I recently was sent some samples from a Pitenis Bros. in Greece that produces dips, pickled vegetables, dips and smoked fish and seafood. One of the more intriguing and delicious items in the care package sent to me was the smoked octopus. Yes, smoked octopus. Much like eel, trout or mackerel, the octopus also gets [...]
Last year, one of the stops during my vacation to Greece was to Kastoria. Kastoria is the capital city of the Prefecture of…Kastoria. It’s located in northern Greece, northwestern Macedonia. This region of Greece is located on fertile, elevated plateaus and the economy is centered around its long history of fur trading, tourism and agriculture. [...]
With the warm weather here, I’m beginning to eat outdoors and my mind wanders to Greece: eating outdoors at a taverna with family & friends. Ordering two of everything off the menu is how we roll. I always make sure that some fried zucchinii chips are included in the parade of mezedes. I’m a big [...]
WhenI first scanned over this recipe in a recent issue of Gastronomos, I was smitten with the concept of filling cabbage with seafood. In Greek cuisine, cabbage rolls are usually filled with mince and finished with a creamy Avgolemono (egg/lemon) sauce. This recipe is an obvious take or twist on the Greek classic: shrimp and [...]
One of my family’s favourite Sunday meals centers around a Prime Rib Dinner. It’s not a cheap cut of meat (Prime Rib) but it’s fitting for a Sunday meal. From Medieval times, the wealthy used to get to eat the tender, more expensive cuts and the rest of us were left with scraps, offal and [...]
One of the most enjoyable grilling centerpieces for Greeks (or anyone that enjoys the outdoor grill) would have to be lamb chops. There are many approaches…grill the whole rack and cut into individual chops, add an herb & crumb crust, marinades, spice variations….you name it! Like any dish that turns out wonderfully, the key is [...]
One of the best ways to inject flavour into meats is with a marinade. Chicken is mild when it comes to meat so there’s alot of room for flavours. As I’ve written before, Greeks prefer their savory foods to remain savory, although some sweetness is tolerated and enjoyed. This marinade for chicken is sure to [...]
Last week I hosted a BBQ for friends on the occasion of Canada Day and many of my American readers are full-on celebrating Independance Day. As a Greek, dips figure prominently on the table and one or two dips are on offer when serving guests (or ordered at a taverna). One dip that’s on practically [...]
Today, I’m going to share with you an entire menu that’s cooked on the grill. We’re talking from the protein (pork chops) to the potatoes and even the vegetables (mushrooms) meet the heat. First off are the pork chops. These pork chops are 1/2 inch thick and I left the fat around the outside. You [...]
Imam Baildi are stuffed eggplants. This is a vegetarian dish and it falls into the category of Greek cooking called “ladera” or lathera. Ladera dishes were born out of necessity, peasant families stretching-out food to feed families with what was fresh and what was seasonal. Ladera comes from the Greek word for oil, lathi and [...]
