Greek Macedonian Halvas, is one of the main Lenten sweets. It’s main ingredient is sesame, which is turned into tahini and was sweetened originally with threpsini, which is a natural sweetener produced from raisins. During the War, when the Germans had confiscated all the production of raisins in Greece, other sweeteners were used such honey, [...]
Daktyla kyrion (meaning ladies fingers) is one of the most known Cypriot pastry desserts and a speciality offered during the pre-lenten period called «Sikoses» in Cyprus. The word «sikoses» derives from the verb σηκώνω = sikono, meaning lifting. Sikoses is the ten day period before lent when the lifting of all the meat takes place [...]
The period of the Great Lent started yesterday and this is called Saracosti. During the period of Saracosti the faithful fast for a period of 49 days and not 40, as it is usually said: the six weeks of Lent and Holy Week. This year the Orthodox Easter is on the 19th April and [...]
It’s been like crazy the last few days. I’ve had too many things to do and so little time. Today I was out all morning and I’ve been cooking and baking since noon. We started fasting and they wanted something to eat. I made this cake today and it is very [...]
At the beginning of Greek Orthodox Lent, Kathara Deftera or Clean Monday, I prepared several dishes and told you that I was going to post them during this period of lent.
However, due to all the events and other things popping up I have delayed. Shall try and post the other recipes within the next few [...]
I shall try in the next few days to write some of my Lenten recipes, which were prepared on Kathara Deftera but have not managed to post them yet. I shall start with one of my favourite Lenten desserts, Halvas Katsarolas, which means Pot halva to distinguish from the one we bake in the oven. [...]
Continue reading about Halvas Nistisimos with fruit and almonds
For those who are fasting for Greek lent a variety of different food is necessary.
Do you know what they used to have for breakfast some generations back? Bread and olives and that kept them strong and healthy to work all day in the fields.
However, how tasteful the olives may be or the bread this is [...]
Continue reading about Eliotes or Eliopitakia (Cypriot olive pies)
What better than a nice hot soup on a cold day like today?
When Lisa from Lisa’s Kitchen and Holler from Tinned Tomatoes asked us to prepare a Vegetarian soup, to be frank I did not have a recipe. The only vegetarian soups I make are houmous chickpea soup and lentils soup and that I had [...]
Whilst preparing papoutsakia I kept thinking what should I do with all this eggplant flesh I was scooping out of the eggplant?
Shall I make melitzanosalata (meaning eggplant salad but it is actually a dip). I was skeptical as I knew that to make melizanosalata, the eggplants should be pierced with a fork [...]
I have posted about koupes last month and you can see the original recipe here. The recipe for the dough is exactly the same. However, as the Orthodox have big lenten periods, fifty days before Easter, forty days before Christmas and some days before the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary [...]
