Pitta Bread
M&S 8 traditional pittas, 460g, 89p
A pitta of two halves. Cardboard-chewy on one side; light, fluffy and moreish on the other.
***
Asda 6 white pittas, 39p
A good bit of pitta. Fluffy and pleasant to eat.
***
Morrisons 6 white pittas, 39p
Does the job but that's about all.
*
Waitrose 6 white pittas, 45p Well-seasoned but why get that right if eating it is like chewing shoe leather?
no stars
Dina 6 white pittas, 380g approx £1.09, from World of Food at House of Fraser
Crumbly. Brittle. Not good. Bad, in fact.
no stars
Taramsalata
Sainsbury's, 350g, £1.39
More lemony than the rest and that lifts it to the top of the pile. Great.
*****
Marks & Spencer, 283g, £1.39
This is exactly what you would get in a taverna in Greece. A real fishiness there, which is what we want.
****
Tesco, 170g, 67p
Quite mild and gentle. Almost a little too creamy, but OK for all that.
***
Waitrose, Supreme, 170g, £1.49
The fish roe lacks depth.
**
World of Food, 170g, £1.09
Nasty, acrid taste and a nasty, artificial pink colour.
no stars
Tzatziki
Somerfield, 170g, 89p
In a poor field this wins, with a refreshing yoghurt bite and real cucumber. Could do with more garlic.
***
San Amvrosia Health Foods Greek Style Tzatziki, 200g, £1.95 , from Harvey Nichols and selected shops
No balance between salt and acidity.
*
Morrisons, 170g, 75p
It has the cucumber crunch but this is far too salty.
*
Co-op, 170g, 99p
Weird, thick texture and an industrial, manufactured taste.
no stars
Asda good for you!, 170g, 67p
Horrid. Shouldn't carry the noble name tzatziki.
no stars
Feta Cheese
Helios, 200g, approx 99p , available from Aldi
There are Greek hands involved in the making of this. Creamy, not too salty and a taste of goats' milk.
***
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference, 250g, £1.99
A nice texture and it's not too salty, but it lacks character.
**
Harvey Nichols, £14.95/kg
A block of salty milk. Disappointing.
*
Pittas matured feta cheese, 250g, approx £1.90, www.johnpasc.co.uk (020 8452 0707) and Sainsbury's
One mark for creaminess, but for nothing else.
*
Dodoni-feta, 200g, approx £1.50, www.johnpasc.co.uk
Bog-standard. No developing flavour. Put it in a pie.
*
Houmous
Orexis, 170g, £1.09, available from World of Food at House of Fraser
This has the crushed chickpea texture we were looking for.
****
San Amvrosia Health Foods , 228g, approx £1.75, available from Harvey Nichols
A pleasant chickpea flavour and not too heavy on the lemon.
***
Tesco, 170g, 67p
Far too lemony. We're fighting to find chickpea flavour in here.
**
Asda, 170g, 67p
Tastes of citric acid, not fresh lemon. Unpleasant.
*
Marks & Spencer, 283g, £1.39
Very, very lemony. Indeed, that's all we're getting. Also lacks texture.
*
Greek Yoghurt
Total, 200g, from 89p, widely available
This is a good yoghurt. It has real body and heft.
****
Asda, 450g, 83p
Very creamy and almost sweet. Not really a Greek yogurt but not bad for all that.
***
Marks & Spencer, 454g, £1.39
The flavour's not bad but where's the heft? This is thin and insipid.
*
Pittas Mediterranean, 475g, approx £1.70, www.johnpasc.co.uk
It has a good texture but it's so terribly bland.
*
Morrisons, 500g, 89p
So thin we could eat this through a straw. Not Greek yoghurt in any way.
no stars
Extra virgin olive oil
Iliada, 500ml, £4.99, available from Sainsbury's
A rich smell and a smooth pepperiness at the end. Coats your mouth. Very, very good.
*****
Tesco finest extra virgin, 500ml, £2.82
A good characterful aftertaste which is long-lasting and a gentle pepperiness to finish.
****
Harvey Nichols cold pressed extra virgin olive oil, 1 litre, £8.75
Good, deep olive colour and a reasonable pepperiness, but not at its best.
***
Gaea Sitia, Crete D.O.P 500ml, £4.39, available from Waitrose and Tesco and independent stores
Nice, light perfume but a bland aftertaste.
**
Minerva extra virgin olive oil, 500ml, approx £2.40, www.johnpasc.co.uk
Bland and no warmth of fruit coming through.
**
Drink - OFM's expert drink taster is Alan Holmes, head sommelier at Pétrus at the Berkley
Greek white wine
2003 Santorini, 730ml, £9.50, from Fortnum & Mason
Lemony aroma beefed up with toasted bread and yeast characteristics. Deeply satisfying.
****
2003 Estate Biblia Chora Zefiros, 750ml, £9.99, from Marks & Spencer
Green apple, pears and pink grapefruit combine nicely on the nose.
***
2002 Estate Biblia Chora Ovilos , 750ml, £10.50, from Fortnum & Mason
Heavy-handed toasted oak characteristics mask what could be a softly spiced, citrussy wine. But isn't.
**
2003 Gaia Notios, 750ml, £6.79, from Oddbins
Floral aromas appears as you approach the glass, but, a short and sharp finish.
**
Retsina of Attica Kourtaki, 750ml, £3.69, from Sainsbury's
Starts with a herbaceous cleanliness, before the oiliness of pine resin kicks in. Heavy drinking. no stars
Greek red wine
2003 Gaia Notios, 750ml, £7.69, Oddbins
Spicy smell of blackcurrant, prunes and cinnamon.Palate is soft, sweet oak.
****
2003 Evangelo, 750ml, £9.99, from Marks & Spencer
Tobacco and bramble berry fruits on the nose. Palate has dense tannins. May benefit from being opened in advance.
***
2001 Argilos Nemea, 750ml, £8.95, from Berry Bros
Asiatic spices burst out of this decidedly savoury wine. Palate is a summer pudding of sweet blackberries and currants.
***
2002 Amethystos, 750ml, £10.99, from Oddbins
Palate starts smooth but finishes with an acidic bite of unripened plums.
**
Mavrodaphne of patras kourtaki, 750ml, approx £4.50, widely available
This sweet wine has burnt strawberry jam aromas and there's an aggressive finish. Not nice.
no stars
