Lady Fingers (δάχτυλα-κυριών)
You’ve been asked before and you’ll be asked again…”is there anything better tasting than fried dough”? This delicious treat comes from the island of Cyprus. This predominantly Greek-speaking island lies in the easternmost corner of of the Mediterranean Sea (between Turkey and Lebanon) has a cuisine very similar to mainland Greece but it also possesses […]
Grilled Halloumi With a Fig-Ouzo Sauce
The first time I ever tasted Halloumi cheese was when friends of the family (part Cypriot) gave us some. Here in Toronto, we have a good-sized Greek community with approx. 130,000 Greeks living in the area, about fifteen churches, hundreds of associations and federations representing towns & villages from all over Greece and Cyprus and […]
Baklava (Μπακλαβάς)
Finally…a baklava recipe and some background and opinion on this dessert, popular all around the world. The origins of Baklava can be traced to Turkey (which is fine by me) and rather than focus on the differences between Greeks and Turks, I try and focus on the similarities between the two peoples. Relations between the […]
Creme Brulee With Mastic
Cooking, food, menu planning is as much about your culinary upbringing as it is about your instincts. Sometimes I’m wrong about a recipe or new riff on a classic. Thank goodness I’m right most of the time. Case in point was this Creme Brulee with Mastic. Although there are some savory applications for mastic, it […]
Apple Tarte Tatin
Being someone who grew up Greek in Canada, I was taught to celebrate my Greekness without belittling or diminishing anyone else’s culture in the process. My parents came here (Canada) as immigrants and we as Greeks wave our flag but we also enjoy the culture, company and foods of other peoples. Canada is an officially […]
The Cheese Boutique
My blog has been trucking along since the Spring of 2007 and most of you are familiar with my travels to Greece and love of my native cuisine, Greek food. Being a Greek who lives abroad (Diaspora), I feel lucky that my parents chose Canada as the country of choice to start a new life […]
Melomakarona Cheesecake
Here in Toronto, I visit our Greektown (locally known as The Danforth) at least once a month. One of the reasons I head down there is to pick up the monthly edition of Gastronomos (included in Kathermerini). Gastronomos keeps me posted on new developments in Greek cookery and the issue is always good for resurrecting […]
Kataifi (καταϊφι)
The sister dessert to Baklava has to be Kataifi. The more common and popular dessert is baklava but don’t let that keep you from trying out this dessert that’s easy to assemble, fabulous to look at and ever a delight to eat. Much like Baklava, Kataifi exists in the dessert repertoire of Greek, Turkish, Middle […]
Chocolate Baklava
Perhaps one of the best known and popular Greek desserts is Baklava. Greeks have made & enjoyed Baklava for ages and it’s popularity is further evidenced by versions of Baklava appearing in Turkish, Middle-Eastern and Persian cuisines. Baklava is essentially made of layers of phyllo sandwiching a nut and spice mixture in the middle. A […]
Diples (Δίπλες)
My family comes from the northernmost province of Greece, Macedonia but today’s recipe is from the opposite end of mainland Greece, Laconia. Although Diples are home to much of the Peloponese, the Byzantine town of Mani is where these Greek fried turnovers come from. One would expect a rich heritage of cuisine and recipes to […]
