Greek eats

Hello, friends. And Christos Anesti to all my fellow Greeks.

Orthodox Easter came and went and all I can say is that I ate more than I could handle, but I enjoyed it immensely. During Lent it was all about shellfish and occasionally fish, but Easter was all about the meat.
Lamb,

kokoretsi (lamb's liver and lungs wrapped with lamb's intestines),

and kontosouvli (pork neck pieces on a spit).

Since we unanimously decided that we didn't have enough meat (!) on Easter day, it was all about veal steaks and pork sausages the day after.

I could have definitely used a break, but no, I had to have more. I’d missed my beloved pastourma (seasoned, air-cured beef) and soutzouki (spicy, fresh sausage made with beef meat).

My mom made pastourmadopitakia, small pies with pastourma, tomato and Greek sheep's milk Graviera cheese from Metsovo. They were so tasty I ate more than I should.

A lot of eggs were consumed. Not by me, but by everyone else.

If you know any Greeks, then you must know that we are all crazy about our cheeses. I, in particular, am nuts about Feta, and Anthotyro (soft, sheep's and/or goat's milk cheese) which I haven’t eaten in a long time.

Pites, Greek flatbreads, are an excellent accompaniment to meats of any kind.

For salad, among others, beets with their long green delicious leaves and their tender, purple stalks.

Gigantes, giant beans in a tomato sauce with anchovies prepared last week by my darling grandmother.

Dakos, barley rusks with olive oil, tomato, dried oregano and Feta. A classic Greek, fast and healthy meal. I could eat this for lunch every single day of the year.

I made and drank a lot of Greek frappé coffees. I had quit drinking this kind of coffee but fell into old habits once I came back home.

And some sweets for good measure. I made this chocolate cake, the recipe for which I have to share with you. Come to think of it, I have to share the recipes for every single thing. They are all worthy.

These cupcakes with fresh chamomile were a pleasant surprise as it was the first time I had ever added fresh chamomile to a dessert.

When I found fresh chamomile at the farmer’s market I grabbed a bunch without hesitation. I made with it the most aromatic and intensely flavored tea. You should try doing that too.

This cake with fresh cherries and almonds. Find the recipe for the cake here.

I pitted the cherries with my grandfather’s twenty-five year old cherry pitter.

When I came back from the farmers’ market the other day, with plenty of vegetables and fruits, I couldn’t resist photographing them. I will miss their flavor so much when I go back to Holland in a few days. Everything tastes better when you’re in Greece.

The strawberries were made into jam and spoon sweet.

The aubergines and courgettes into mousakas, by my mom.

The horta (vlita / wild greens) were boiled and served with olive oil and lemon and a side of fried red mullet.

The tomatoes into one more dakos for the road.

As for the rest, the possibilities are endless.


That’s all for now.

See you soon!