DETOX WATER
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 inclined […]
Greek Easter on Ikaria
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.
Ikaria-Style Batter-Dipped Eggplants in Fresh Tomato Sauce
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 […]
Ikaria Green Bean Stew (Mageirio)
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 on Ikaria
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 […]
Ikaria: Making Wine with My Feet
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 […]
Ikarian Soufico, Blue Zone Longevity Vegetables
Soufico, a delicious medley of caramelized summer vegetables, is one of the great summer dishes of Greece.
Zucchini Sticks from Ikaria
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 […]
Potato Love and Longevity
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 […]
Ikaria Fettucine al Greco with Greek Yogurt and Herbs
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.
Ikaria Longevity Lentil Soup with Sage and Chile Peppers
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. […]
Ikaria Lentil Salad with Fennel, Onions, and Lots of Herbs
Lentils have it all: They are one of the world’s healthiest foods and also one its most versatile, pairing beautifully with so many dfferent vegetables, herbs and spices. They are a great source of fiber, protein, and a whole range of minerals, especially phosphate, copper and iron. On Ikaria they were and still are a […]