a coffee roaster

I’m writing this post to share my passion for this “way” of making coffee which is simmered/brewed, unfiltered and if made properly, you may may indeed begin to make it for yourself or friends. Some good times have been had around the table with Greek coffee…sipping and chatting with my Papou (grandfather), enjoyed some sunrises and sunsets with Greek coffee and I’ve had my fortune told by aunts who tip the cups and read the coffee grounds! In Greece, the ritual of drinking Greek coffee usually occurs twice a day. The first Greek coffee is sipped in the morning as a jolt to wake up the morning and the second jolt comes after waking up from the afternoon siesta.

dark and light roast Greek coffee

Greek coffee can be strong in flavour but not necessarily in caffeine. Much like any other coffee – it all depends on your blend and or type of coffee used. In the coffee world there is light roast and dark roast. Light roast actually will give you a milder tasting coffee but there will also be more caffeine present. A dark roast (my preference) means the flavour of your coffee will be bolder but there the roasting reduces the caffeine in the coffee.

a "gazaki"

To make Greek coffee, you’ll need a briki (vessel to boil the coffee), demi-tasse cups,  cold water, sugar and of course, the coffee. Greek coffee can be made in four different ways. It can be sketos (without sugar, strong and bitter), metrios (medium, usually with half teaspoonful of sugar), glykys or vari glykos (almost honey-sweet) and glykys vrastos – sweet but boiled more then once so it loses most of its froth.

The most common way to boil your coffee is on your stove-top but the camping-style “gazaki” has become very popular and there are some fancy looking ones that come in brass and silver. Most are impatient to get that jolt of caffeine in your body but Greek coffee is best simmered over medium-low heat. If you’re lucky, some of the better cafes in Greece will make Greek coffee in a Hovoli. Some are more ornate than others but a Hovoli basically works like this: add your water, sugar and coffee into the brass briki then place it in the part of the hovoli filled with hot sand. The hot sand mimics hot ashes, the traditionally way to heat up some Greek coffee.

water container of a Hovoli

Depending on what kind of Greek Coffee you like, measure and add into the briki the coffee, a teaspoonful of coffee per cup, and the sugar. For a medium coffee the best balance is to add the same amount of sugar as coffee. For a medium coffee the best balance is to add the same amount of sugar as coffee.

An interesting anecdote on Greek coffee and its origins – is it Greek or Turkish? This was the question posed to the wife of the former Greek Ambassador to Canada, Apostolos Papsliotis. I was reunited with the Ambassador and his wife at a wedding reception this past Summer in Halkdiki, Greece. We were taking about food, Greek food and the city of Isatanbul creeped into the conversation. Mrs. Papasliotis told me about attending a dinner and being seated right beside the Turkish ambassador. The Turkish ambassador leaned over to the Greek Ambassador’s wife and asked about the origins of coffee…., “Greek or Turkish”?

The cunning and very diplomatic Ambassador’s wife replied, “It is not Turkish or Greek…but Eithiopian”!

Greek Coffee (Ελληνικός-καφές)

• Greek coffee
• Sugar (1 tsp for sweet, 1/2 tsp for medium/metrio)*
• A briki
• Demi-tasse cups
• Cold water
• side glass of water

1. Using the demi-tasse cup, measure the amount of cold water will need to make your serving of coffee and add into briki.
2. Add the a teaspoon of coffee in to the briki.
3. Now add the appropriate amount of sugar*.
4. Over medium heat, place the briki on the heat. Do not stir but swirl the briki until the coffee and sugar have dissolved.
5. As soon as the coffee foams, quickly remove from the heat and pour into the demi-tasse.
6. Allow the coffee grounds to settle to bottom of cup for about a minute before drinking. Sip until you detect a bit of coffee grounds in a sip. Coffee is done.
7. You want to serve Greek coffee with the foam (kai-maki) and as soon as you start to see the coffee rise and foam, quickly take the briki off the heat and pour into your guests’ demi-tasses. A well-made Greek coffee will have a solid layer of “kaimaki” or krema on top.
8. Serve with a glass of cold water and a cookie or a sweet.

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© 2011, Peter Minakis. All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.

After sitting down for a coffee and getting settled into our seats, I noticed one of the gals behind the counter piping some creme patisserie onto layers of puff pastry. As it turns out, she’s also been to Toronto and stayed at her uncle’s place. Her uncle is someone I know in Toronto. BINGO! Another connection in Thessaloniki.

