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Souvlaki (Greek
Modern Greek

Modern Greek refers the varieties of Greek spoken in the modern era. The beginning of the "modern" period of the language is often symbolically assigned to the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453, even though that date marks no clear linguistic boundary and many characteristic modern features of the language had been present centuries earli...
: ) or souvlakia is a popular Greek fast food
Fast food

File:2008-0614-In-N-Out-burgsfries.jpgFast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with low quality preparation and served to the customer in a packaged form for Tak...
 consisting of small pieces of meat and sometimes vegetables grilled on a skewer
Skewer

A skewer is a thin metal or wood stick used to hold small pieces of food together. Skewers are used while grilling or roasting meats, and in other culinary applications....
. It may be served on the skewer for eating out of hand, in a pita
Pita

Pita is an often round, brown, wheat flatbread made with yeast.Similar to other double-layered flatbread or pocket breads, pita is traditional in many Middle Eastern cuisine and Mediterranean cuisines....
 sandwich
Sandwich

A sandwich is a food item made of one or more slices of bread with one or more layers of a filling. The bread can be used as is, or it can be coated with butter, vegetable oil, mustard or other condiments to enhance flavour and texture....
 with garnishes and sauces, or on a dinner plate ready for insertion, often with fried potatoes
French fries

French fries , chips , fries, or French-fried potatoes are thin strips of potato that have been deep-frying. A distinction is sometimes made between fries and chips; whereby North Americans sometimes refer to any elongated pieces of fried potatoes as fries, while in the UK, long slices of potatoes are sometimes called '...
 or pilaf
Pilaf

Pilaf, also called polao, pilau, or pulao, is a dish in which a grain, such as rice or cracked wheat, is browned in oil, and then cooked in a seasoned broth....
. The meat is traditionally pork
Pork

Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig . The word, pork, is often meant to denote specifically the fresh meat of the pig, but it can be used as an all-inclusive term, to include cured, smoked, or processed meats It is one of the most-commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig animal husbandry dating back...
 in Greece and Cyprus, or in modern times increasingly chicken
Chicken

The chicken is a Domestication fowl. Recent evidence suggests that domestication of the chicken was under way in Vietnam over 10,000 years ago....
. In other countries and for tourists, souvlaki may be made with other meats such as beef
Beef

Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle . Beef is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of Australia, European cuisine and the Americas, and is also important in Africa, East Asia, and Southeast Asia....
, lamb
Domestic sheep

Domestic sheep are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates....
 and sometimes fish
Fish

A fish is any marine biology vertebrate animal that is typically ectothermic , covered with scale , and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins....
 (especially swordfish
Swordfish

Swordfish , also known as Broadbill in some countries, are large, highly migratory, predatory fish characterized by a long, flat bill. They are a popular sport fish, though elusive....
).

The terminology of souvlaki and its variants is confusing and inconsistent.






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Souvlaki (Greek
Modern Greek

Modern Greek refers the varieties of Greek spoken in the modern era. The beginning of the "modern" period of the language is often symbolically assigned to the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453, even though that date marks no clear linguistic boundary and many characteristic modern features of the language had been present centuries earli...
: ) or souvlakia is a popular Greek fast food
Fast food

File:2008-0614-In-N-Out-burgsfries.jpgFast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with low quality preparation and served to the customer in a packaged form for Tak...
 consisting of small pieces of meat and sometimes vegetables grilled on a skewer
Skewer

A skewer is a thin metal or wood stick used to hold small pieces of food together. Skewers are used while grilling or roasting meats, and in other culinary applications....
. It may be served on the skewer for eating out of hand, in a pita
Pita

Pita is an often round, brown, wheat flatbread made with yeast.Similar to other double-layered flatbread or pocket breads, pita is traditional in many Middle Eastern cuisine and Mediterranean cuisines....
 sandwich
Sandwich

