I’m ecstatic to announce that I’ve been asked to guest chef at Amali restaurant, located in Manhattan’s toney Upper East Side. For those of you familiar with Greek dining in New York, you’ll be pleased to know that Amali is connected to a pioneer in fine Greek dining in New York – Periyiali. Join me [...]
No, I am not talking about some far off province of China but today’s post centers on Xinomavro, an ancient Greek varietal that literally translates to “sour black”. Considered the most commonly grown grape in Greece, this wild varietal is very popular with those who drink it and those who make it. No one Xinomavro [...]
Last weekend will be a very memorable one. For the first time I took my Greek Supper Club concept to the western New York area and cooked another Big Fat Greek Dinner. There were some similarities to the menu and some new items as well! The sold-out (50 guests) dinner took place at the recently [...]
Torontonians and those in/around the GTA would be be wise to head over to the 519 (area code) and pay a visit to another one of Kitchener-Waterloo’s gems, the Lancaster Smokehouse. Owner Chris Corrigan took over the historical tavern and turned into a BBQ joint that hits your nose as soon as you enter…BBQ! The [...]
Did you know that 70% of vacationers factor in food when deciding where to travel? So, it comes as no surprise that many choose Greece as a travel destination and one of the purposes of this blog is to bring you (the reader) closer to the Greek cuisine. Some want to relive the sights, aromas [...]
I’ve visited Istanbul twice…correction – three times after this past summer and this city has countless places where one can eat. There’s something for every budget, in each district and most (if not all) of Turkey’s regional cuisines on offer. Anytime I travel someplace I like to do some homework, which includes finding out which [...]
The question I often get is, “Why does the food in Greece taste different, better than over here”? My simple reply is that the best Greek cooking is simple, relying on local, fresh and seasonal ingredients. The simplicity of the dish is allowed to shine when this maxim is practiced. Practically anyone I know in [...]
This past summer I took a day trip to the middle finger or peninsula of Halkidiki, known to Greeks as Sithonia. Halkidiki comprises of three peninsulas, it’s located just east of Thessaloniki with the nearest being the peninsula of Kassandra and the most distant being Agio Oros. To visit Halkidiki one gets the feel of [...]
Last year Toronto’s St. Lawrence got a lot of publicity from a “list” that named our central market among some of the “world’ best”. While I am proud that St. Lawrence Market some long-waited recognition I think the spotlight should be shared with another nearby market that you should consider visiting. Located just over 90 [...]
My family’s hometown is in Nea Kallikratia, Halkidiki, just 30 minutes south of Thessaloniki. There’s no shortage of Loukoumades in Greece but there are good ones, bad ones, mediocre ones and….great ones! Loukoumades are traditionally made with a yeast dough and they are dropped in hot oil where they puff up and once golden, get [...]
