It’s all good

in Inspiration -

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During and after my frying session the other day, I realised that one of the reasons I don’t fry things often, is because fried food is largely considered bad for you. And yeah, I get it, all this oil, absorbed by whatever it is you’re cooking, is not the healthiest thing. My meals during the week are on the light side, varying from usually raw vegetables, cooked brown rice, quinoa or couscous, to steamed or baked fish and roast chicken, soups in the winter and salads during spring and summer. It sounds quite boring, but having a more or less specific diet not only prevents me from feeling too full afterwards, but also minimises time and effort in the kitchen. [READ MORE]

My Aphrodite

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It’s been almost a year since my maternal grandma passed away. Her name was Aphrodite and I got my middle name from her. I’ve always been so proud of that name. Not only because of how pretty it is, but mostly because it was hers. My grandma was a rare breed. [READ MORE]

Desperately looking for the best

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A few weeks ago, we were having dinner with some friends in Chelsea, at their favourite restaurant. It was wonderful in every way and as far as dining experiences go, one of the most enjoyable I’ve ever had. The food was sublime, both comforting and thoughtfully intricate, the wine delicious and in abundance and the service impeccable. What I mostly loved though, was the familiarity between the staff and our friends; they’ve been loyal customers for many years now and are being treated with the warmth and care usually reserved for old friends. Throughout the meal, we talked a lot about the restaurant and our friends’ long lasting love affair with it and what was clear to me was that, apart from the quality of the food and the atmosphere, the main reason for their frequent visits was that they kind of felt at home there. Never once was the term ‘best’ used to describe either the place, or the food or even why our friends favoured it. [READ MORE]

Food for thought

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Yesterday was Earth Day; there was lots to read about, lots to talk about and even more to think about. Not surprisingly, most of my thoughts were about food. Mostly seasonal, local, good for you, good for the planet food. But this is not a lecture on eating well. There’s so much pleasure in eating and cooking, and part of it should be in choosing ingredients, without overthinking or overanalysing them. [READ MORE]

Happiness

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My favourite thing to do on a Sunday morning is wake up early, have a big cup of strong black coffee and go for an (embarrassingly short) run. On the way back, I usually buy a flaky, hot and insanely aromatic pain au chocolat- to be honest, that’s probably the main reason why I get up early and go for a run in the first place… [READ MORE]

Easy Chinese- tips from the School of Wok

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I think it all started with Sichuan peppercorns- once they were on my radar, I just couldn’t stop adding them to almost every meal I’d make. Although, wait; no, it started way before that, with the realisation that, even though Chinese food is so often my go-to choice when dining out, I really struggle when attempting to make it at home. So, equally frustrated by this and overwhelmed by that newfound love for the lovely, fragrant Sichuan peppercorns, I reached out to the experts: namely, to my good friend Adrienne Katz Kennedy, PR & Special Events Manager at the School of Wok. She didn’t only fuel my enthusiasm for this amazing cuisine, but also gave some very useful tips on how to easily master it at home. [READ MORE]

Favourite Greek Easter recipes

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In my family, we love celebrations- personal, seasonal or otherwise, I think we’re up for all of them, the traditions that come with them, and of course the food. Easter however is our thing, hands down. I think that’s mostly to do with the fact that, up until a few years ago, we always spent it together in our house in the mountains; and although Pelion is always gorgeous, I think it’s at it best during the spring- everything is in bloom, there’s so much colour, light and so many smells around, it’s almost unbearable at times. [READ MORE]

Favourite bread recipes

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Bread is one of my favourite things to eat- shocker, I know. However, I rarely buy bread; I don’t only find artisan loaves to be unexplainably expensive, I mostly love making my own. And for the annoyingly impatient person that I am, this is a big deal. Bread needs patience, time and quite a bit of work. And yet, I enjoy every single step: mixing the yeast with liquid, allowing it to froth, slowly adding flour and a touch of salt, adding different bits and pieces, kneading (immensely therapeutic and probably my favourite part of the process), allowing the dough to rise, kneading again, shaping the loaves and prepping my oven for a perfectly crunchy, golden crust- I just can’t get enough! These are some of my current favourites- when you find yourself with a bit of extra time, I highly recommend giving them a try- the smell of freshly baked bread alone is worth every minute! [READ MORE]

5 things my mom taught me about food

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My cooking and eating habits have been mostly influenced by my mom (although her influence has hardly been limited to those two). I can’t be objective of course, but I consider her to be the best cook I know: super fast in the kitchen, with a very solid knowledge of cooking essentials, yet constantly improvising, I don’t think she’s even made a dish I didn’t like (even though she’s often quite heavy- handed on the black pepper and garlic). [READ MORE]

Dinner party tips

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Throwing dinner parties is one of my favourite things. My parents always had people over and since I was little, I’ve found the whole process to be very exciting and satisfying. The gatherings I had at my late teens and early twenties were quite different from the ones I enjoy now (there was way too much drama, alcohol and processed food back then), but what’s stayed the same is my excitement (and occasional nerves) during preparations. [READ MORE]