A sandwich is a food item made of one or more slices of bread with one or more layers of a filling. The bread can be used as is, or it can be coated with butter, vegetable oil, mustard or other condiments to enhance flavour and texture....
 with garnishes and sauces, or on a dinner plate ready for insertion, often with fried potatoes
French fries

French fries , chips , fries, or French-fried potatoes are thin strips of potato that have been deep-frying. A distinction is sometimes made between fries and chips; whereby North Americans sometimes refer to any elongated pieces of fried potatoes as fries, while in the UK, long slices of potatoes are sometimes called '...
 or pilaf
Pilaf

Pilaf, also called polao, pilau, or pulao, is a dish in which a grain, such as rice or cracked wheat, is browned in oil, and then cooked in a seasoned broth....
. The meat is traditionally pork
Pork

Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig . The word, pork, is often meant to denote specifically the fresh meat of the pig, but it can be used as an all-inclusive term, to include cured, smoked, or processed meats It is one of the most-commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig animal husbandry dating back...
 in Greece and Cyprus, or in modern times increasingly chicken
Chicken

The chicken is a Domestication fowl. Recent evidence suggests that domestication of the chicken was under way in Vietnam over 10,000 years ago....
. In other countries and for tourists, souvlaki may be made with other meats such as beef
Beef

Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle . Beef is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of Australia, European cuisine and the Americas, and is also important in Africa, East Asia, and Southeast Asia....
, lamb
Domestic sheep

Domestic sheep are quadrupedal, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Like all ruminants, sheep are members of the order Artiodactyla, the even-toed ungulates....
 and sometimes fish
Fish

A fish is any marine biology vertebrate animal that is typically ectothermic , covered with scale , and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins....
 (especially swordfish
Swordfish

Swordfish , also known as Broadbill in some countries, are large, highly migratory, predatory fish characterized by a long, flat bill. They are a popular sport fish, though elusive....
).

The terminology of souvlaki and its variants is confusing and inconsistent. Depending on the context, the term 'souvlaki' by itself may refer to any of the variants. In some regions and some restaurants, the name shish kebab is used to denote a particular variant of souvlaki (e.g. with vegetables on the skewer), but it is essentially a synonym.

The word souvlaki is a diminutive
Diminutive

In language structure, a diminutive, or diminutive form, is a formation of a word used to convey a slight degree of the root meaning, smallness of the object or quality named, encapsulation, intimacy, or endearment....
 of souvla (skewer), itself ultimately derived from the Latin subula (awl).

History

Souvlaki is attested in Greece since antiquity
Ancient Greece

The term Ancient Greece refers to the period of History of Greece lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca. 1100 BC and the Dorian invasion, to 146 BC and the Roman Republic conquest of Greece after the Battle of Corinth ....
 and it was known with the name ?ße??s??? (obeliskos), dim. of ?ße??? (obelos), "spit", mentioned amongst others in the works of Aristophanes
Aristophanes

Aristophanes , son of Philippus, of the deme Cydathenaus, was a prolific and much acclaimed comedy playwright of ancient Athens. Eleven of his forty plays have come down to us virtually complete....
 ("Acharnians" 1007, "Clouds" 178, "Wasps" 354, "Birds" 388, 672), Xenophon
Xenophon

Xenophon , son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, also known as Xenophon of Athens and Xenophon of Thebes, was a soldier, mercenary and a contemporary and admirer of Socrates....
 ("Hellenica" HG3.3.7), Aristotle
Aristotle

Aristotle was a Greeks philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. He wrote on many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, Poetics , theater, music, logic, rhetoric, politics, government, ethics, biology and zoology....
 ("Politics" 1324b19), etc. A meat and bread recipe which resembles the way pita souvlaki is served today, with pita bread was also attested by Athenaeus in The Deipnosophists and called the plate kandaulos. However it is likely that the skewed meat, souvlaki-like recipe has existed as a favourite in ancient Greece since at least Archaic times, as the earliest references are attested in Homer
Homer

Homer is traditionally held to be the author of the ancient Greek language epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey, as well as of the Homeric Hymns....
 .

