Greek Recipes

A Kumquat Sweet for Your Thoughts – Click to Enlarge I was first introduced to this exotic Greek confection in the late ‘90s. One of my friends had gone to Greece for the summer and had returned with several packages of individually wrapped kumquat sweets , an exclusive specialty of the Ionian island of Corfu (Kerkyra). Though I was already familiar with Corfiote (i.e. of Corfu ) kumquat liqueur, I had never tried the glacé fruit until my friend, Kyriakos, generously shared some of his supply with me. Needless to say, I was immediately hooked. The subtle orange citrus bitterness of the fruit’s tender though slightly chewy translucent flesh was totally suffused with the sweetness of its sugar syrup and was simply irresistible. Interestingly enough, not long after that first sampling, I remember learning that upon completion of the filming on location in Greece for the James Bond movie “ For Your Eyes Only ” (1981), Roger Moore left Greece with several suitcases stuffed fu...

Melitzanes Tylichtes (Eggplant Rolls) - Click to Enlarge Image Greeks are simply crazy over eggplant or melitzana ( μελιτζάνα ) in Greek, pronounced “meh-lee-TZAH-nah”. We puree, braise, boil, stew, stuff, bake, fry, grill, roast, and preserve them as sweets; a culinary obsession which may lend some credence to the original European prejudice against the fruit which was dubbed "mala insane" (Latin for “apple of madness”), as it was believed to cause insanity. Both the Italian ( melanzano ) and Greek ( melitzana ) words for “eggplant” are derived from this medieval nickname. The French term for eggplant "aubergine" is derived from Arabic. As the eggplant, like the tomato and potato to which it is related in genus is not native to Europe (witness the lack of any Roman or ancient Greek word for it), its introduction from the East sometime in the Middle Ages was initially greeted with suspicion and only gradually was it embraced, cultivated, and consumed with any gu...

Macedonian Sausage on the BBQ Ask mainland Greeks where they are from and you will likely get responses like: “Arcadia” or “Thessalia” or “Laconia” or “Messenia" or “Macedonia” and so on. Greece has thirteen geographic regions of which nine are on the mainland and four are insular . Each region has its own set of customs, traditions, folk songs and dances, costumes, food specialties, wines and spirits. Their inhabitants also have reputations for specific peculiarities of character (or custom) which differentiates them from other Greeks. The Cretans and the Maniotes, for example, are famous for their feuding and vendettas. To this day, the Cretan country roads and highways are interspersed with bullet-ridden traffic signs. When it comes to the Macedonians, they are renowned for their generous and open-handed hospitality to strangers, a reputation which in my estimation is well deserved. This reputation for hospitality is not a new development; it has survived the test of time....

Image courtesy of: Miguel Ugalde “ Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? ” is Latin for “Who watches the watchmen?” and is an apt question for many current issues relating to the “War On Terror” (WOT, which also stands for “Waste Of Time”) and its consequences for human rights.  While we sit back comfortably and blog about food or whatever else tickles our fancy, some of the things that are being done in our name(s) by our governments in the WOT would prevent any of us from holding down a proper meal. One of the most egregious elements of the entire WOT is the flagrant disregard for Justice and the Right to Fair Trial . Individuals have been detained and held without formal charges for extended periods, some even for several years, without recourse to due process or a fair trial in a Court of Law. I don’t know about you, but this really disturbs me... Ever since the events of 9/11 world “leaders” (who, let us be honest, are by and large anything but worthy examples) have granted...

Having posted this recipe as my first blog posting , I thought it would be fitting to revisit the dish for my first video blog posting. Though this dish is more of a cooler (or rainy) weather comfort food, I can eat this year round without complaint. Greeks have had a long relationship with the sea and its bounty. As Greece has over 14,000 kilometres of coastline the majority of her population is never very far from the sea, hence, Greece abounds in recipes for the cooking of seafood and each region of the country has its own specialties. This recipe originates in the southern Peloponnese , specifically from the area of the coastal city of Kalamata . However, it is not likely that you will find this dish in any of the restaurants that line the city’s harbour; this is traditional home cooking pure and simple. This unique recipe combining the fruits of the vine and sea was taught to me by my Aunt Voula some fifteen years ago, and has remained as one of my all-time favourite fish ...

Click to Enlarge Photo  I will now share my recipe for Moussaka that is fit for a Queen … I have made Moussaka [pronounced “moo-sah-KAH”] often enough to have broken the process down to a science. As I am particular about how I like my Moussaka, I have developed a certain technique which - if followed to the letter - will produce consistently tasty and presentable results, time and again. As Moussaka is oftentimes considered one of the national dishes of Greece (though I have a different opinion on that subject ), I think it behooves us to approach the matter in as methodical and respectful a manner as possible. More than its constituent ingredients, the process of creating Moussaka is about the structuring of a specific type of alternately layered, rich casserole dish that may or may not include meat or cheese, and can contain a variety of vegetables from eggplant and potato, to squash and zucchini. Rather than go into a lengthy discussion about the regional or preferen...

My Cretan spiral baklava ready for action - Click to Enlarge The origin of baklava , a pastry composed of layers of phyllo containing nuts and soaked in honey syrup, is something of a bone of contention among certain types who have nothing better to do with their time. I have heard Turks, Lebanese, and others claim it as their own. Whoever may have invented the dish, whether Greek, Levantine, Turk or whatever, it is not made in the same way by all; the variations include the types of nuts used, the ratios of nuts to phyllo, the shapes of the dessert, and the spices and flavourings that go into the pastry itself or into its syrup. Frankly, I am not overly concerned as to whether the Byzantine Greeks, the Arabs, or the Ottomans, or even the Chinese (!) created this dessert; I know it simply as a part of traditional Greek cookery, and as far as I am concerned, baklava is Greek. This particular recipe is from Crete , from a family that I had met while backpacking on the island back ...