There is a school of thought that traditional food is just that; it’s traditional and should definitely not be messed around with. Sometimes a new version of a classic dish can seem pretentious and, just trying a bit too hard. Then, on the other hand, a bit of imagination can turn an everyday recipe into…
Amalthea Deli – Greek delights on line
Sometimes life is a series of happy accidents – serendipity, or whatever you like to call it. Out of absolutely nowhere comes a happenstance, and there you go …. suddenly you realise that the world is a very small place. That was exactly how an unplanned, but hugely memorable, meal in the foothills of Mount…
Athenian shopping obsession – Evripidou Street
Migrating birds definitely know a thing or two. Having spent the last few months in Athens, I can confirm that going South for the winter is the sweetest way to spend the darkest months. Obviously, we have not gone as far as Africa, but the weather has been kinder and the days, even in December,…
Bringing in the New with the Old – New Year 2016
Here in Athens, 2016 has arrived with a long-anticipated blast of wintery weather. All through this autumn, Greece has been basking in bright sunshine and temperatures that would put an English summer to shame. To be honest, you could tell that the Greeks were getting a bit weary of it – longing to get…
A Family Classic – Snitsel or Schnitzel ?
It’s funny how things come around – especially with cooking. I have always found that wherever I go and who ever I am talking to, there is a commonality in food – it’s a great leveller. We all eat the stuff, and amongst most people, there is a real interest in how to prepare it….
Super Food Heroes and Mythical Places
To those of you whose only experience of Greece is on a summer holiday, all I can say is that you are missing a trick or two. Of course, the Greek islands in July or August are without comparison. The familiar picture of sapphire seas under cloudless skies is one cherished by philhellenes and…
11/11/15 – A Corner of a Foreign Field.
Traveling along the Kalamaki – Phaleron stretch of the coastal highway in suburban Athens is a bit of a mixed bag. The traffic at this part is frenetic, but the endless vista of the glistening Aegean sea all along this road is glorious. The beachside is peppered with cafés and bars and…
November Salad Days – Horiátiki Saláta Greek Salad
In much the same way as last year, November has found us in Athens again. After a few days of dappled, grey skies, the weather has reverted to type – the sky the deep azure of the Aegean, with a warmth reminiscent of late spring rather than early winter. Feeling blessed by this winter…
Dipping into Autumn – Kolokithosaláta and Pantzarosaláta – Two unusual mezé dips.
So that’s it… it’s officially autumn. It seems to have come around really quickly, and I suppose that’s the result of a disappointing summer season in England. Don’t get me wrong – I’m not complaining – but it is that lack of a good blast of bone-searing heat, that makes the onset of autumn…
Times they are a-changing for tea drinking in Greece
Time was in Greece, that having a cup of tea was a definite signal that your health was in decline. The standard response when asking for tea was, invariably, “What’s the matter with you ?” Tea was solely a beverage for the sick. There was no choice when buying black tea – it was…
Friendship and Flowers – Stuffed Courgette Flowers – Anthoús
Yesterday I cooked stuffed courgette flowers – anthóus. Not an easy dish to make in England. It is hard to come by the perfect, golden, courgette blooms – unless you grow your own, or maybe have a tame allotment owner, ready to divest their prize vegetables of the flowers. The other day, though I…
5th July 2015 – Simple food for complex times…
You will have to excuse me for having been a bit quiet of late. To be honest, I have been uncomfortable prattling on about lovely Greek food when the country is going through such a difficult time. I have really felt that it would be totally frivolous and flippant. I am not going to…