Thessaloniki is littered with cafe’s and shops where one can stop in for a brief drink, snack or both or simply grab something to take with you on the go. Yesterday I had the good fortune to enjoy a coffee at the Paradosiako deli in Thessaloniki’s shopping district, just south of Tsimiski. In Greek “Paradosiako” means traditional and although the shop(s) are new there’s an eye towards tradition and making things from scratch like their coffees, sandwiches, tarts and other desserts. Next time I’m going to try out their Mille Feuille and their yummy croissants are some of the best I’ve seen in the city!

This central location of Paradosiako is great for people watching, friendly and attentive service and in case you’re not in the center of the city, there are a few other Paradosiako stores out there.

enjoy this slide show I’ve prepared for you and i’m sure this will give you yet one more reason to visit Thessaloniki!

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© 2011, Peter Minakis. All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.

You could call these biscotti but us Greeks call them Paximadia. Paximadia or dried rusks/breads which have been around since ancient times. Cookbook author Georgia Koufinas says that Paximadia used to be called “dipyros”, which means “twice baked’. The Greek word Paximadi can be traced to a barley rusk named after a late Hellenistic Period cook named Paxamus (1st Century AD). Paximadia were the food of the poor as they were made of coarse grain flours and kept well on long journeys thereby earning it’s place in the pantries of farmers and sailors. Paximadia were the basic food of Byzantine armies and later the Venetian armies. Italians call Paximadia “biscotti”, also meaning “twice baked”.

The third flavourful ingredient for these Paximadia is star anise. Reminiscent of anise but much more complex, exotic and wonderful with figs. Star anise is not a widely used spice in Greece but that’s not to say it’s not used at all either. At a tour/visit of the Tsantali Ouzo Distillery in Halkidiki and I learned that star anise was one of the ingredients used to make their Ouzo. Ouzo is made from grapes and stems so therefore it’s only fitting than some Petimezi sneaks into the recipe. Petimezi* is a grape molasses and I’ve diluted it here with some water and brushed the tops of the Paximadia with it so that the sesame seeds adhere well.

So, naturally a shot of Ouzo also made it’s way into this easy recipe. This recipe is wonderful for the Christmas holidays and holiday entertaining it’s in full stride and the almost potpourri aromas that fills your home while baking these will set you in the mood for Christmas. These are the perfect accompaniment for coffee or tea and I look forward to dunking a paximadi into my Greek coffee.

Paximadia With Figs, Star Anise & Walnuts (Παξιμαδια με Συκα, Αστεροειδής Γλυκάνισος & Καρύδια)

1 cup olive  oil

2 tsp vanilla extract

4 Tbsp. ground star anise

1 shot of Ouzo

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 cup chopped dry figs
1 cup chopped walnuts

approx. 4 cups of all-purpose flour

1 heaping tsp. baking powder

2 Tbsp. of Petimezi mixed in with 2 Tbsp. of water

sesame seeds for coating

(pre-heat your oven to 350F)

1. Using your hands, mix the oil, Ouzo, star anise, sugar, vanilla, and eggs (add 1 at a time) and incorporate well. In another bowl, add your baking powder and flour and mix well.
2. Add your dry ingredients plus the walnuts and chopped dry figs to your wet ingredients and knead with your hands for about 5 minutes. You should at this time have a soft dough, smooth and not too tacky.
3. Form your dough into loaves and mix the Petimezi with water in a bowl and brush the tops of your loaves with it, then press the sesame seeds into the dough by wrapping the loaves with wax (or parchment) paper. Now generously sprinkle the sesame seeds on the tops of the loaves. Place the loaves on parchment paper and leave as much empty space between each loaf as they will expand while in the oven.
4. Bake on the middle rack of your oven for 20 minutes or until light-gold and slightly firm to the touch. Remove the Paximadia from the oven and  turn off your oven.
5. Slice your Paximadia widthwise (serrated knife) and lay them back out on the baking  sheet. Place them back in the turned-off oven for at least an hour to dry out. The residual heat of the oven will do the rest of the work.
6. Store in air-tight containers for up to 3 months.

* Petimezi can be found at Greek, Turkish or Middle-Eastern stores (ask for grape molasses).

