Steamed & Broiled Razor Clams
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 […]
Gavros Saganaki (Γαύρος Σαγανάκι)
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 […]
Cockles (Κυδωνια)
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 […]
Spetsofai (σπετζοφάϊ)
Spetsofai is a Greek dish made of sausages and peppers. Think of it as a Greek stir-fry, a one pan dish.The first time I tried Spetsofai was in the city of Volos. It’s a dish that’s native to the province of Thessaly, which lies between Macedonia and Attiki. Traditionally, this sausage stew is spicy but […]
Seafood Taverna “H Akti”, Nea Iraklia
This is my first official entry from Greece and yes, it’s hot, the food tastes fantastic (especially those garden tomatoes) and I’m enjoying the company of family and friends. Our home is in Nea Kallikratia, Halkidiki – by the sea. One of the neigborhood towns is Nea Iraklia, just 6 km. north of Nea Kallikratia. […]
Fried Peppers
Almost everyone in Greece will have a garden of some degree. Even the apartment dwellers (there are many) will dedicate part of their balcony to some herbs, a tomato plant or some chilli peppers. My grandfather used to collect discarded Feta tins, fill them with soil and place the plants on the rooftop of the […]
Phyllo-Wrapped Shrimp With Three Sauces
Sometimes I make a recipe that leaves me with some leftover store-bought phyllo and I can usually make some Baklava with the rest or Tyropitakia (cheese-filled phyllo triangles). The other alternative is to take some sheets of phyllo, cut them into triangles and roll some shrimp in them and fry them up! This idea is […]
Watermelon and Feta
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 […]
Grilled Shrimp With Mustard & Honey
Just last month I was in Greece and even though I was there for a a mere 12 days, I squeezed in all the activities I could: seeing family and friends, visiting markets, trying out new eateries and…making new friends. One of the new friends I made was Vefa Alexiadou – the Julia Child of […]
Artichoke Salad With Split-Peas & Shrimp
It’s late Spring, we’re almost officially into Summer and the entertaining season is full-on: Saturday evening dinners, backyard BBQ’s on a lazy Sunday or throwing a party outside simply because it’s just too nice to stay indoors. This salad’s main ingredient is canned artichokes but if you’re so inclined to use fresh ones, you’ll make […]