Spanakopita (spanaki meaning spinach, and pita meaning pie) is a rustic Greek pie made with spinach and phyllo. Until I was 20, the only green vegetable I ate was spinach, and only then because it was used as a filling in my yiayia’ spanakopita. Her recipe calls for feta (and lots of it), which is … Continue reading Spanakopita (Spinach Pie)
Whether you’re a novice or an expert cook, or somewhere in between, a simple dish to have in your repertoire is makaronia me kima (spaghetti with meat sauce). Or at least you should know how to make the latter portion, the kima. In Greek, kima means ground beef, but in this recipe, kima implies a … Continue reading Makaronia me Kima (Spaghetti with meat sauce)
Olives are standard in Greek homes and make their way on to tables in a variety of ways. A simple drizzle of olive oil and a generous sprinkle of oregano on top of a bowlful of green or black olives make for an easy table finger food. Olives are must haves in the popular xoriatiki … Continue reading Pan-fried olives
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)
These are a few of my favorite things: raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles, and warm woolen mittens. In fact, while I’m actually not much of kitten or mitten enthusiast, I do enjoy simple pleasures like peeling an orange in one long piece, finding a missing match to my favorite socks, … Continue reading Bouyiourdi (Spicy Baked Feta)
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)
Who would’ve known a Cretan cooking class spent stuffing farm fresh tomatoes and rolling thick Cretan dough would make for one of my favorite nights ever spent in Greece? I knew it would be fun—but not "so fun that I had to write about it fun." Best of all, the 20 fellow travelers with me … Continue reading Cretan Cooking Class
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
