DETOX WATER & THE IKARIA DIET: The whole notion of detox water fits in perfectly with a diet inspired by the Ikarian way of life. Detox water is simply water to which any number of fruits and vegetables may be added for both flavor, nutrition and easy hydration (it’s more flavorful so you’ll be […]
Easter is the most serious holiday in Greece, a symbolic celebration of renewal and a palpable celebration of spring. Most Greeks leave the city for the countryside, their exodus as much a yearly ritual as the roasting of the Paschal lamb or goat.
Vegetable cookery on Ikaria, as throughout the greek countryside, is really varied. This recipes is an old one, which I wrote down while sitting with Myrsina Rousso, 80 or so, in her garden in Manganiti while she recounted numerous recipes and details about the life and food on the island in the 1940s. It’s a […]
A healthy green bean stew from my next book: Ikaria, Lessons on Food, Life and Longevity from the Greek Island Where People Forget to Die.
August 15th is the peak of Greek summer, when all of Greece shuts down. It is the holiday of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, but despite the sobriety of the day, it’s also one of the most festive, with panygyria (feasts of food and dancing) everywhere. Especially on Ikaria, which is home to what […]
The end of the summer on Ikaria is always filled with a sweet sadness. The light shifts ever so subtly from crisp white to hints of gold. Fall is imminent. We pack up the house. We say “Kalo Fthinoporo — Have a good autumn,” to friends who we won’t see for months, maybe for a […]
Soufico, a delicious medley of caramelized summer vegetables, is one of the great summer dishes of Greece.
These Ikaria-style zucchini sticks are whimsically called maridaki, the Greek word for smelts, because smelts, long and slim, are typically floured and fried just like these little sticks. They’re great. To find some of the artisinal Greek products you’ll need to make this, visit my online shop here, where you’ll discover a host of lovingly […]
Like many potato lovers, my earliest memories of the humble spud are linked to Sunday family dinners, to a dark, glistening roast that my mother hovered over, matter-of-factly satisfied by the proper, telling smells of garlic and oregano seeping out of our oven, and to a ricer, which to my child’s eyes was as good […]
What do Ikaria and Fettucine Alfredo have in common? Well, nothing really, except that this version of a creamy fettucine dish is a lot like the classic Alfredo, without the eggs, butter or heavy cream. It’s a dish I learned to make from my friend Eleni Karimanli on Ikaria.