Halkidiki Green Olives Two-Way Meze
Recently, green olive from Halkidiki were finally granted Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status by the European Union (EU). A PDO product is given this designation/label to highlight the uniqueness of the product produced in a specific geographical region. Halkdiki is located in the northern province of Macedonia and if you look at a Greek […]
Calamari Stuffed With Shrimp and Smoked Metsovone Cheese
As a general rule, cheese and fish & seafood shouldn’t be mixed but there are always exceptions and when it comes to Greek food, we have some wonderful cheese and seafood combos like Shrimp Saganaki and Mussels Saganaki. Today I’m taking this delicate but delicious combo of cheese and seafood to calamari aka squid. For […]
Tsaitia
Here in Toronto, we have Greeks from all over Greece, much like other cities in the Greek diaspora. The origins of where those Greeks came from can (and will) vary depending on immigration patterns of that region in Greece. If a certain relative or villager went to say, Australia then more folks from that part […]
Phyllo-Feta Cigars With Agourida & Niagara Ice Syrup Salad Dressing
There’s alot of good things happening with this salad, you’re gonna learn a couple of things, be frugal and fancy all in one dish! The centerpiece of the salad is the phyllo cigars filled with Feta cheese, walnuts and almonds, some lemon zest and ground anise. There’s more licorice flavour echoed in the salad greens […]
Baked Brie With Roasted Garlic & Cranberry-Mavrodaphne Sauce
One of the surprise hits at Christmas dinner was this baked Brie cheese i paired with cranberry sauce. Brie on its own is always welcome on a cheese plate but when baked it’s even creamier, more of its flavour comes out and it’s great when paired with something savory and something sweet. I’ve always loved […]
Sublime, Sexy Walnut-Stuffed Figs
Traditionally, figs get stuffed with walnuts and are laid out to be served among the array of sweet and savory bites during the Christmas season, which stretches out until Epiphany for the Greeks. In other words….that’s when we take down the Christmas tree. These figs are extraordinary, easy to make and they look fabulous on […]
Batzos Saganaki
One of the cornerstones of Greek cuisine has to be it’s cheeses…varied in taste, texture and many offerings coming from all parts of the country. I brought a cheese from Greece is called Batzos – not Batsos (Greek slang for Police/Cop). Batzos come from northern Greece and more specifically from central to western Macedonia (Naoussa […]
Fried Batzos With Makalo & Kefte
I figured I better squeeze in all the fried cheese while it’s still December and we can splurge on some richer foods (and eat them too)! I have just one thick slab of Batzo cheese left in the fridge – a cheese from northern Greece that I brought back this past summer. To refresh your […]
Cheese-Stuffed Souvlaki
When I head into Thessaloniki (from Halkidiki) it’s to grab a bite with some family and friends and each and every time – a culinary surprise waits for me – guaranteed! A conversation with my friend Yianni goes like this: Me: I’m coming in to the city, what’s new, what’s hot – where shall we […]
Tomato & Feta Stuffed Peppers
The cool weather is here (in Canada for awhile) and the shift to heartier dishes and spicier dishes has been made. Although I like to eat spicy and hot dishes all year ’round, Autumn/Winter is ideal for eating hot peppers. I was brought-up in a household that always had peppers in the fridge, we pickled […]