Ivy on March 7th, 2010

In Orthodox religion during the 48 days of Lent, which is the fasting period, no animal products are allowed to be eaten.    Fasting doesn’t have to be boring or a torture, so I am always trying to create something out of the usual.
I was inspired to make these tahini muffins last fall, when [...]

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Ivy on November 26th, 2009

I was really curious to try an original Italian Pizza when we were in Rome, but I must say I was rather disappointed.    Unfortunately we did not have the luxury of time to try everything we wanted, as after walking for hours and hours every day, when it was lunch time and were feeling really [...]

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Gemista, means “filled” or “stuffed” vegetables such as, peppers, eggplants, courgettes, onions etc. The filling can be a meat based one, usually with minced beef and rice but I always prefer to make them vegetarian.

Gemista fall under the category ladera or “oily” food, as we call them but my version is a much lighter [...]

Continue reading about Gemista (Stuffed Tomatoes) and a Well Balanced 3 Course Meal

Ivy on May 30th, 2009

I wanted to make something sweet but as this was not planned I opened my kitchen closets and looked for ingredients to see what I could make.  I did not have eggs, I did not have enough regular sugar, I did not have vanilla, I looked into the drawers where my spices are looking for [...]

Continue reading about Orange flavoured Pecan and Almond Cookies

Ivy on May 28th, 2009

As with tyropita (cheese pie), there are many types of  spanakopita -spinach pie - in Greece, as well as a combination of both called Spanakotyropita, or when there is less spinach (or none at all)  and more greens, it is called hortopita.

These kind of foods are staples in Greek cooking so every now and [...]

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Ivy on April 9th, 2009

When I went to Cyprus last month I brought with me two bunches of cilantro and the bunches in Cyprus are really big.
I used it in salads, I used it in other recipes but still I had too much and as the days passed I didn’t want to see it being wasted, so while it [...]

Continue reading about Farfalle with Cilantro and Cashews Pesto

Ivy on April 7th, 2009

My first encounter with Avocado was some years ago, before creating a blog and at a time when the internet connections were slow and we paid by the hour when connected, so information was not easily accessible.  I don’t even remember what I did with it but I remember we did not like it.
A few [...]

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Kifylla is another Cypriot street food which is not widely known.   It’s a sweet bread, filled with raisins and glazed with sugar on top and it used to be sold in the central streets,  in wheeled carts.  It’s a very healthy snack and perfect for breakfast.
You can either use butter or margarine but as [...]

Continue reading about Kifylla: Cypriot Cinnamon and Raisin Bread Rolls

As I told you in my previous post, we visited an exhibition on Lakonian products.   The first part was all about olives and Greek olive oil.
I have taken many photos but as it is impossible to show all the exhibition, I have made a few collages so that you may see and  find out [...]

Continue reading about Honey, Peanut butter, Chocolate and Pastelli Cookies - Lakonia Part II

Ivy on March 30th, 2009

Laconia is a prefecture in Greece, with Sparta its administrative capital.
It is bounded by Mount Taygetus, to the west of Sparta, which is the highest mountain range of Peloponese (2.407 meters)  and with the Parnon mountains to the northeast (1.961 meters),  to the west with Messenia,  and  to the North with Arcadia. Among the two [...]

Continue reading about Lakonia and Pasta Elias (Olive paste)