I’ve been very busy of late with a lot of my time in the kitchen being devoted to making phyllo pastry by hand and selling these creations to many here in Toronto. Often times I’ve found myself without an iota of an idea about what to have for dinner and that has to change. I [...]
Last year my brother married a gal of Polish origin which makes me automatically interested in the ways, culture and food of this northern European neighbor. This past weekend while looking for cookbooks at thrift shops and used book stores I tripped upon a a couple of Polish cookbooks which were quickly snapped up. I [...]
For those familiar with Toronto, you might remember the Whistling Oyster. Although I’m not a fan of basement establishments, this once used to be innovative, had an open kitchen, one could sit at a table or eat casually at the bar. I’ve been told it has since closed but I hold dear memories of eating [...]
Can you identify any of the fish on display in the photo above? I found recent articles in The Atlantic and investigative reports from the Boston Globe covering the topic of “bait & switch” when it comes to restaurants and fish mongers advertising one fish when in fact through genetic tests conducted (in Guelph, Ontario) [...]
The first time I visited the Greek islands on the Ionian side of Greece was back in ’88 when I took a bus from Thessaloniki to Igoumenitsa and from there the short ferry boat ride to Corfu. Until about a few years ago this trip took a day with a 7 hour ride through winding [...]
Early in my vacation to Greece this summer (within the first week) we got our first rain. This could mean we get the usual one (o two) summer showers that are the usual or…this would be an omen of an unusually rainy summer. The latter scenario proved to be false and Summer of 2011 proved [...]
There are some things that just MUST be eaten when in Greece: vine-ripe tomatoes, freshly pressed olive oil, tree-ripened figs, watermelon and cantaloupe and the fresh fish – anchovies in particular. Erase whatever preconceived notion you have of the anchovy. Forget about the salty tinned or jarred variety or that pizza with the dreaded anchovies [...]
During the past week I’ve been vacationing on the island of Lefkada, located on the Ionian side of Greece. Lefkada is one of the few islands where a ferry boat is not used to reach it. Mainland Greece can be seen from the east side of the island and the other side faces the west, [...]
Love fish? You’re going to adore the amberjack fish. Love swordfish? You may ditch it after you’ve tried amberjack. The amberjack is a fish that’s found in the Caribbean and the eastern seaboard of both North and South America and thankfully here in the Mediterranean. Us Greeks call this fish “magiatiko” as it’s in season [...]
This is my first official entry from Greece and yes, it’s hot, the food tastes fantastic (especially those garden tomatoes) and I’m enjoying the company of family and friends. Our home is in Nea Kallikratia, Halkidiki – by the sea. One of the neigborhood towns is Nea Iraklia, just 6 km. north of Nea Kallikratia. [...]
