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 [...]

This past summer in Greece I cemented my affections for pork butt, a particular cut of pork that’s diverse, very forgiving to cook with and it always come out juicy and delicious. The pork butt comes from the front end of the pig (nowhere near its rear), located near the shoulder. It’s not as pretty [...]

Razor clams are perhaps the most perverted food I’ve seen at a market. Long and kind a phallic – the live mollusk wiggling and poking out of its shell. Open the shell up and surprise…the inside looks akin to a woman’s naughty bits. Innuendos, blushing brides and 40-year old virgins be damned – razor clams [...]

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 [...]

If you’re a frequent reader of this blog you will have seen and read the many reasons why so many people visit Greece: the sun, the beaches, history, monuments, museums, nightlife, the food, the wine, the fresh vegetables and fruit. Today we’re going to pay particular attention to the fruit – figs to be more [...]

Cockles are a type of clam that’s found in the Mediterranean and “it warms my cockles” when my good friend George brings me some from when he goes diving. Had I received more I would have made a simple pasta with white wine, garlic, lemon zest and juice and fresh parsley. I only received a [...]

I’ve been in Greece almost two weeks and I must say that I’ve been enjoying the fish seafood wholeheartedly. While at my family’s summer home in Nea Kallikratia (Halkidiki) I head down for 1 swim 2 swims a day at a nearby beach that mostly families visit. Each year I see folks who have been [...]

I have a confession: when I bought an ice cream machine last summer it was for the sole purpose of making this ice cream – baklava ice cream. Inspiration comes from many: I first saw this concept at Jenn The Leftover Queen’s. There’s George Calombaris’ take on it and then there’s my friend David Tsirekas’ [...]

I can recall my parents enjoying watermelon (and some other fruit like cantaloupe) with Feta for as far back as my memory goes. The combo sounds odd to those that haven’t tried it but those numbers are dwindling (seeing lots of watermelon & Feta posts). Greeks will simply have a slab of watermelon with a [...]

One person’s weed is another person’ dinner. Purslane grows amok in Greece and the other nations that surround the Mediterranean. This succulent can be found growing in gardens, roadside and yes, even at the farmer’s markets. In Greece, purslane is often made into a salad (or a salad component), stewed or simply added as a [...]