I’m back y’all! The past couple of weeks have been spent in a frantic wedding prep haze, equally filled with joy, bickering, tension and excitement. We’re tying the knot in a couple of days and since I’ve now crossed off most of what needs to be done of dozens of lists, I’m finally ready to come back to my favourite place, with one of my favourite recipes: kunefe! [READ MORE]
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]
These asparagus, garlic & corn cream cheese tartlets are just perfect for this time of year. Asparagus is one of my favourite ingredients you guys! But, looking at my recipes, you wouldn’t know- in fact it’s been only featured here twice: quite recently in this super fresh chinese egg rice salad and a while back, courtesy of Nassia and her kick-ass red wine risotto. What the hell, right? Asparagus is such a delicate beauty, such a rock star, it needs all the love we can give it and then some. [READ MORE]
Throughout the holidays, one of the things I enjoyed the most about the various dinner we attended or hosted at home was the starters. Not the meat, which was in overwhelming abundance, not the wine, which was flowing non stop, but the little bits and pieces available before the actual meal: different kinds of cheese paired with fresh and dried fruit, beautiful charcuterie, smoked salmon- they were all not only delicious enough to almost keep me from enjoying the rest of the meal, but also so pretty. [READ MORE]
You know how, when it comes to vegetables (or anything, really), you have your star players and your underdogs? Tomatoes, avocadoes, the mighty kale, carrots- they’re all winners, loved by most and consumed enthusiastically. And then you have others, like broccoli and cauliflower which are less fancy, less sparkly, less favoured. So totally unfair. I think I love almost all vegetables the same. And I have my mom to thank for this. [READ MORE]
Happy Monday everyone! Let’s start the week with a smile on our faces, despite the grim weather and the tons of things on our to-do lists. Let’s start it with a big cup of delicious coffee, feel-good music and sleepy good mornings to the ones we love. [READ MORE]
Baked nachos is one of my favourite things in the world. Yours too? Hi, nice to meet you.
Tortilla chips are grand, melted cheese is king- and the two combined is one of this things dreams are made of. My first encounter with them was at a movie theater. I’m usually a pop corn kinda gal, but once I tried nachos, I was fell in love with the crispy, crunchy chips, the non-descrip orange cheesy substance poured all over them and messiness of it all. [READ MORE]
Beware people, pumpkin craziness season is upon us! All sizes, all colours and shapes, some ridiculously overprices, but all so lovely, pumpkins are currently les belles of the ball. You really can’t escape them- but honestly, why would you want to? Sweet in taste and with such deep autumn-y colours, they stand out both as decorations but also as part of so many dishes, sweet and savoury as well. [READ MORE]
My love for cheese and entertaining people at home has been well-documented here (especially the cheesy part). Understandably, I consider putting together the perfect fall cheese platter essential (and so much fun!) for a relaxed lunch or dinner at home. I love cheese. All kinds, all textures, all smells. What I love even more, is sharing it with others. Well, that’s not entirely true. I’m up for sharing if there’s enough cheese available. Let me give an example: one of the biggest fights I’ve ever had with Mike was because of a big chunk of cheese; I’d chosen it carefully and was keeping in the fridge, guarding it like a dragon; one day I came back from work late to discover that most of my precious had been hacked away and consumed by him and one of his friends. Not quite a deal breaker, but close. So, to recap, sharing cheese I love, as long as there’s plenty of it, purposely purchased for sharing. [READ MORE]
Of all the pulses out there, lentils are my least favourite. Actually, let me clarify: lentils, the way they are usually prepared in Greece -as a watery stew with onion and/or garlic, bay leaves and often times carrots- that’s one of my least favourite pulse dishes. I can’t bear it now, couldn’t bear it when I was living at my parents’ house and my mom would make her own variation, slightly thicker, with some chopped tomatoes and different spices and herbs thrown in the mix. I would overload my plate with vinegar, grab a fat slice of bread and reluctantly dig in hoping for the best. [READ MORE]