Here’s a light and very flavourful summer pasta dish that contains the best of summer, the best of Greece. Quite often the best pasta sauces are the ones that are ready before or when the the pasta has been cooked. This recipe has one eye on the cook who doesn’t want to get overheated in [...]

I’m not sure which ingredient is the star here – the Halloumi cheese or this dressing made primarly of processed Kalamata olives? The Kalamata olive is best known as topping the famous Greek or Horiatiki salad. The Halloumi cheese, born in Cyprus, enjoyed equally throughout the Middle East and gaining new fans around the world. [...]

This salad comes to you with inspiration of the season, my visit last year to southern Greece (Laconia) and timely in that it’s also a Lent-friendly dish. Let’s examine the ingredients: a new shipment of Greek extra-virgin olive oil, just shipped from the old country and courtesy of a family friend. The early harvest of [...]

One of the stops I made during last year’s vacation in Greece was to the southernmost Prefecture of Greece, Laconia. The capital of Laconia is Sparti (Sparta) which you all are pretty familiar with by now. My journey to Sparta began way before even setting foot on this region of Greece. Last Spring, I was [...]

This salad has quickly become my favourite winter starter. During the cold months, my diet shifts into including lots of wholesome soups, perfect for warming the belly in the cold Canadian winter but one mustn’t take your eyes off of other ways to eat your vegetables. I do not eat many salads in the winter [...]

Living here in Canada and trying to cook Greek food can sometimes be a challenge. Although  I can boast about living in a wonderful and diverse food city like Toronto, not all ingredients are available here for Greek cuisine. The most glaring void would have to be fresh fish from the Mediterranean. Often, I must [...]

Last week I was given an advance copy of New York Chef Michael Psilakis’ first cookbook, “How to Roast a Lamb”. It turns out my copy wasn’t so advanced. Yesterday, I popped into Toronto’s “World’s Largest Book Store” and there it was! For those not familiar with Michael Psilakis, here’s a recap: Michael is a [...]

Last year, I was invited to visit the operations of the Tsantali Winery & Distillery in Agios Pavlos, Halkidiki, Greece. My family has been vacationing in this part of northern Greece since 1980, when our relatives bought their summer homes. The peninsulas of Kassandra and Sithonia are filled to the brim each summer with Greek [...]

Another month is about to bite the dust, we’re closer to summer, spending more time outdoors, enjoying meals in our backyards, patios and even taking the odd picnic. Today’s dish is a wonderful option if you’re looking for something to bring to a party, potluck or picnic. You can use leftover rice or cook up [...]

Recipe update from Oct.16, 2007: Fassoulada is a Greek navy bean soup. It’s a standard dish during Lent, appears on the Greek kitchen table on many a Friday when meat is not consumed and frankly, one of the most enjoyable yet rustic dishes in the Greek repertoire of cooking. This soup is best enjoyed with [...]