Greek Lent (Sarakosti) Recipe Round-up
As a convenience to the many readers of this blog, I’ve amassed all the Lenten (and Lent-friendly) dishes that I have posted thus far. Most of the dishes are Greek and appropriate for Lent and some are foreign but due to their ingredients, they fit in nicely with the Greek Lent in which us Greeks […]
Tapas Night at Uxbridge’s Urban Pantry
North-east of the city, in Durham region is the quaint old town of Uxbridge, proud to remain a traditional town that’s close to Toronto yet far away. Smack in the middle of town is Urban Pantry, a relatively new restaurant owned and operated by restaurateur and friend, Niki Pagidas. Urban Pantry prides itself on sourcing […]
Scorpion Fish & Venus Clam Chowder
I have little to complain about upon reflecting on the six weeks I’ve spent vacationing in Greece. Despite the cloudy and rainy past couple of days the weather has been sunny, hot and the beaches were clean, not as crowded and the food, ever-inspiring. If if weren’t for yesterday’s cool & rainy day I may […]
Tourlou With Seafood
Eggplants are in season in Greece from August and here in Canada, you can still find sweet (not bitter) eggplants at your local grocer or farmer’s market. Eggplant is one of the ingredients in classic vegetarian dish called Briam and the similar dish (we’re cooking today) called Tourlou. Toulou is like a ratatouille but not […]
Seafood Boil
One of the best, tastiest and “big show” ways to entertain family and friends is to host a seafood boil. A seafood boil is an informal meal where an array of seafood are boiled in a seasoned liquid and when cooked, the contents are simply laid out for all to pick and eat what they […]
Oysters with Sparkling Rosé Mignonette Sauce
The year 2010 is coming to a close and many of us are in a reflective mode, others preparing for New Year’s celebrations or looking forward to attending a party with family or friends. The usual way to celebrate the coming of a New Year is by opening up some champagne or a sparkling wine […]
Baked Whiting With Potato Gratin
Have you ever tasted the fish whiting before? If not, this dish might nudge you in that direction. Whiting is also known as hake and it’s found in both the Atlantic and Mediterranean. In Greek, we call whiting “bakalarakia” or little cod as they are related to the larger species. The fish is mild-tasting, slightly […]
Bits & Bites With Astrid Speranza
I recently had the pleasure of seeing Chef Astrid Speranza appear on a Greek reality show. The premise of the show is where the subject (sometimes male, sometimes female) is taken on four dates where the suitor will woo them with their home cooking and charm. The week culminates at a restaurant where the subject […]
Pay it Back With Food
If you recall, I go to the beach twice a day, each day for a swim. Our family’s been swimming in Nea Kallikratia, Halkidiki since our family vacation in 1980. Between now and then, we’ve met plenty of people – made some good friends. One of the benefits of these friendships from beach-folk is sometimes […]
Back From Greece and Armed With Recipes
Yes, I am back from Greece. I’m rested, re-invigorated and ready to take on life once again. This year’s vacation to Greece marks my 20th time visiting the country of my origin. I visited much of the mainland, from the northernmost province of Macedonia to the southernmost tip of Greece, the peninsula of Neapolis with […]