 1973 1974 PDF Hesperia 44 4 331 374 doi 10 2307 147506 JSTOR 147506 Further reading editStone Tom 2002 The Summer of My Greek Taverna A Memoir New York Simon amp Schuster ISBN 978 0 74 324771 9 External links edit nbsp Look up taverna in Wiktionary the free dictionary Soc Culture Greek FAQ Tourist Information Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Taverna amp oldid 1184154909, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
