One of the many Greek myths around the creation of roses, is that Aphrodite or Venus, wept over the wounds her lover Adonis suffered and her tears mingled with his blood and created the red rose. This is where the connection between red roses and love stems, if you’ll excuse the pun. The best roses […]

A rich and moist chocolate cake recipe that tastes indulgent but still complies with the dietary restrictions of the Lenten season. Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 1 hour Yield: Approximately 24 pieces Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp. baking soda 6 tbsp. cocoa powder 1 tsp. salt 2 cups granulated sugar 3 tbsp. white vinegar 2 […]

Greek name and pronunciation: πιπερόριζα, say pee-peh-ROH-ree-zah At the market: Fresh ginger root is usually available at the green grocer. Dried ginger is usually sold in powder form, and minced or pureed ginger can often be found in jars. Physical characteristics: Ginger root is said to resemble fat stubby hands. They are a light tan […]

Greek name and pronunciation: Colianthro, κολίανδρο, pronounced koh-LEE-ahn-throh (hard th, rhymes with “dough”) At the market: Coriander seeds are available in sealed packs. Pour-and-shake containers of ground coriander are sometimes available, but it is recommended to buy the seeds and grind them yourself. Physical characteristics: When these rounded seeds are crushed with a mortar and […]

Greek name and pronunciation: Garifalo, γαρίφαλο, pronounced ghah-REE-fah-lo At the market: Whole cloves are usually packaged is small resealable containers. Clove essential oil is usually available at health food stores. Physical characteristics: Cloves are the dried unopened flower buds of an evergreen tree native to Indonesia and Madagascar. A dried clove (bud) is 1/2 to […]

Greek name and pronunciation: Karthamo, κάρδαμο, pronounced KAR-thah-mo (hard th) At the market: Dried cardamom seeds, unshelled and shelled are usually available in small containers, as is powdered (ground) cardamom. Sometimes, pods (containing 15 to 20 seeds) are available. Powdered cardamom should be a last choice because once the container is opened, it quickly loses […]

In Greek: πετιμέζι, pronounced peh-tee-MEH-zee This is a specialty on the Greek island of Crete and one of the oldest (most ancient) recipes I know. Try this naturally sweet (no sugar added) syrup on yogurt, ice cream, in tea, on pancakes, in baking, and as a topping for snow!. A teaspoon also work wonders for […]

Sharlotta is a light, cool, refreshing, welcoming and nutritious desert. It’s a very popular desert on a hot summer evening in Cyprus, when people sit in their gardens or verandas enjoying the jasmine-scented breeze. The name is French and somehow found its way into the Greek culinary vocabulary. Remember that in the 19th and early […]

A gesture of Cypriot Hospitality A traditional and delightful Greek Cypriot custom is the offering of spoon sweets to guests as a symbol of hospitality. They are called spoon sweets because the usual serving size is a well-filled teaspoon. Spoon sweets are popular both in Cyprus and in Greece, usually served with Greek coffee and a […]

Greek name and pronunciation: Moschokaritho, μοσχοκάρυδο, pronounced mos-ho-KAH-ree-thoh (hard th, rhymes with “dough”) At the market: Both “whole nut” and ground powdered nutmeg are readily available commercially. Physical characteristics: The nut is a shiny dark brown in color, oval in shape, and about an inch long by 1/2-inch diameter. The nut’s interior is a lighter […]