Feta is a white cheese and is the most consumed cheese in Greece. It’s also the most widely exported Greek cheese. And feta cheese is exclusively Greek. In 2005, after sixteen years of hot debate, the European Union’s highest court decreed that “feta” is protected as a traditional Greek product, and that none of the […]

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 […]

Easy, Quick, and Simple Celebrate the ripest tomatoes from your garden or market by serving them as simply as possible, enhancing taste only with a sprinkling of herbs and a drizzle of olive oil. This is the time to use your best quality Greek olive oil, as well. Prep Time: 5 minutes Total Time: 5 minutes Ingredients: fresh ripe garden […]

A fresh and colorful pasta salad that is brightened by the addition of a tangy Greek yogurt dressing. It’s perfect for a picnic or as a light vegetarian offering to your next pot-luck dinner. Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 11 minutes Total Time: 31 minutes Yield: 8 servings Ingredients: For the salad: 1 lb. pasta, (your choice, I used Rotini) cooked, […]

SAMOUSATHES Makes about 30 pieces Ingredients: For the pastry: 3⁄4 cup strained fresh orange juice 4 large eggs 31⁄2 to 41⁄2 cups all-purpose flour, as needed For the filling: 3⁄4 cup sesame seeds 3 cups finely ground walnuts or almonds (not blanched) 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves For the syrup: 2 cups […]

THIPLES Thiples—sometimes called xerotygana—are not unique to the Peloponnesos, but they are very much a part of the region’s culinary life. “A wedding without thiples would be like a wedding without a bride,” one woman told me. While the sweet is made all over Greece, it is shaped differently from place to place. In Crete, for example, strips of dough about […]

In greek LALANGIA i TIGANIDES These are the signature fritters of the southern Peloponnesos, piled high in bakeries and sweet shops, made at home around Christmas, and savored with either honey or grated cheese. They are made with a basic bread dough, leavened with homemade starter. It is a process that requires some time, but overall it is easy. Makes about […]

Unusual, but today is a no-cook day for me. I’m feeding the snails. Snails (called saligaria or kohli) are a favorite Greek food and Crete is famous for dishes made with these little wonders. Right now, I’m preparing to make one of them, but first, I have to feed the snails. It all started last week when I […]

In Greek: κοχλιοί μπουρμπουριστοί, pronounced kokh-lee-EE boor-boor-ee-STEE “Bourbouristi” is the popping sound snails make when frying. Snails fried in the shell on a bed of salt may sound strange, but they are delicious and very easy to make. Oil, vinegar, and rosemary give the fried snails a uniquely Greek flavor. Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Total […]

When the weather turns cold, this thick soup is especially delightful. It’s vegetarian- and vegan-friendly, and a favorite lenten dish as well. In Greek: σούπα με μπιζέλια, pronounced SOO-pah meh bee-ZEL-yah Add a fish dish like taramosalata, some Greek olives, and lots of crusty bread, and you’ve got a traditional meatless Greek Wednesday, Friday, or Lenten […]