Warm Mushroom Salad With Feta & Crispy Onions
This dish has given me new hope for winter salads. You see, in the cold months I gravitate to soups and if I am going to have a salad it will be with winter greens, dried fruit, some nuts and a tart cheese to top it off. Upon my return to Canada, I tasted bland […]
Road Trip – St. Jacobs Market
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 […]
Keftedes With Roast Potatoes
Here’s a dish my Dad loves to make: it combines three of his favourite foods: potatoes, peppers (with some heat) and kebapia (Florina speak for keftedes/soutzoukakia). This is a comforting fall/winter dish where youget a pan of roasted potatoes with a delicious, spicy sauce perfumed with bay, peppers, paprika and oregano. There’s a spike of […]
Stuffed & Pickled Red Shepherd’s Peppers
I’m sharing more inspiration from my summer vacation in Greece and again, from my parents’ corner of Greece, Florina. The folks in this area love their peppers and the appellation product known as “Piperies Florinis” begin to appear in the markets in August. Travel around the towns of Florina and you’ll see these peppers (here […]
Greek Food Gazette 28/09/2012
Eating Greek yogurt on a regular basis is linked to lowering blood pressure Ancient ruins on the shores of Loutraki Top 5 places to eat in Thessaloniki Victoria Hislop of “To Nisi” fame is set to release a new book, this time set in Thessaloniki, called “To Nima” Spend an evening in Florina, Greece […]
Lobster Eggs Benedict With Crispy Potato Pancakes & Bearnaise Sauce
One of the downsides (there are few) to going to Greece is that lobster prices are astronomical. If you find live lobster at the market it will go for 60 Euros a kilo and at a seafood taverna you will likely pay 80 Euros a kilo for this delicacy. Fast forward to Canada, back from […]
Yianni’s Loukoumades, Nea Kallikratia, Halkidiki
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 […]
Taltsenes – A Florina Meze
Had a chat about some food the other day (what else is new) and I was being asked questions about some Greek foods that I casually replied to. Some people go “gaga” for what Greeks make in the kitchen as if it were some mysterious culinary secret. I still get questions on how to make […]
Greek Food Gazette 21/09/2012
Join Diane Kochilas on Oct. 2nd for a free cooking class via webcast Wine and citron tasting in the Aegean Islands Authentic h0ney from the island of Ikaria now available in the US Ten Greek islands you should visit this Autumn Get your seats now for my next Greek Supper Club, an Evening in […]
Baked Eggplant With Beef and Cheese
Truth be told, this past Summer’s trip to Greece was one of the most memorable with my usual visits to my family’s home in Halkidiki, frequent trips to nearby Thessaloniki, a side trip to Constantinople (Istanbul), down to the capital of Athens, a wonderful first visit to beautiful Nafplio, a visit to the Prefecture of […]