If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at  http://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.

© 2007-2010 Peter Minakis

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© 2010, Peter Minakis. All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.

Toronto boasts of having about 120,000 Greeks in the Toronto area, over a dozen churches and our very own Greektown (Danforth). The eastern side of the city (east of Yonge st.) has a large population of Greeks, many who left the inner city to pursue a better life in the ‘burbs.

In Scarborough, you’ll find many Greeks, there are two churches and many cafes, shops and businesses that are run by Greeks and cater to Greeks. One such store is Kostas Meat Market, located in Scarborough.

My family (like many other Greek families) have patronized Kostas’ shop for years, be it to stock up on olive oil, Greek pasta, spices, phyllo or of course, meat. Yesterday, I popped into Kostas’ to beat the mad rush of last minute Greeks who will be picking up their Easter Sunday supplies…the showcase being lamb.

What would Kostas Meat Market be without it’s fine reputation for meats andhis butchering? I’m delighted to share with you a virtual shopping tour of Kostas’ place, patronized by Greek and non-Greeks alike. Grab a shopping cart and let’s spend some money!

The Proprietor himself, Kostas

The main reason I stopped by Kostas’ place is to pick up some lamb. Kostas’ lamb is all from Ontario, butchered on the premise and for Easter, a register of lamb orders are kept to keep things orderly during the last few shopping days of Easter.

Ontario Spring lamb hanging in the on-premise fridge, all we be sold by Easter.

During Easter Sunday, an array of appetizers/mezedes are offered for nibbling while sipping some libations until the lamb is ready. One such delicacy are sweetbreads.

Greeks love their sausages and we do have an array of sausages from Macedonian, wine sausages and here, Spartan sausages with orange peel.

Spartan Sausages with Orange Peel

Not every family does the whole lamb on the spit for Greek Easter. Some families roast their lamb or prefer grilling smaller cuts, like racks of lamb or lamb chops.

Some kebabs might also see the grill to feed the hungry family and guests on Easter Sunday. After 49 days of Lent, it’s all about the meat!

Kostas does a brisk business also selling souvlakia, all made on the premise.

What’s souvlaki without some Tzatziki?

Kostas also sells a wide array of herbs and spices. Here, we have some of the world’s best saffron, from Kozani, Greece.

Greeks will often stop by to replenish their cache of Greek coffee and Nescafe for a iced Frappe coffee.

Greeks love their dry rusks, be it the Cretan Dakos or the other varieties, perfect for making canapes.

What would Greek cooking be without olives…lots of olives!

Other preserved items are also on offer. Here, roasted red peppers are a usual arrival on my table.

Tomatoes. Greeks love their tomatoes and back in the time before fridges existed, canning preserving foods was a neccesity. Kyknos brand tomato paste has been stocking Greek pantries since 1911.

Another must-have item in the Greek pantry is olive oil. Everyone needs some more olive oil in their cooking. Next time you need to buy some more olive oil – make it Greek olive oil.

Some of the best (if not the best) honey that’s produced in the world comes from Greece. Here, internationally recognized Attiki honey is made up of a blend of Greece’s finest. You get what you pay for.

Sea salt. I only cook and use Greek sea salt for all my cooking.

Kostas also has some frozen items, like phyllo and kataifi pastry. You want to buy your phyllo from a store like Kostas’, where the turnover is high, guaranteeing you a fresh, workable phyllo each & every time.

Also found in the frozen section was this huge octopus…I best Kostas sold a few of these during Lent!

Kostas also sells many dried items and foods. I’ve told you before…Greeks love their pasta.

Gigantes (lima beans) are a family favourite..be it on their own or as a side dish.

In the days right up to Easter, lambades are sold for adults and children alike. Just before midnight, when the clock has almost indicated it’s Easter, all lights in the church go out, our lambades are lit. As is customary, I bought three lambades for my godchildren.

A Greek food store would be nothing without the inclusion of cheese in their inventory. Here, large wheels of hard and semi-hard cheeses are on offer.

I was delighted to see Kostas also sell some barrel-aged Feta. This is the Cadillac of Feta cheese. It takes at least two months to make from start to finish.

If it’s not for Kostas’ fine meats and sausages, then you MUST at least stop by and buy a wedge of the barrel-aged Feta. It’s not cheap but it’s worth the splurge.

