So the first week of Greek Lent is behind us and it really wasn’t that hard adjusting from my regular diet to one without meat or any meat by-products in it. Each year I’ve been steering my diet towards one with more fish and seafood, beans and legumes and less meat. I don’t think I [...]

Last Thursday was Tsiknopempti in Greece (and anywhere in the world where Greeks celebrated the most popular meat-grilling day of Greek Carnival). I had three options: stay home and simply make a meat dish using my oven’s broiler or a grill pan. Option 2 was to head down to Toronto’s Greektown (the Danforth) and be [...]

In Greece, festivities are well under way. It’s Carnival time in Greece and one of the biggest days is centered around grilled meats. The period of Carnival in Greece is called “Apokries” and today marks “Tsiknopempti”.
Tsiknopempti is a compound word that describes the smell of grilled meats and Thursday: “Tsikno-pempti”. Tavernas will have lit up [...]

The ironic thing about vacations are that one yearns to escape the everyday routine and replace it with a vacation routine. I want change, I want to escape computers, telephones, work-life and replace it with sea, sun, beach, family, friends and food.
When on vacation at my parents’ home in Halkidiki, the new routine is like [...]

I gave you a tour of the Kapani Market of Thessaloniki (a few days ago) and I mentioned that the Modiano Agora (market) was also nearby. The two markets really operate in tandem, separated merely by concrete,  Ermou Street.
The Modiano Market got it’s name from Ely Modiano, the architect who designed this arcade that contains [...]

Yes, I am back from Greece. I’m rested, re-invigorated and ready to take on life once again. This year’s vacation to Greece marks my 20th time visiting the country of my origin.
I visited much of the mainland, from the northernmost province of Macedonia to the southernmost tip of Greece, the peninsula of Neapolis with the [...]

One of the most enjoyable grilling centerpieces for Greeks (or anyone that enjoys the outdoor grill) would have to be lamb chops. There are many approaches…grill the whole rack and cut into individual chops, add an herb & crumb crust, marinades, spice variations….you name it!
Like any dish that turns out wonderfully, the key is in [...]

One of my goals of writing and sharing this blog about Greek food is to bridge the gap between what most of you are served at Greek restaurants in the West (Canada and the US) and what’s actually served in Greece and in Greek homes.
In the summer, Greeks eat less, eat lighter and as always, [...]

One of the best ways to inject flavour into meats is with a marinade. Chicken is mild when it comes to meat so there’s alot of room for flavours.
As I’ve written before, Greeks prefer their savory foods to remain savory, although some sweetness is tolerated and enjoyed. This marinade for chicken is sure to please [...]

One of the reasons I started this blog is because I noticed a disjoint from the notion people have of Greek food here in Canada and the United States and what is actually eaten in Greek homes or served if you were to go to a Greek estiatorio (restaurant) or taverna (tavern).
This gap is by [...]