Chronia Polla - Happy 2010!! I hope you all had a wonderful time. Unlike Christmas day, we had a wonderful time during these holidays. The weather here in Greece was fantastic and more like Spring (I heard on the weather forecast that it was the hottest New Year day the past hundred years) so with [...]
The history of Greek red saffron or Krokos Kozanis (Crocus Sativus Linneaus plant) dates back to prehistoric Greece.
In modern Greece, it starts again in the 17th century when traders from Kozani, Macedonia, bring the red saffron back from Austria.
For 300 years, Greek red saffron is systematically cultivated under the warmth of the Greek [...]
Continue reading about Krokos Kozanis (Crocus) or Zafora (Greek Saffron)
One week left before leaving on vacations. I can’t wait to get out of Athens and the only thing that is bothering me is that now that I am finally loosing some weight, my nutritional balance will be distorted. Although it’s hard to maintain a diet when you are on vacation, I am determined not [...]
I have been watching my diet for some time now, so I try and cook lighter but without counting calories. Mostly I cook some grilled meat with a salad, or legumes and ladera but keeping the oil to the minimum.
On Thursday I was cooking marinated pork chops and I wanted to make a side dish [...]
Continue reading about Mushrooms and spring onions rice salad
Kalamaria is a very popular dish in Greece, especially during Lent when seafood is allowed to be eaten. Although we can eat all sorts of delicious food during Lent I find it difficult to cook dried legumes or just vegetables on Sundays as Ι have always connected Sunday cooking with meat dishes.
During the past weeks [...]
Continue reading about Kalamarakia tiganita kai gemista (fried and stuffed kalamari)
Kremmydia Gemista, which means stuffed onions is a recipe my mother would often make. She would make the same filling as for koupepia, with or without the minced meat, depending on the occasion.
The filling I have made is not how my mother used to make it so after making the sauce for the Vegan Moussakas [...]
This is a recipe I have prepared a few weeks ago. Although I was planning to cook something vegetarian for Joan’s event A Culinary Tour around the world, unfortunately I did not manage to cook something, for personal reasons.
BloggerAid is also inviting its members to join Earth Hour 2009.
With only a few [...]
Those of you reading my blog know that I am from Cyprus, which although it is an independent state, our culture, language, religion, customs, food, music, national anthem etc., are Greek.
The immigration of settlers from Greece, which had begun at least by 1200 b.C., led to the foundation of Greek kingdoms covering most of the [...]
Continue reading about Koupepia me lahana and not lahanodolmades
Some days ago my son went to Sparta to visit his grandmother and our relatives who live there and when he came back, as usually, they sent us some fresh eggs from their chickens, pasto (which is cured pork), as well as sausages and finally some fresh vine leaves from their garden.
If you like [...]
One of our traditional soups is the Avgolemono (egg-lemon) soup, which is usually boiled rice in chicken broth and finished in an egg-lemon sauce.
Giouvarlakia is a deviation of this traditional soup and instead of boiling rice in chicken broth we make meatballs with ground veal and rice which we dredge in flour and cook in [...]
