How To

Marianthe’s Baked Octopus and Eggplant

Feb 5th, 2012 | By
Marianthe’s Baked Octopus and Eggplant

Last year when I visited the Gerovassliou winery in Epanomi (near Thessaloniki), it was my second time for a tour of the winery and museum. As you will recall the first visit was cut-short because I arrived late and the winery was closing. I had to wait one whole year to come back tho this [...]



Art Smith’s Fried Chicken

Dec 30th, 2011 | By
Art Smith’s Fried Chicken

I’ve always been in awe of southern American cooking – both high & low country, born of rustic beginnings and absolutely delicious! There’s corn bread, macaroni & cheese, biscuits, meatloaf, hush puppies, ribs, roast ham and one of my favourites, fried chicken. My very first fried chicken came out of a bucket by way of [...]



Greek Coffee (Ελληνικός-καφές)

Dec 6th, 2011 | By
Greek Coffee (Ελληνικός-καφές)

I love the ritual making Greek coffee:  Measuring out the water with a demi-tasse then emptying it in the demi-tasse cup, adding the almost powder-like ground coffee and sugar to taste and  watching over the “briki” coming to a boil, of waiting for the coffee grounds to settle and then, sipping it until you taste [...]



Bait & Switch – Grilled Grey Mullet

Nov 26th, 2011 | By
Bait & Switch – Grilled Grey Mullet

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) [...]



Homemade Chicken or Turkey Stock

Nov 25th, 2011 | By
Homemade Chicken or Turkey Stock

The basis for any good soup is a good stock and that’s especially important for getting the most flavour. When I make a stock, I buy the carcasses (three) from a chicken (you can use one whole chicken) or the leftover carcass of a roasted turkey and place them in a pot with a carrot, [...]



Creamy Caesar Salad

Nov 1st, 2011 | By
Creamy Caesar Salad

Recipe Update from May 2008 My eating diet can be summed up in two seasons: Soup season and salad season. With the exception of the cold soup, it’s salad days indeed. The only other exception I make when it comes to eating a salad ‘year ’round is a Caesar Salad. We’ve all had Caesar Salad [...]



Halvas Farsalon

Oct 28th, 2011 | By
Halvas Farsalon

Most Greeks are named after patron saints (others given ancient Greek names) and each person celebrates their “name day” on the day their namesake (patron [...]



Chicken Ballotine With Kasseri

Oct 26th, 2011 | By
Chicken Ballotine With Kasseri

According to  Larousse Gastronomique, a Ballotine is made of a piece of meat, fowl or game (or fish) which is boned, stuffed and rolled into a bundle. Don’t let the fancy French term nor the appearance of the dish intimidate you – this is easy to prepare and you’ll impress yourself as well as your [...]



Pickled Green Beans – Φασολακια Τουρσι (Στίπα)

Oct 17th, 2011 | By
Pickled Green Beans – Φασολακια Τουρσι (Στίπα)

A few weeks back I made Hosafi, a dish from the Pontian Greeks and I alluded that I would share with you in due course and the time has come. This past summer in Greece, I spent a weekend visiting the diverse, delicious and distant city of Xanthi…a Greek city closer to the Turkish border [...]



Crispy Fried Onions

Sep 22nd, 2011 | By
Crispy Fried Onions

I love this garnish as it adds height to a dish, it’s easy to make and you’re damn right they taste good! The key here is to thinly slice the onions and I use my mandoline. Serve with a steak or any other meat & potatoes dish or even a big bowl for friends to [...]