Broiled Halloumi With Honey, Lemon, Herbs
I was first introduced to Halloumi cheese by Cypriot friends of the family. Rightly so, since Halloumi is an appellation product of Cyprus. There are a lot of pretenders but the real deal comes from Cyprus. Often called the squeaky cheese (it squeaks in your mouth when you chew it), holds up well when grilled, […]
Svinghi
Here in Toronto, we have a large and diverse Greek diaspora, boasting of a Greek population that resettled here from all over Greece. The first time I had Svinghi, they were made and given to me by Kathy Hourdas, a lady from Kalymnos, one of the islands in the Dodecanese. A few years ago, I […]
Naxos Style Tomato Salad
Greece boasts of over 6000 islands but the most well known are the Cyclades, located in the Aegean Sea. Last year I visited Naxos, a large, almost self-sufficient island – they can eat from what they cultivate. Meat, dairy, seafood, vegetables all grown on the island. I had this simple yet delicious salad that celebrates […]
Taramosalata with Crab
What is taramosalata? It’s a dip/appetizer made with a base of fish roe (caviar). Greeks use carp or cod roe, either bread or potato, onion, lemon juice and oil. Modern times has given us many conveniences and the food processor here does its duty. Tarama can be found at Greek specialty shops. White tarama is […]
Fried Whiting aka Bakalarakia
I love fried fish and of my faves are whiting. Whiting belong to the cod family of fish and in Greece they are know as Bakalarakia. They are also called Hake and Italians called them Merluzzo. Here in Toronto, we get our fish from the Canadian Atlantic, so the fish is fresh, wild caught and […]
Spaghetti With Grouper, Capers, Kalamata Olives
This dish takes me back to a visit I took to the island of Santorini. A beautiful island of steep cliffs, villages dotted atop of these cliffs and the blue Aegean sea below. The island also boasts of many excellent tavernas serving local specialties, lamb and many fish and seafood dishes. One dish that stood […]
Gamopilafo aka Cretan Wedding Rice
The first time I had Cretan Wedding Rice (Gamopilafo) was 10 years ago, my first trip to Crete. Traditionally, this rice is served at Cretan weddings usually made with a combo of goat or lamb and rooster to make the stock. This dish is an center piece offering exemplifying the host family’s wealth and well […]
Zucchini Rice With Shrimp
In the northern hemisphere, our gardens are teeming with the bounty of summer and Greeks like to grow zucchini. It’s an easy vegetable to grow and it can be stuffed, fried, grated and use in phyllo pies, raw salads, cakes, fritters and today, rice! The flavours of this dish are inspired by Zucchini Fritters and […]
Kourkoubinia
I know it’s cliched but the simple things in life are often the most satisfying. In this instance, Kourkoubinia hit the spot. Kourkoubinia are little logs of rolled phyllo that get fried until golden then dunked in syrup. They are crunchy, they are sweet and my oh my…addictive! Think of these as sweet phyllo bites. […]
Frigania From Zakynthos
Three years ago, I visited the island of Zakynthos, located among the Ionian Islands, off the coast of Patras. My hotel was located in the island’s main town and specifically near Solomos (Dionysios) Square, named after the poet who wrote the Greek National Anthem’s lyrics. I ordered one of the island’s specialties, the “Frigania” from […]
