Two months ago I was asked to cook a Greek dish on a local TV station, KUTV 2, to promote the Salt Lake Greek Festival. I cooked one of my favorite dishes, Bouyiourdi (spicy baked feta) while chatting with Chef Bryan Woolley (cookingwithchefbryan.com). Much to my surprise, Chef Bryan asked to come back on the … Continue reading Pumpkin Pie with a Phyllo Crust
“Back in Greece, your circle of friends grows larger and larger as you go through life. In America, the circle mostly shrinks or stays the same size.” “Why do you think that is?” “Time. Nobody has time here. It seems that every time you make a new friend, another friend has grown too busy or … Continue reading Importance of Parea
How to impress a foodie: serve them BOUGATSA creaminess. How to impress a history buff: serve them bougatsa knowledge. Both the history buff and the foodie will wonder where bougatsa have been their whole lives. They say bougatsa originated in Serres, a city north of Thessalonaki where many Greeks immigrated during the Greco-Turkish war that … Continue reading Bougatsa
At the Salt Lake City Greek festival, almost every family plays a role, often with specialties they claim as their own and which they work on for months before the festival. My good friend John Timothy and his entire Pappas family are always on tyropites (cheese pie) duty. Another friend, Jeff Chipian and his family … Continue reading Stifado (Beef Stew)
Whenever I spent the night at my grandparents’ home, breakfast was always an egg sandwich with a cold glass of milk. My Yiayia Saltas would toast two slices of bread, spread some ketchup on the toast, and then put a fried egg in the middle. As a final touch, she would cut the sandwich into … Continue reading Strapatsada (Eggs with tomatoes)
Crispy on the outside, light and gooey on the inside--that’s what makes kolokithokeftedes (zucchini fritters) one of the finer ways to utilize zucchini. Although these fritters can be time consuming, it’s worth the wait as they are my favorite way to enjoy zucchini. They are made with a similar filling that goes into a kolokithopita, … Continue reading Kolokithokeftedes (Zucchini Fritters)
One of the easiest ways to use up zucchini is to slice and fry, plus it’s a tasty way to get your servings of vegetables in for the day. Kolokithakia tiganita (fried zucchini) is a delicious appetizer that’s coated in a spiced beer batter and deep fried to a golden crisp. The trick to these … Continue reading Fried Zucchini Chips
Kolokithopita (zucchini pie) is similar to the popular spanakopita (spinach pie) and can be made just the same by simply substituting the spanakopita for zucchini. My recipe calls for more herbs and a unique combination of cheese to make it stand out. Kolokithopita is a fantastic method of using in season vegetables and herbs. Combining … Continue reading Kolokithopita (Zucchini Pie)
I am excited to share I was asked to talk about the upcoming Salt Lake City Greek Festival on KUTV2 while cooking one of my favorite Greek dishes, Bouyiordi. I was interviewed by KUTV's Fresh Living Hosts, and later cooked alongside Chef Bryan Woolley, an American celebrity chef. Find more of his wonderful recipes at: http://cookingwithchefbryan.com/ … Continue reading Talking Greek Food and Festival on KUTV
With 97% of the country comprised of Greek Orthodox members, it’s no wonder there’s an abundance of historic monasteries and churches with generations of monks, nuns, and priests who have preserved the Greek language, culture, and religion. Greek Orthodox monasteries stretch across the countryside in some of the most beautiful locations imaginable—some balanced atop steep … Continue reading Monasteries and Churches of Greece
