Every March 25th my friends and I celebrate Greek Independence Day with a festive get together. We eat a delicious Greek meal that includes all of the favorites from salads to dessert and everything in between. And, when we can find good salt cod, we make bakaliaros skordalia (fried cod and garlic sauce), which is … Continue reading Festive Blue & White Cookies
Twirling long strands of spaghetti around a fork is one of my guilty pleasures. Every time I eat a plate of spaghetti I get some sweet satisfaction. It’s an added bonus when the spaghetti has been prepared with a creamy garlic butter sauce and is covered with two of my favorite types of cheese, mizithra … Continue reading Greek Spaghetti
My entire house has smelled like a McDonald’s deep fryer for an entire week. Fried oil has seeped into the carpets and walls, and has stubbornly clung to mine and my family’s clothes. It’s actually been a pleasant change of pace from the typical scent of a wet dog. The culprit behind the oil stench … Continue reading Bakaliaros Skordalia (Cod & Garlic Dip)
Dolmades are a bite-sized Greek dish made from either grape or cabbage leaves and stuffed with an assortment of mixtures. What makes dolmades so wonderful is their versatility. Stuff dolmades with ground meat (lamb, beef or pork), or go the vegetarian route and create a flavorful rice and herb combination for the filling. Top dolmades … Continue reading Vegetarian Dolmades
Mary Saltas Mannos was just 76 years old when I was born. She’s my Papou Pete Saltas’ older sister, making her my great aunt. My papou had seven siblings and Aunt Mary was the first Saltas born in the United States in 1915. Whenever I visited Aunt Mary, she would welcome me on her front … Continue reading Loukoumades (Greek honey donuts)
Kourabiedes are popular Greek butter cookies topped with heaps of powdered sugar and made for special occasions like weddings, Christmas, name days, and any day that ends in “y”. My earliest memories of kourabiedes aren’t the sweet taste of the cookie. In fact, I don’t even remember taking a bite out of one when I … Continue reading Kourabiedes (Greek butter cookies)
There are two things that are always on my Christmas to-do list. First, I have to watch Kevin McCallister thwart the "Sticky Bandits" in Home Alone and Home Alone 2. My brothers and I never tire of watching bricks being thrown at the heads of Marv and Harry and other torturous, yet hilarious schemes devised … Continue reading Melomakarona (Greek Christmas Cookies)
It doesn’t matter where I eat, whenever I look at a menu my eyes are immediately drawn to any mention of something spicy. Spicy curry? Yes please, with a side of Naan. Buffalo chicken wings? My hands and face will definitely be a hot mess after, but I’ll take a basket full of those. Bahn … Continue reading Tyrokafteri (Spicy cheese dip)
There are hundreds of saints in the Greek Orthodox Church that can be called upon for special purposes or during times of need. For example, the three Hierarchs, St. Basil the Great, St. John Chrysostom, and St. Gregory the Theologian are called upon for help in studies. I wish I knew that during my anatomy … Continue reading Fanouropita (St. Fanourios Cake)
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 is a summer camp in Bartholomio, Greece that brings together over 40 staff members and … Continue reading The Greek Frappe