Kostas and his staff are always pleasant to deal with, prices are fair, his staff are versed in both English and Greek and if there’s a Greek food item you’re looking for…chances are Kostas will have it!

The If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at  http://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.

© 2007-2009 Peter Minakis

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© 2009 – 2010, Peter Minakis. All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.

I’m back home in Toronto after a thrilling week in New York City spent exploring this great city, meeting new friends and eating and drinking up all along the way. The opportunity to stay in New York City (affordably) is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I savoured each of my days in the Big Apple.

A few weeks ago while I was on Twitter and reading my friends’ updates, did I perk up and read of an offer to stay in New York with the mere caveat of tending to someone’s dog in their absence.

Personal Chef Mark Tafoya of the Remarkable Palate was the fellow who extended his generosity to me by offering up his home for the week and allowing me to explore New York in leisurely seven days.

The only “catch” was that I had to watch his doggy, Stiva during his absence. Mark was also the bearer of good fortune by receiving an invite to attend a food blogging forum in Indonesia. This arrangement proved to be a “win-win” for both Mark and myself.

I would like to thank Mark for his immense generosity and for giving me the week in New York that filled me with fond memories of the city, meeting new friends and enjoying some great food and drink during my stay.

Of the course of the next few days, I’m going to share with you my experiences and cooking inspiration triggered by my glorious trip to New York – enjoy!

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I arrived in New York City on an overcast afternoon that was unseasonally mild and rainy. After settling in to the apartment, I bought some groceries, plotted my week ahead in New York and set out immediately on Friday night to explore the city.

First stop? Times Square. This “crossroads of America” still thrills me with all the lights, the many people who come here from all around the world and the sheer energy of it all.

Although New York City and Times Square are safer than ever, I got this sense of “Disney New York”, what with the big-name stores all around and the presence of families and children all around.

I felt a little like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz and her famous line, “this don’t look like Kansas, Toto”!

Traveling through New York is best done by subway…it’s cheap, it’s serviced well by a vast train and bus infrastructure and once is always entertained….take a look at the breakdancing!

Friday night was pretty mellow and it was more about getting my bearings straight, learning the subway system and resting up for a busy week ahead. I’ll be writing about each of my days in New York in the coming days and more photos will be uploaded in my Facebook profile.

If you’re a Facebook member, look for me and view all my photos of New York along the way (there’s a Facebook link on the right column of my blog) and if you’re not…what are you waiting for?

In the meantime, sit back and let me make you a Greek coffee. For those not in the know, a Greek coffee is brewed in a small briki which is filled with a demi-tasse measurement of water, finely ground roasted coffee and sugar to taste is added to the mix.

The coffee is then brewed on the stovetop (over a watchful eye) and as soon as the coffee is a bout to come to a boil, the briki is quickly removed and the coffee is poured into the demi-tasse cup.

One accompaniment with a Greek coffee is a paximadi and the other favourite of mine are Koulourakia.

Koulourakia are a twisted butter cookie which are easy to make, not expensive, last long in storage and yes…wonderful for dunking in coffee.

There are many small variances to the Koulourakia recipe but this is our family’s and naturally, my favourite.

Get a pen and paper and jot down these easy instructions on how to make Greek Koulourakia…

Koulourakia (κουλουράκια)

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening (Crisco)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/2 cup warm milk
1/2 shot of Ouzo
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups of flour
eggwash
sesame seeds

Pre-heated 350F oven

1. Add the butter, shortening and sugar in a bowl and cream together with your hand mixer. Now slowly add the oil and continue to cream.
2. Add eggs one at a time and continue mixing. Now add the milk and Ouzo and again mix until incorporated.
3. Sift your dry ingredients and add the dry to wet ingredients (use your hands to incorporate the mixture). Your dough should be very soft.
4. Form the twists but pinching a piece of dough about the size of a walnut. Now roll out with your hand and then fold in half and twist into form. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat until all the dough has been formed into Koulourakia.
5. Whisk an egg with some milk and brush the cookies with eggwash and sprinkle each cookie with some sesame seeds.
6. Bake in a pre-heated 350F oven (middle rack) for about 10-15 minutes or until golden. Carefully remove the cookies from the baking trays and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 weeks.

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© 2008 – 2009, Peter Minakis. All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.