...Greek Salad...

A question that I ask myself every morning, while sipping away at my coffee, is "What shall I cook today?" It's the time of year when everyone is out and about, and so lunchtime is probably the only time everyone gets together to eat. Now, I am no master cook, but I like to have a meal ready for lunch, but what to cook? Greek cuisine is tremendous, and as I look through my recipe book, scouring for ideas, I stop at every picture. The "yemista" (stuffed tomatoes and peppers) look really tasty, but I have little time. What about "fakes" (lentil soup)? But no, not pulses again today. Suddenly the Greek Salad catches my eye. Every meal here is always accompanied by a salad. Then I think of the tourists who eat it as a light lunch. Well, why not. It is filling. Light and filling...just like a Greek family. The ripe, juicy tomatoes make up the biggest part of the salad. They could easily symbolise the mother, the figure who is the biggest part of our lives...mature, constant, full of love, full of the juices of life. Next is the cucumber...just like the children...fresh, tingly sometimes bittersweet. A sprinkle of onions and peppers here and there, grandpa and grandma...sharp, spicy sometimes bringing tears to our eyes. Feta cheese, our visitors...adding a smooth, dairy touch to all those vegetables. Last but not least, the olives, our father figure, only a few, but adding a touch of pride and heritage to our small family. The roots of our family...the roots of our country in those olives. Dark, mysterious, they remind us of the hard work that goes into family life. They are the essential part of the salad, making it different from other salads, making us stand out from the others. So today, salad is on the menu...after thinking about all this I really don't have time to make anything else!!!!!!!