The ancient Greeks had a decidedly more complex palate when it came to sauces than do their contemporary heirs. In today’s Greek kitchen, sauces and dressings tend to be relatively simple and easy to prepare.

Avgolemono.  This is the fundamental Greek sauce-liaison, used to flavor all sorts of dishes, from soups to stews to stuffed, rolled vegetables. It is made by beating eggs and fresh lemon juice together, adding to that hot pot juices, then pouring the mixture back into the pot in which the food to be sauced has cooked.

Greek Tomato Sauces. These tend to be relatively aromatic, often seasoned with cinnamon.

Greek meat sauce. This is the ground meat sauce that goes into dishes such as pastitsio and moussaka. It is also strongly perfumed with cinnamon, allspice and other aromatic spices.

Bechamel.         The classic roux-based white sauce is used to top dishes such as pastitsio and moussaka, and also as an accompaniment to certain foods such as cabbage dolmathes.

Latholemono. This is the classic olive oil-and-lemon dressing that is one of the basic dressings for salads, fish and other foods.

Lathoxido.         Similar to latholemono, but made with vinegar, not lemon juice.