Guu SakaBar
Last year I had the pleasure of experiencing Guu Izakaya that their Church Street location, just south of the “gayborhood” here in Toronto. Guu Izakaya is a Vancouver-based chain of bars that offer Japanese-style small plates along with ice-cold draft beer and an eclectic array of cocktails. From the moment you enter Guu to when […]
Roast Chicken With Wine & Herbs
One of the most enjoyable, easiest mains to prepare has to be roasted chicken – be it a whole chicken or quartered like in this instance. This recipe is for those that want dinner on the table within an hour – ideal for a weeknight meal or even on the weekends if you’re looking for […]
Soft Shell Crab With Red Pepper Skordalia
One of the many strong points of Greek cuisine is that within the lifestyle/way Greeks eat is also the meze/appetizers served at one’s home or at the rustic taverna. Mezedes (appetizers) may come in the form of dips, table cheeses, olives, salads, savory pies, meats and of course, fish and seafood. The plates are small, […]
Hockley Valley Resort: Weekend Getaway
It’s been just over a week since my all-day visit to Hockley Valley Resort, just northwest of Toronto. Located just north of Orangeville, Hockley Valley is the perfect answer for those looking to escape the traffic, fast pace and din that has now become Toronto. Fancy a few holes of golf, a day at the […]
A Taste of the Mediterranean at the Palais Royale
While in Greece, I was wired/connected to the Internet for the first time right at our family’s summer home. I brought my laptop so that I could upload the hundreds of photos, write a blog post (or five) and check/send emails on a whim. While in Greece I received an invite by the Greek Consulate […]
Seftalia From Cyprus (Σεφταλιά)
A couple of weekends ago I had the pleasure of visiting the Cypriot Community of Toronto’s Cultural Centre, where they held their annual Summer Festival on their grounds. After straightening out a mix-up (someone thought I was a politico and asked me to sit at a head table), I located some friends, had a seat […]
Lamb Exohiko
How would you feel if I presented you with a dish that presented you some of the favoured ingredients in Greek cuisine? All wrapped-up in one dish? You get spinach (check), you get tomato (check), you get green pepper (check), you get tender pieces of lamb (check), Greek cheese in Cretan Graviera (check) and it’s […]
Greek Easter v.2010
Here we are, the day after Easter Sunday and another feast under our belts…literally! Easter for Greeks is the most significant religious holiday. With Easter, you get the death and resurrection of Christ…we don’t take death and rebirth lightly. Easter’ parallel with Spring, a new cycle of birth and regeneration all fall together perfectly for […]
Easter Koulourakia
Easter is upon us once again. Today is Megalo Savato, on the eve of Easter and in practically every Greek home, family members are astir with preparations for tomorrow’s feast: an array of appetizers including grilled meats, salads, dips, breads, lamb as the centerpiece of the meal, roasted potatoes. vegetables and a fruit platter and […]
Lemon Meringue Pie
We (Greeks) are now into Holy Week, “Megali Evdomada” – less than a week until Easter Sunday. Both the Catholic and Greek-Orthodox Easters (as is the case from time to time) fall on the same day this year. It is a very spiritual time for Greeks and it is indeed more significant than Christmas. The […]