In Greece, a country where vegetable recipes rule supreme, you rarely hear food described as ‘vegetarian’. The naming of someone as a hortofágos (vegetarian) is a relatively modern phenomenon, despite the fact that traditionally Greeks, especially in villages and islands, ate very little meat. Regular meat-eating came with growing urbanisation and relative affluence. But explaining…
Tag: vegetables
No Messing Moussaká – Greek Food Myth No.3
It is arguably, the most famous but also the most maligned of all Greek dishes. Unfortunately, most visitors to Greece do not experience home-cooked moussaká, instead having to eat it at touristy tavérnes. There, it seems to have two incarnations – either as a congealing, solid, stripy slab or as a slop, served in individual…
Easy food for changing places – Fassolákia Yahní – Green Bean Casserole
There hasn’t been a lot of cooking done in our house since my last post. Obviously, we’ve all been reeling from the massive events in this country but that hasn’t been the reason for the lack of culinary activity. The cause is much more practical and mundane – we’re moving house. After twenty two years of…
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…
Greek Food Myths No.2 – Lamb is not the only meat. Pork with leeks
It’s a given, of course, that lamb is definitely not the only meat. However, it seems to me that for most Anglo-Saxon food-writers and U.K. supermarkets, all people eat in Greece is lamb. Those of you who follow this blog will remember my hummus-rant – well, this is the next on my list of Greek…
Chop-Chop ! Athenian fast food – and a finding a new favourite….
There is nothing quite so engaging as stumbling across a new dish – and the possibility of trying out a new recipe. It is, of course, even more surprising when you meet the new in an old familiar place. I have been coming to ‘Telis’s’ for many, many years. To describe this place as…
A Last Taste of Summer – Postscript – Kolokythákia Me Avga
In the last post,as part of our marvellous lunch in Paros, I mentioned a dish of eggs and courgettes. Admittedly, it is not the most photogenic dish in the world – but it is very, very tasty and incredibley easy. Kolokythákia me Avgá – Courgettes with Eggs 2-3 medium sized courgettes 1 smallish onion, finely…
Street Food Supreme – Spanakópitta
These are warm, golden autumn days in Athens. October has decided to dress herself up as summer and is making a pretty good job of it. The days are hot – hot enough to swim, if you can get to the coast. The evenings are quite cool and, for Athenians, there is that novelty of…
Arrivals and a seasonal farewell – Yemistá
We have managed to fit in a visit to Greece right now, just as Summer slips in to Autumn.It’s a mellow time of year; the days are still beautifully warm and balmy and the searing heat of August has passed. The continuing warmth does mean that there is still a chance to catch some…
Rising Against Risotto – Spanakórizo and more
It has seemed to me for a while, that the arrival on the world’s dinner tables of Italian risotto has been an uncontested battle. Don’t get me wrong – I do love risotto. The creamy consistency, the still ‘al dente‘ grains of arborio or carnaroli rice, the wonderful intensity of flavour; and there is something…
kouzina 