Greek Recipes

A rustic Greek vegetarian dish from the Peloponnesus There was once a City Mouse who went to visit his cousin in the Country. The Country Mouse was a simple fellow but he loved his relative from the Big City and did his best to make him feel at home; all he could offer him were some beans and bread crumbs, and he generously spread these before him. The City Mouse snickered at the poor country food, and said: "Cousin, I cannot understand how you are satisfied with such simple food as this… Of course one really should not expect too much seeing as you live way out here in the Country, but why don’t you come back with me to the city for a while and let me show you how to really eat? A week in town with me and you will wonder how you could ever have been content with country living." And so, the two mice set off for the Big City and arrived at the City Mouse's residence late in the evening. "You look like you could use some refreshments after our trip," the Cit...

My mother-in-law's Greek village recipe - Click to Enlarge Image This timely seasonal Greek recipe incorporating zucchini has many permutations throughout various regions of Greece . This particular version is my mother-in-law’s “village” recipe and makes for an excellent Greek vegetarian appetizer dish. You can serve these fritters with some tzatziki (Greek yogurt garlic sauce) or eat them on their own; either way, they make for some addictive eating; so go easy, it is fried… I used fresh-picked zucchini and mint from our kitchen garden to make this dish. Also, I usually make this recipe using a mixture of peanut oil and Greek olive oil in the frying for the reason outlined in my Feta Fries recipe. Contrary to popular opinion, olive oil is excellent for frying and is used liberally for that purpose throughout Greek cuisine. Its high smoke point (210º C/ 410 º F) is well above the ideal temperature for frying food (180º C/350 ºF), and it retains many of its healthful properti...

Our garden's first mint shoots of the season... “ And the Spring arose on the garden fair, Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere; And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast Rose from the dreams of its wintry rest. ” --- The Sensitive Plant , Percy Bysshe Shelley The weather here in Toronto has been exceedingly pleasant of late. Spring has quickened the dormant life energies in the earth, and the sun’s growing light lengthens the days. Persephone has returned from the shadowy realm of Hades , her mother Demeter rejoices and paints Gaia with the most exotic adornments. Yesterday, I stepped out to inspect the small kitchen garden plot we have running the length of one side of our home. I was so excited by what I saw that I ran to fetch my camera. The first tender shoots of our mint patch had appeared! Mint is my favourite of all the herbs and not without good reason. It is a universal ingredient in Greek food and...