Ikaria Longevity Lentil Soup with Sage and Chile Peppers

Ikaria Longevity Lentil Soup

As unexpected (and seemingly Southwestern American) as the use of sage and chile peppers might be in this Ikarian soup, cooks from a generation or two ago on the island used both to flavor lentils. “We put chile peppers in bean soups in general, because black pepper was too expensive,” my neighbor Titika taught me. […]

9 Ways Forward with Plant-Based Cooking the Greek Way

Plant-Based Cooking the Greek Way

NINE WAYS FORWARD WITH PLANT-BASED DISHES. TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE OFFERINGS GREEK CUISINE SERVES UP! Animal protein is on a lot of people’s minds. Americans and Western Europeans eat way too much of it. The World Health Organization derided red meat and processed meats as carcinogenic in a much-publicized report a few […]

Beet Risotto with Feta

beet risotto with feta

Beets are an unusual but delicious addition to classic risotto, made here with Greek rice or with Italian risotto rice. Greek rice is something to look for because it is naturally flavorful, thanks to the close proximity of Greek rice fields to the sea. Most Greek rice grows in Macedonia. Greek rice is also free […]

One Pot Greek Lemon Chicken with Potatoes, Mushrooms & Peas

One Pot Greek Lemon Chicken

One of he things that deters me from sometimes making lemon roasted chicken and potatoes is the cleanup! Too many pans! I’ve simplified a Greek classic by putting everything together in one pan. Note, too, that olive oil is crucial to the final flavor of this dish, as it’s drizzled over the finished chicken breasts […]

Ikaria-Style Chicken Braised in Wine: Stifado

Chicken Stifado

The door to my kitchen on Ikaria opens up onto our little stone terrace and a few years ago Vassili planted an herb bed in a dirt patch he left unpaved right in the middle, under a trellis of grapes and between a few very old almond trees. We’ve planted rosemary, sage, mints, lavender, oregano, […]

Broccoli Stalk Slaw

Broccoli Stalk Slaw

One of the best winter salads in Greece is a kind of slaw, called Politiki Salata, made with cabbage, carrots, and dill. I re-invent it a bit here, using broccoli stems, too, as a way to use up something that we typically discard but that is both delicious and nutritious. To find some of the […]

Meatballs “Spetzofai”

Meatballs "Spetzofai"

Everyone loves a great meatball! Here is an easy recipe that marries classic Greek keftedes — meatballs — with a dish called spetzofai, which is a pepper and tomato stew. Cook up a batch of pasta and add new (Greek!) meaning to the term spaghetti and meatballs! To find some of the artisinal Greek products […]

Savoring Thessaloniki: Greece’s Second City is First for Food

SAVORING THESSALONIKI — GREECE’S SECOND CITY IS FIRST FOR FOOD   Greece’s second city is first in food, a well-kept secret to those in the know that’s now out of the bag, thanks to the venerable paper of record, the New York Times, which a few days ago listed Thessaloniki as number 47 on a […]

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