Magheritsa
I wasn’t sure if I was going to write about this traditional Greek Easter Soup but Easter would not be complete without Magheritisa. Magheritsa is a soup make from the broth of lamb offal and any other part of the lamb (combination varies from family to family). After a long Lenten Fast, Magheritisa is the […]
Is It Easter Yet?
This past weekend I used some of my free time to get some things in order for Easter Sunday. The first thing I secured was a whole milk-fed, Ontario Spring lamb (26 lbs). The second thing I would need is charcoal. Last weekend I was lucky to pick up the last of the store’s charcoal. […]
Great Lent
This is the final week of fasting before Easter Sunday. Greeks will vary in the manner in which they conduct their fast but it’s safe to say the majority will eat meatless and dairy-free until after midnight when we arrive back home to eat a waiting bowl of Magheritsa. For those not in the know, […]
Hunkar Begendi With Beef
When I visited Greece in the past, I’ve taken side-trips to Istanbul (Constantinople). The city to this day is the center of Greek-Orthodoxy and the Patriarchate is situated there. One of the most interesting experiences during my trip there was to try out many of the dishes being offered up by the Turks. Many dishes […]
Grilled Pork Chops With an Onion Marmalade
I enjoyed the whole experience of barbecuing so much the other day I had to go back to the grill and make up for lost winter-time BBQ moments. Today’s grilling subject is pork chops. Pretty run-of-the-mill, eh? Pork chops do not have much flavour, often they end up being dry and one often needs a […]
Shepherd’s Pie
I’ve been emotionally scarred. My father worked all his adult life in the restaurant biz. My father also rarely dines out. My dad has witnessed many kitchen nightmares and on occasion, he’d share his experiences. Don’t get me wrong, I still eat out but I know a few things to look for in a clean […]
Tsikno-Pempti
The two weeks leading up to the Great Lent means that Greeks will revel in dressing up, parties, good times with friends and family, travel and indulging in lots of meats. Afterall, for forty days we in the Greek Orthodox faith will be fasting by eating a vegetarian diet (of varying strictness). This year, the […]
OPA!
Ever see this flaming dish at a Greek taverna? Ever hear the Greek waiter shout OPA? This next dish is inspired by the many Greek restaurants, eateries and tavernas that serve up this style of fried cheese to a clientele that never ceases to tire of this ritual. Whoever said presentation never mattered to a […]
Keftedes With Ouzo
Some of you might recall my post about Greek Keftedes, which are Greek hamburgers or meatballs. I was at the supermarket to buy a few things and I saw a package of ground lamb meat on sale. I’ve had lamb burgers from time to time and I found them to be juicy and a nice […]
Brown Bagging for Dinner
The French have a knack for making something very simple to sound “chi-chi-frou-frou” and charging a helluva’lot for it. I can be frugal. Tonight’s dinner was “en papillote” but I ran out of parchment paper. “En papillote” simply means “in paper”. I’ve seen many dishes that are tucked into little packages of foil, parchment, pastry […]