Kalamaki


Kalamaki (little
Diminutive

In language structure, a diminutive, or diminutive form, is a formation of a word used to convey a slight degree of the root meaning, smallness of the object or quality named, encapsulation, intimacy, or endearment....
 reed
Reed (plant)

Reed is a generic botanical term used to describe numerous tall, grass-like plants of wet places, often forming reed beds, including:In the Poaceae family:...
) is a synonym for souvlaki proper in Athens
Athens

Athens , the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery; as one of the List of cities by time of continuous habitation, its recorded history spans around 3,400 years....
, in order to differientate it from other forms of souvlaki.

For kalamaki, the meat is cubed into 1-inch chunks, marinated overnight in lemon juice and olive oil along with Greek herbs and spices such as oregano
Oregano

Oregano or is a species of Origanum, native to Europe, the Mediterranean region and southern and central Asia. It is a perennial plant herb, growing to 20-80 cm tall, with opposite leaf 1-4 cm long....
, mint
Mentha

Mentha is a genus of about 25 species of flowering plants in the Family Lamiaceae . Species within Mentha have a cosmopolitan distribution distribution across Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and North America....
, thyme
Thyme

Thyme is a well known herb; in common usage the name may refer to* any or all members of the plant genus Thymus ,* common thyme, Thymus vulgaris, and some other species that are used as culinary herbs or for medicinal purposes....
, etc., in a pinch. Then it is skewered on wooden skewers (the "little reeds"), broiled over charcoal, and generously salt
Salt

A salt, in chemistry, is defined as the product formed from the neutralisation reaction of acids and base . Salts are ionic compounds composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically electric charge ....
ed and pepper
Black pepper

Black pepper is a flowering plant vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning....
ed.

Since in Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki , Thessalonica, or Salonica is the List of largest cities and second largest cities by country in Greece and the capital of Macedonia , the nation's largest Regions of Greece....
 different terminology is used: the word kalamaki is derided since it is called consistently and properly a souvlaki; a joke suggests that any Athenian visiting Thessaloniki, ask for a kalamaki he will be mockingly given a drinking straw (also called "kalamaki").

Souvlaki-merida


Merida means portion. While souvlaki/kalamaki is eaten plain on hand as a fast food, it is also served as a full plate, served with rice, salad, sauce, and pita
Pita

Pita is an often round, brown, wheat flatbread made with yeast.Similar to other double-layered flatbread or pocket breads, pita is traditional in many Middle Eastern cuisine and Mediterranean cuisines....
 bread. Usually it consists of the ingredients of a souvlaki-pita (see below), but laid out on a plate, instead of wrapped together for take-out.
Souvlaki Platter

Pita

Pita
Pita

Pita is an often round, brown, wheat flatbread made with yeast.Similar to other double-layered flatbread or pocket breads, pita is traditional in many Middle Eastern cuisine and Mediterranean cuisines....
 is a form of unleavened flat round bread with a diameter of approximately 15 cm, used to wrap souvlaki or gyros. It comes pre-baked and will additionally be grilled on the meat drippings just before serving, unless the customer requires that it be not.

Souvlaki-pita

This course consists of souvlaki meat garnished with sliced tomato
Tomato

The Tomato is an herbaceous, usually sprawling plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family, as are its close cousins Nicotiana, potatoes, aubergine , chilli peppers, and the poisonous Atropa belladonna....
es and onion
Onion

Onion is a term used for many plants in the genus Allium. They are known by the common name "onion" but, used without qualifiers, it usually refers to Allium cepa....
s, sauced with tzatziki
Tzatziki

Tzatziki, tzadziki, or tsatsiki is a Greek cuisine meze or appetizer, also used as a sauce for souvlaki and gyros. Tzatziki is made of strained yoghurt with cucumbers, garlic, salt, usually olive oil, black pepper, dill, sometimes lemon juice and parsley, or mentha added....
, and wrapped in a lightly grilled pita. When chicken is used instead of pork meat, tzatziki and onions are replaced with a special sauce and lettuce
Lettuce

