Vegetable platter

in Small bites, Taste -

My favourite vegetable platter features lots of crunchy veggies, toasted sourdough, mozzarella balls & my favourite, smooth, green, sour & sweet dip. 

Vegetable platter

One of the things that makes me happiest is having friends over and feeding them. I always prefer preparing the food myself (be it small bites or an actual meal) and not relying on store-bought options- so when guests do arrive, I’ve been through a bizarre state of mild stress and almost absolute bliss. And they can both be attributed to cooking, which stresses and relaxes me in almost equal measures. My biggest joy is to prepare a platter, abundant in some of my favourite things. These most often belong in the dairy family (there’s few things I love more than a good cheese platter), but as of late, I have been experimenting with including more freshness, crunchiness and colours. [READ MORE]

Egg, cress & radish sandwich

in Small bites, Taste -

This humble egg, cress & radish sandwich is as simple and unassuming as it sounds and as delicious as each one of its parts. Make a lot, they definitely won’t go to waste.

Egg, cress & radish sandwich

I love a good sandwich; one that’s made with a fine, not too complex, not too artisan-y and whatnot, bread and a filling which excites without becoming overwhelming. I’m always drawn to dishes which embrace and celebrate few ingredients- and sandwiches are one of the best ways to do a lot with very little. [READ MORE]

Citrus & edamame salad

in Small bites, Taste -

Perfect for winter and filled with all the beautiful fruit available, this bright and refreshing citrus & edamame salad is as easy as it is satisfying.

Citrus & edamame salad

I am endlessly in awe of the fresh produce available in spades during spring and sumer. All the captivating colours and intoxicating smells, all the different textures which beg to be used in different dishes, usually requiring very little handling at all. I am in awe indeed and I miss them when the warm months are gone. And then, in the middle of winter, when all hopes of light and warmth are unwillingly but still necessarily put to the side, I become aware, somehow by chance and almost  alarmingly, of the devastating beauty of citrus fruits. [READ MORE]

Spicy hot toddy

in Small bites, Taste -

Mildly boozy and seriously spicy, this hot toddy will do wonders both for your immune system and your spirit! Bottoms up!

I meant to share this for a while now, as it has become my favourite remedy for winter colds. To be perfectly honest, up until recently, I had no clue what a hot toddy was. I am not a big fan of whiskey and I don’t care for hot beverages which are not black coffee. Still, there’s always whiskey around here and thanks to the vibrant English weather, there’s also the occasional cold. So, in an effort to keep winter colds (and blues) at bay and in memory of the very cool Robert Burns (Happy Birthday!), here’s my version of a hot toddy and the story behind it. [READ MORE]

Homemade dukkah

in Small bites, Taste -

Fragrant, spicy and crunchy, this Egyptian savoury spice blend has the right amount of heat, is very addictive, versatile and so easy to make at home.

Homemade dukkah

I don’t remember the first time I came across dukkah; what I do remember is how crazy in love I fell. Listen, crunchy texture in food tends to make me very happy. Peanut butter is always crunchy (although I often cook with the smooth variety) and granola stays in the oven just a tiny bit longer; when I make pie using filo pastry, I try to call dibs on all the extra crispy corner pieces and as much as I love hummus, crunchy chickpeas always trump it. I won’t even get into milk chocolate with hazelnut or almond chunks- they pretty much sum up half of my childhood and don’t want to get soft now. [READ MORE]

Chilli, lemon zest & parmesan popcorn

in Small bites, Taste -

Chilli-lemon-parmesan-popcorn

Happy first of November y’all! I like this time of year- it’s not “OMG it’s Christmas” spectacular, nor “can’t wait to hit the beach” carefree, yet there’s something about this month, with it’s dark afternoons and first cold blasts, that fills me with a somewhat calm sense of comfort and an ever so slight excitement for the more glamorous month which follows. [READ MORE]

Spicy tomato & corn dakos

in Savoury, Small bites, Taste -

Spicy tomato & corn dakos

With the exception of a super rainy, gloomy Saturday, the weather in London has been almost unseasonably sunny and hot- and the forecast for this week is similarly bright and promising. We won’t be around for it, but luckily California also promises a beautiful Indian summer. And while I kinda can’t wait for pumpkins and apples galore, I’m happy to enjoy the beautiful summer produce for a little while longer. My favourites at the moment: juicy tomatoes and crisp corn on the cob. [READ MORE]

Toast 3 ways

in Small bites, Taste -

Toast 3 ways

One of the things rarely found in our kitchen is bread. Don’t get me wrong- I LOVE bread, both making and (even more) eating it. The main reason for its absence is simple: bakeries are not the same here as back home. Seriously, Greece seems to have a bakery in almost every corner; each is filled with every type of bread and any sweet and savoury dough-y thing imaginable*, making it very hard to resist and not buy a fragrant loaf or a bag of delicious treats. In additional to that, Mike, who loves treats of any kind (especially the chocolate and peanut butter kind) is quite indifferent when it comes to bread. He never asks for it nor buys it, so it’s easy for me to follow his lead. [READ MORE]