Squid Ink Spaghetti With Zesty Calamari
Here’s an easy pasta dish that combines inspiration from the south in Crete, from the seaside tavernas and from northern Greece with the use of Boukovo…Greek chilli flakes. I first has cuttlefish and squid served covered in their squid ink…an odd sight at first but jet-black delicious! One can buy squid ink from finer grocers […]
Recap – Greek Supper Club at The Manor
The weather gods cooperated this past Sunday and the rain held off long enough for me to host an outdoor Greek Supper Club at The Manor on Bayview. I brought the grill and we all enjoyed a whole grilled lavraki (European sea bass), flown straight from Greece, courtesy of Selonda Aquaculture. The fish was dressed […]
An Evening in Crete – Greek Supper Club Recap
Crete, the southernmost part of Greece, largest island in the Mediterranean and the birthplace of the “Mediterranean Diet”. This past Monday, we raised a glass (or two) of Cretan wine, said a couple of Matinades and enjoyed a five course authentic Cretan dinner. This dinner has been long in the making and I am delighted […]
St. Lawrence Market Greek Supper Club (recap)
National Geographic recently rated Toronto’s St. Lawrence Market as the “World’s Best Food Market”, something Torontonians have known for years. Early Greek immigrants lived near the Market as they also worked as butchers, fish mongers and green grocers. St. George (Toronto’s first and oldest Greek Orthodox church) was founded to be near the Greek community. […]
Broiled Lobster Tails With Oil Lemon Sauce
With winter finally giving way to warmer weather – that means we can enjoy the outdoors more and that means cooking and entertaining outside as well. Ladies and gentlemen, start your grills – it’s time to cook some lobster tails. Many grocery stores and fish mongers sell these frozen tails and they are very easy […]
Roast Cod With Tomato Caper Topping
This past week, Greeks celebrated Greek Independence Day on March 25th. I organized Greek Supper Club that was a celebration of Lenten food and as per tradition, salt cod was served to dinner guests. March 25th is a double celebration as it also falls on Annunciation Day. Although this national holiday falls within Lent, salt […]
Greek Independence Day Supper Club Recap
March 25th is a double celebration for Greece – both a historical and a religious one. Greeks celebrate the beginning of the struggle for independence from the Ottomans in 1821. The Greek-Orthodox church celebrates the Annunciation by Archangel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, and that she should become the mother of Christ. Forty guests attended this […]
Grilled Calamari With Vine Leaf Chimichurri Sauce
The recipe is a riff on a Greek-style Chimichurri that I serve with grilled meat. Favourites are flank steak and chicken souvlaki. The inspiration for this sauce comes from the Argentinians, who often serve this housemade condiment at their big, meat-centric cook-outs. More simply, its a salsa verde (green sauce) and I’ve added dried Greek […]
Estiatorio Milos in Athens
Surely, one of the best meals I had last year had to be when I dined at Estiatorio Milos, located in the Athens Hilton. Centrally located (every cabbie knows where the Hilton is), you can get to this place with little trouble and you’ll be rewarded with a Greek dinner, par excellence. Estiatorio Milos has […]
Kalofagas Greek Carnival Feast Recap
This past Tuesday, I hosted my second Greek Supper Club that celebrated Greek Carnival with a meat-heavy menu. The dinner this time was at Megas Restaurant on the Danforth and I like to thank Nikos Kostis for once again opening up his kitchen to allow me to cook for the evening’s guests. A sold out […]