All posts filed under: Drinks

Greek Coffee

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Long before all the drive through coffee stands and the Grande caramel macchiato, there was elliniko kafe (Greek coffee). Made by boiling coffee grounds in a copper or brass briki (coffee pot) until the perfect kaimaki (foam) forms, Greek coffee is then poured into a white demitasse (small cup). It’s simple as that. The next step is to sip slowly, until you reach the bottom of the cup where the coffee grounds have settled. Sit back, relax, and enjoy your Greek coffee for hours on end at the nearest kafeneio (coffee house) with friends or in the comfort of your own home. Greek coffee is best served with a glass of cold water, and some sweet Greek cookies, such as koulourakia to dunk with. What you need: Demitasse Water Greek Coffee Briki Sugar (optional) Directions: 1. To measure, fill your demitasse cup up with cold water and pour into the briki or small pot. 2. Add 1 heaping teaspoon of Greek coffee into the briki. Add the appropriate amount of sugar for the type of …

The Ouzito: Greek Ouzo Mojito

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To many people, mojitos represent the epitome of a refreshing cocktail. They’re light, slightly sweet, and especially enjoyable on a warm day. Better yet, it calls for the mix and shake of just a handful of ingredients: sugar, mint, lime juice, club soda, and rum. To put a Greek spin on the classic cocktail, simply substitute the rum with your favorite brand of ouzo and you have yourself an ouzo Mojito—an “ouzito.” The drink is equally as irresistible as the original. Ingredients: 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, or simple syrup 7 mint leaves, plus more for garnish 1 oz. fresh lime juice 2 oz. ouzo 1 cup ice 2 oz. club soda Directions: 1. In a shaker, add the sugar, lime juice and mint. Gently muddle together. 2. Add the ouzo and ice and shake well. Pour (unstrained) into a high glass. Top with club soda. 3. Garnish with a sprig of mint and lime slices. Notes: This recipe is made for one serving, but feel free to adjust it accordingly and make a pitcher to …

The Greek Frappe

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Water used to be the only fluid I needed to get me through the day. Then I went to Ionian Village and realized I needed something stronger than water. I needed a Greek FRAPPE. All day, every day. Ionian Village, a summer camp in Bartholomio, Greece, brings together over 40 staff members and hundreds of teen campers from across the United States, giving them an experience of a lifetime. Ionian Village strengthens faith, teaches Greek culture, creates epic memories, and even supplies coffee. I was a camper in 2008 and a staff member in back-to-back summers of 2013 and 2014. Serving as a staff member gave me the best experiences of all. It’s also when I drank the most frappes in my life. Staff members work two 20-day sessions from June to August. We cranked through lots of late nights and early mornings because it’s always on-the-go time. You can’t really call it work because eating Kyria Sophia’s delicious Greek food and supervising junkyard wars, music fests, and themed dance parties totally rocks. On travel …

Tsai Tou Vounou (Greek Mountain Tea)

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While most people associate the act of tea drinking as sophisticated and paired with crumpets, I link it with being sick. In my family, it just takes one sniffle or a lousy cough for a pot of tea to begin brewing. Thankfully I was rarely the sick one but I definitely mastered the art of fake coughing to get myself a cup of tea here and there. We drink TSAI TOU VOUNOU (Greek mountain tea) in our home. Tsai tou vounou comes from the Sideritis plant that grows high in Greece’s rocky mountains. Sideritis (ironwort) comes from the Greek word σίδηρος (sithiros) which translates to “he who is made of or has iron.” Fun fact: my great grandmother was a Pappasideris. I heard she had an iron will. Tsai tou vounou, also referred to as Shepheard’s tea, offers deep health benefits that have been enjoyed throughout Greece for thousands of years. I get my Greek mountain tea from Crete, where it is called malotira. Named by the Venetians in Crete, it translates to “drive out …