I'd have to agree with you that the quality of ingredients contributes significantly to the quality of the end product and this this would have to influence people's opinion of Greek food wherever they experience it - we (two chefs of Greek background) had Greek restaurants in Australia for several years and were often complimented by Greeks saying our food was better than what they had recently experienced in Greece. By the same token, there are lots of types of vegetables (especially leafy ones) that Greeks eat that are not unavailable in commercial quantities in Australia, so if your experience of Greek cuisine is restaurant-based you're not likely to get to try them, some dishes just don't keep well for service in a commercial setting, some dishes are way too intricate to produce on a large scale, and some ingredients are too damn expensive! I agree with what you said about the setting, etc contributing to the whole dining experience - some of my most memorable meals in Greece have been more about the the company, the ouzo and the scenery than the grilled goat chops, salad and bread. I wonder though about why people having this burning need to rate cuisines one over the other using a scale based on the 'refinement' of the dishes and/or the 'purity' of the culture. Greeks have an amazing history that includes contact with their neighbours, as do many cultural groups, and this is bound to have an effect on the food they eat. Does evolution of a cuisine render it of any less value? In my opinion, Greek cuisine varies as much as French cuisine does. Do we question the origins of French dishes originating from areas close to the Spanish/German borders? And find me two Greeks who agree on the finer details of how to make one of the dishes they consider to be traditionally Greek... Just a note...Greeks eat a number of kinds of bread other than pita so why do people think it not authentic to be served 'bread' in a Greek restaurant. I think it's interesting when people not of a particular culture dictate what's authentic within that culture's cuisine and what's not. I once had a heated dsicussion with a restaurant critic who commented in a revue of our restaurant that he didn't think serving potato with Greek food was very authentic...go to Greece and see if you don't get potatoes with meals - sometimes you even get potatoes with your rice!!
