The World Taste Atlas has ranked five Greek dips among the world's 50 best, with only fellow eastern Mediterranean country Lebanon having an equal number to Greece represented.
Lebanese dips however edge out their Greek counterparts, with Toum taking top spot whilst Tzatziki is ranked #5.
Skordalia (#21), Tirokafteri (#24), Fava (#34) and Melitzanosalata (#38) were Greece's other representatives, whilst Lebanon had Mutabal (#7), Hummus Beiruti (#15), Hummus Kawarma (#16), Baba Ghanoush (#17).
Tzatziki:
According to TasteAtlas, "Tzatziki is a Greek concoction made from yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, and numerous herbs and spices such as dill, mint, or parsley. It is usually served as a sauce accompanying many meat dishes, as a simple dip, or an appetizer. Its name is derived from the Turkish word cacik, denoting a very similar dip, although some suspect that tzatziki was derived from the Indian raita dip.
"Tzatziki is always served cold, and it is especially popular to serve it with dishes such as gyros and souvlaki. Often, it is served with pita bread as part of the first course of a big meal. With its huge popularity, and the fact that it is one of the best summer dips, it is not strange that there are many regional variations of tzatziki, in countries such as Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Cyprus, Bulgaria, and Serbia."
Skordalia
"Skordalia is a flavorful Greek dish made from a combination of mashed potatoes, olive oil, vinegar, raw garlic, and almonds. The dish is usually served as a spread or a dip, either at room temperature or chilled, when it is typically paired with warm pita bread.
"Due to its intense garlicky flavors, skordalia is also often served as an accompaniment to various fish or vegetable dishes.
Tirokafteri
"This creamy Greek dipping sauce is usually prepared with a combination of feta cheese, milk or yogurt, hot peppers, olive oil, and vinegar. Although it is a traditional dish, it is regionally influenced and may contain anything from roasted red peppers to other types of cheese.
"Tirokafteri is a standard Greek appetizer and a typical meze dish that is usually accompanied by warm pita bread.
Fava
"Though it only uses a few ingredients, Greek fava dip is an incredibly flavorful dish. It consists of yellow split peas that are cooked alongside onions and various spices until they completely disintegrate and transform into a creamy, velvety purée.
"It is believed that the name of the dish stems from the Latin word favus, meaning broad beans or fava beans, though they are never used in the production of this creamy dip. Fava is found in numerous taverns throughout the country, and it is usually enjoyed as a meze dish, traditionally served topped with diced onions and a drizzle of olive oil.
Melitzanosalata
"This classic Greek dip typically combines grilled eggplant, garlic, and olive oil into a creamy and flavorful dish that is mainly enjoyed as a part of meze—traditional meal service comprised of a selection of small dishes. Although simple, it is incredibly versatile and is often elevated with additional ingredients such as groundnuts, cheese, different vegetables, and a variety of fresh herbs and spices.
"It is typically garnished with parsley and a drizzle of olive oil, then paired with a crispy, rustic bread.
READ MORE: TasteAtlas Awards: Greek Cuisine Ranked Third-Best in the World, Behind Italy and Japan.
