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Macedonian cuisine is the cuisine of the region of Macedonia in northern Greece. Contemporary Greek Macedonian cooking shares much with general Greek and wider Balkan and Mediterranean cuisine, including dishes from the Ottoman tradition.
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Ancient and Byzantine period
The letters of Lynceus of Samos include reference to a Macedonian dish organized by Lamia of Athens for her lover Demetrius I Poliorcetes. A constant factor across the centuries has been seafood and meats. In the wedding feast by Caranus referred in Hippolochus's letter, around 4th or 3rd century BC, we find grilled fish, eggs, oysters, orioles and a host of roasted delicacies. All supplemented with wine and half naked female flutists. The Byzantine era introduced further dishes.
Modern period
A continuation from ancient days are dishes such as lamb cooked with quince or various vegetables and fruits, goat boiled or fried in olive oil: modern recipes from Kavala to Kastoria and Kozani offer lamb with quince, pork with celery or leeks.
The arrival of Greek refugees from Asia Minor and Constantinople in the 20th century brought anatolian and Constantinopolitan elements in the cuisine of the region.
Some current specialties are trahanas with crackling, phyllo-based pies (cheese, leek, spinach) and wild boar. Favourites are tyrokafteri (Macedonian spicy cheese spread), soupies krasates (cuttlefishes in wine), mydia yiachni (mussel stew). Unlike Athens, the traditional pita bread for the popular souvlaki is not grilled but fried. The variety of sweets has been particularly enriched with the arrival of the refugees. (Information included from 'Greek Gastronomy', GNTO, 2004)