tagged ‘fruit’

Damn fine cherry pie

in Desserts, Taste -

Buttery and crumbly on the outside, juicy, red and perfectly sweet on the inside- a damn summery, damn fine cherry pie indeed!  Damn fine cherry pie Pies with buttery, sugary crusts bursting with fruity, juicy fillings are amongst the things I most love to make; there is a bit of challenge to them, which is always a good thing, while also welcoming experimentation with so many different ingredients and flavours. Apples and pears are impossible to resist in gloomy, rainy, autumn days and cherries are a gift that keeps on giving in the summer. For this damn fine cherry pie, I have worked with Madame Gâteaux– she is not only amongst the people I most love to be with, she’s also my baking fairy godmother. She’s taught me every decent thing I know about baking- and without cringing even once at my questions, comments and suggestions. Without further ado, here’s her tips and secrets for the best damn fine cherry pie you’ve ever had in your life!

* find the original recipe, inspired by the insanely cool Twin Peaks, here. [READ MORE]

Garam masala, pumpkin seed & dried cherry oatmeal

in Breakfast, Taste -

Fragrant and delicious, this garam masala, pumpkin seed & dried cherry oatmeal will make you reconsider oats for breakfast once and for all.

Garam masala, pumpkin seed & dried cherry oatmeal

In my mind, breakfast is always a little slow and somewhat indulgent; I try to extend this vision to reality as well, as it truly is my favourite meal of the day, regardless of the time I have it (very early, during the week, a little later on the weekends), those I share it with and its contents. There may be eggs or fruit, pastries of a wide variety or toast; it may be just a humble bowl of oats but even then, even in a hurry, even in the gloomy morning light, I try to keep with my little morning rituals and make breakfast somewhat of a feast. [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]

Orange & tangerine Greek semolina cake with pistachios & honey

in Desserts, Taste -

Orange & tangerine Greek semolina cake with pistachios & honey

One of the greatest pleasures I had over the past holidays was spending time with my Zoe. Zoe is one of my closest friends; she is a force of nature, a gorgeous teeny tiny ball of energy, charming and sweet, ballsy and witty. She studied History, she works at LSE and her cooking game is seriously strong. She can ace pretty much any traditional Greek recipe, knows her ingredients, techniques and history and, most impressively for me, she has the most balanced diet of anyone I know. [READ MORE]

Coconut milk, maple & lime quinoa with caramelised pears & toasted hazelnuts

in Breakfast, Taste -

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It’s been a little over week since I’ve been back and I’m still struggling. I’m not worried though- it’s only part of my usual back-to-school drama, which I live out to the fullest, with frequent outbursts, cursing on the weather, the traffic, the boots and layers I now have to live in and everything else, really. [READ MORE]

Grape spoon dessert

in Desserts, Taste -

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Spoon desserts are quite the Greek tradition. They’re also very popular, very sweet and can be made using almost any kind of fruit boiled with sugar and oftentimes added herbs and/or spices. When I was a kid and a teenager I considered them unbearably uncool, boring and tasteless; I mean, it was just cooked fruit in a sugary syrup. There was no texture, no fluffiness, no layers and, most importantly, no chocolate or even butter! I snubbed them and thought I was so right to do so. [READ MORE]

Beet, grape, berry & turmeric smoothie

in Breakfast, Taste -

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I hate Mondays. I hate them with a teenager’s ferocity, passion and stubbornness. The weekend usually seems too short and by Sunday night, I often feel less than ready to face the week ahead.

But Monday comes, always, and with it the promise of a new week and the possibility to make it as pretty and exciting as you please. It is Monday and it is a new week, and it is up to us to make them count, right? And it all starts with a good breakfast. [READ MORE]