Lettuce is a temperate annual plant or biennial plant of the daisy family Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable. In many countries, it is typically eaten cold, raw, in salads, hamburgers, tacos, and in many other dishes....
 to be compatible with its taste; Various other garnishes and sauce
Sauce

In cooking, a sauce is liquid or sometimes semi-solid food served on or used in preparing other foods. Sauces are not normally consumed by themselves; they add flavor, moisture, and visual appeal to another dish....
s are possible, including shredded lettuce
Lettuce

Lettuce is a temperate annual plant or biennial plant of the daisy family Asteraceae. It is most often grown as a leaf vegetable. In many countries, it is typically eaten cold, raw, in salads, hamburgers, tacos, and in many other dishes....
, paprika
Paprika

Paprika is a spice made from the grinding of many dried sweet red or green bell peppers . In many European countries, the word paprika also refers to bell peppers themselves....
, fried potatoes
French fries

French fries , chips , fries, or French-fried potatoes are thin strips of potato that have been deep-frying. A distinction is sometimes made between fries and chips; whereby North Americans sometimes refer to any elongated pieces of fried potatoes as fries, while in the UK, long slices of potatoes are sometimes called '...
, ketchup
Ketchup

Ketchup, also known as tomato ketchup, tomato sauce, red sauce is a condiment, usually made from tomatoes. The primary ingredients in a typical modern ketchup are tomato concentrate, spirit vinegar, milk, corn syrup, or other sugar, edible salt, spice and herb extracts , spice and garlic powder....
, and mustard, though these are considered heretical by purists. It is also called pita-kalamaki. Any of these components may not be included, at the request of the customer. Hungry customers may occasionally request a two-pita wrapping (diplopito) and/or a double meat serving (dikalamo).

In Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki , Thessalonica, or Salonica is the List of largest cities and second largest cities by country in Greece and the capital of Macedonia , the nation's largest Regions of Greece....
 any pita-wrapped souvlaki is referred to as a "sandwich", with its desired ingredients (meat and its method of preparation, plus each and every condiment) meticulously listed by the customer each time.

Gyros-pita

Similar to souvlaki pita. The souvlaki is replaced by gyros
Gyros

This article is about the food dish. For other uses, see Gyro.Gyros or gyro is a Greek dish of Turkish origin, consisting of meat , tomato, onion, and tzatziki sauce, and is served with pita bread....
 (kebab usually made of pork or chicken). This is also nicknamed souvlaki in common speech due to its resemblance to the above, and because gyros meat is rotated on a mechanical skewer; despite this, it is never ordered as souvlaki to the waiter or server, to avoid confusion.

Gyros-merida

Like souvlaki merida, gyros merida is the ingredients of a gyros-pita, served on a plate. Replace kalamaki with gyros. Gyros merida is the only related plate that is never called souvlaki.

Cypriot Souvlaki

In Cyprus, a local variant of Souvlaki exists, named Souvla.

A large pita, consisting of pork or chicken souvlaki and sheftalia
Sheftalia

Sheftalia is a traditional Cyprus food. It is a type of cr?pinette, a sausage without skin, that uses caul fat, or omentum, the membrane that surrounds the stomach of pig or Lamb_and_mutton, to wrap the ingredients rather than sausage casing....
, with tomatoes and cucumbers and white cabbage mixed within. Many seem to think lettuce is added, this is rarely the case, and only for tourists. Raw onion and parsley are very popular with souvlakia in Cyprus, as are pickled green chili peppers. Like all grilled meat dishes in Cyprus, souvlakia and sheftalies (the correct plural) are always accompanied by fresh lemon halves or quarters, and plain thick yoghurt or tzatziki are very popular accompaniments too.

The Pita in which souvlakia and sheftalies are served is a little thicker than the flat pita available in other countries.

External links