Olives

Maiden Trip to Sparta

Jan 31st, 2010 | By
Maiden Trip to Sparta

One of the stops I made during last year’s vacation in Greece was to the southernmost Prefecture of Greece, Laconia. The capital of Laconia is Sparti (Sparta) which you all are pretty familiar with by now. My journey to Sparta began way before even setting foot on this region of Greece. Last Spring, I was [...]



Salad of Rocket, Cabbage and Apple

Jan 16th, 2010 | By
Salad of Rocket, Cabbage and Apple

This salad has quickly become my favourite winter starter. During the cold months, my diet shifts into including lots of wholesome soups, perfect for warming the belly in the cold Canadian winter but one mustn’t take your eyes off of other ways to eat your vegetables. I do not eat many salads in the winter [...]



Semolina Crusted Pandora With Capers and Kalamata Olives

Dec 2nd, 2009 | By
Semolina Crusted Pandora With Capers and Kalamata Olives

Living here in Canada and trying to cook Greek food can sometimes be a challenge. Although  I can boast about living in a wonderful and diverse food city like Toronto, not all ingredients are available here for Greek cuisine. The most glaring void would have to be fresh fish from the Mediterranean. Often, I must [...]



Michael Psilakis’ Pork Sofrito

Oct 25th, 2009 | By
Michael Psilakis’ Pork Sofrito

Last week I was given an advance copy of New York Chef Michael Psilakis’ first cookbook, “How to Roast a Lamb”. It turns out my copy wasn’t so advanced. Yesterday, I popped into Toronto’s “World’s Largest Book Store” and there it was! For those not familiar with Michael Psilakis, here’s a recap: Michael is a [...]



Tsantali Ouzo and a Meze Recipe

Jul 30th, 2009 | By
Tsantali Ouzo and a Meze Recipe

Last year, I was invited to visit the operations of the Tsantali Winery & Distillery in Agios Pavlos, Halkidiki, Greece. My family has been vacationing in this part of northern Greece since 1980, when our relatives bought their summer homes. The peninsulas of Kassandra and Sithonia are filled to the brim each summer with Greek [...]



Rice Salad (Ριζοσαλάτα)

May 30th, 2009 | By
Rice Salad (Ριζοσαλάτα)

Another month is about to bite the dust, we’re closer to summer, spending more time outdoors, enjoying meals in our backyards, patios and even taking the odd picnic. Today’s dish is a wonderful option if you’re looking for something to bring to a party, potluck or picnic. You can use leftover rice or cook up [...]



Fassoulada (φασολάδα)

Mar 13th, 2009 | By
Fassoulada (φασολάδα)

Recipe update from Oct.16, 2007: Fassoulada is a Greek navy bean soup. It’s a standard dish during Lent, appears on the Greek kitchen table on many a Friday when meat is not consumed and frankly, one of the most enjoyable yet rustic dishes in the Greek repertoire of cooking. This soup is best enjoyed with [...]



The Cheese Boutique

Mar 9th, 2009 | By
The Cheese Boutique

My blog has been trucking along since the Spring of 2007 and most of you are familiar with my travels to Greece and love of my native cuisine, Greek food. Being a Greek who lives abroad (Diaspora), I feel lucky that my parents chose Canada as the country of choice to start a new life [...]



Many Mussels, Olive Bread and a Salad

Mar 5th, 2009 | By
Many Mussels, Olive Bread and a Salad

My parents come from towns in northern Greece (Macedonia) that are located in the mountains but most of my time spent in Greece is near the sea. All of my relatives in Greece are on my mom’s side of the family and the majority of them live in Greece’s second largest city, Thessaloniki. One of [...]



Thyme Scented Mushrooms (Αρωματικά-μανιτάρια-με-θυμάρι)

Dec 11th, 2008 | By

Greeks take pride in serving up quality appetizers/mezedes for their friends and relatives. Like most of you, we are in full festive season gear with friends dropping by and dropping in on friends. One thing you’ll notice about the hospitality of the Greeks is that one never gets the sense of being rushed. In good [...]