Easy homemade fresh mizithra (μυζηθρα)

May 14, 2016, 3:46 am

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In a few of the recipes I have posted recently, I have used mizithra cheese. Mizithra is an incredibly popular cheese in Greece and it comes in both dried and fresh versions. In Greece, mizithra is made from either goat, sheep or cow’s whey to which whole milk is sometimes added. Mizithra is one of the simplest cheeses to make: milk is brought to a slow boil for a few minutes and then curdled by adding rennet or whey from a previous batch or an acidic substance such as lemon juice, vinegar or - in some cases, a fresh broken sprig from a fig tree. As soon as curds have formed they are poured into a cheesecloth bag and hung to drain. The whey dripping out of the bag can be used to curdle the next batch of mizithra.

 

A fresh chalky white colour, this slightly sweet cheese is perfect with honey, fruit and nuts. It is also used to fill all manner of small pies, such as the kalitsounia of Crete.

 

The fresh version of mizithra cheese may also be salted and hung to dry from cheese cloth, in the shape of a ball. The hard aged mizithra is the most traditional grating cheese in Greece. It is perfect grated on garlicky, tomato sauce doused pasta - real summer holiday food!

 

But back to the fresh mizithra. It's pretty much impossible to buy here in Australia, so I've taken to making my own. While it's not 100% the same as the beautiful mizithra of Greece - it is a good substitute. If you want a lighter style cheese, you can just use an extra cup of goat's milk in place of the cream.

 

 

Easy homemade mizithra (μυζήθρα)

 

This recipe makes about 250g of mizithra. The use of goat milk in the recipe makes for a strong goat's cheese taste. If you prefer, substitute with whole, organic unhomogenized cow's milk - or a half/half blend. If you use homogenized milk, or milk with a low fat content you may need to double the amount of lemon juice used.

Traditionally, this cheese would be made by using whey from other cheese making. The whey is boiled and the milk and lemon juice (noted below) is added and whisked gently until curds form. If you have whey, you can try this method. Otherwise, proceed with the recipe below.

Ingredients

3 cups (750ml) goat milk (or whole, unhomogenized cow's milk if you prefer)

1 cup (250ml) double (thick) cream

1/2 teaspoon of sea salt flakes

2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, strained

Method

1. Line a colander with two pieces of muslin or cheese cloth and set this over a large (deep bowl).

 

2. In a pot with a heavy base put the milk and cream. Heat the milk and cream mixture until lukewarm and stir in the salt. Then bring the mixture to the boil while stirring constantly. As it just starts to boil, add the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for 2 minutes. If the milk does not curd, add a little more strained lemon juice.

 

3. Remove the pot from the heat, cover the pot with a lid and leave at the side of the stove, undisturbed, for 10 minutes to half an hour.

 

4. Ladle the mixture into the prepared colander. Let the curd drain for a while, and when most of the whey has drained out, then scrape down the cheese from the sides of the bowl. You can tie the ends of muslin together and then suspend it from a shelf in the fridge, over a bowl to catch the drips, and leave it for another 2-6 hours to drain thoroughly. Turn the mizithra out of the muslin and store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

 

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Mizithra and 'Krokos Kozanis' saffron filled pasta in broth

May 15, 2016, 4:09 am

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The world knows Italy as the home of pasta, but it's origins stretch across the Mediterranean. In Greece, pasta also plays a starring role in the food culture, with significant regional diversity displayed in the variety of shapes and dishes on offer.

This recipe is my twist on a traditional dish called 'Latzania' which comes from Astypalia - an island in the Dodecanese archipelago. Latzania are a cheese filled pasta and custom calls for them to be served on the last weekend before lent.

The traditional shape of the Latzania is an unusual 'lolly wrapper/bow tie' style where the two ends are twisted. I opted to skip the large bow ties and went instead for a simple round shape. However, I've kept the traditional filling of goat cheese and saffron.

Mizithra and saffron filled pasta in broth

Ingredients

For the pasta

3 - 3 & 1/2 cups of flour
2 large eggs
1/2 - 1 cup water

For the filling

1 cup of well drained homemade mizithra cheese (see the recipe here)
1/2 cup very finely grated ladotyiri cheese
Pinch of Greek 'Krokos Kozanis' saffron threads, toasted and crumbled
1 teaspoon of ground allspice
Salt and pepper to taste

To cook the pasta and serve

1.5 litres of homemade chicken stock (you can find the recipe here)

Method

1. Place the flour in a medium mixing bowl and create a deep well in the middle of the flour. Crack the eggs into the well. Whisk the eggs with the fork to combine. As you whisk the eggs, begin gradually pulling in flour from the bottom and sides of the bowl. Once enough flour has been added, it will start forming a very soft dough.

2. Turn the dough out onto a clean counter, that has been dusted with flour. Begin kneading gently and add more flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking to the counter. Keep kneading until the dough forms into a smooth elastic ball. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and rest for at least 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile make the filling. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl: blend the cheeses, saffron, allspice and add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Return to the dough. Divide into around 6-8 pieces. Keep each piece covered in plastic wrap and work one at a time, rolling each through a pasta machine (according to the instructions for the machine). Roll out pieces as thin as possible.

5. Continuing to work with dough one piece at a time (eg. roll out one sheet and fill one sheet, then move onto the next), take the pasta sheet and put heaping teaspoons of filling about an inch and a half apart and an inch and a half from the edge of the sheet. Brush a little water (or some beaten egg yolk) onto the pasta sheet around the filling. Then carefully fold the pasta over the filling and then push down on the pasta around the balls of filling with your finger, pressing hard to make sure there are no air bubbles and that the pasta adheres so it won’t come apart while cooking. Then cut the individual pasta and filling shapes free, using a round cutter or serrated pasta wheel. Set the finished pasta to dry on a lightly floured cloth and repeat the process, continuing until all the stuffing is used up.

6. Bring the stock to a rolling boil in a large pot and add the pasta. Cook briefly and remove as soon as pasta floats to the surface. Serve immediately in soup bowls with some of the broth.

Lamb and chickpea clay pot 'youvetsi' ( αρνι με ρεβιθια γιουβετσι)

May 16, 2016, 4:14 pm

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There is something about cooking in clay, which just makes the food taste better. Cooking in an unglazed, organic clay pot creates an aroma that is both earthy and sort of smokey. Nearly all Greek and wider Mediterranean food was cooked, or stored in clay, in ancient times. I love the range and variety of clay pots that you can still buy in Greece today. Wide bellied pots for simmering tough cuts of meat and narrow necked pots for cooking beans and other legumes, are just a couple to choose from. Apart from the unique character and aroma of food cooked in clay, it also feels healthier - because you don't need to use much cooking fat at all. I've never had any issue of burning food in a clay pot either, because the clay pot heats up slowly and cooks the food more evenly. 

This 'one pot' dish can be found in many regions of Greece and is particularly hearty in cooler weather. In many regions pasta would be added to the pot, to soak up all the cooking juices, instead of chickpeas to make a traditional 'youvetsi'. 

If you don't have a clay pot, you can still make this dish using a large cast iron dutch oven. I like to add a little spice to this dish - once again I'm using the beautiful smoked Bukovo chilli flakes from Homer St, to really enhance the smokey and earthy character of cooking in clay. These chilli flakes would also help to bring that sort of character to the dish, if you are cooking in a cast iron pot instead of clay. 

Lamb and chickpea clay pot 'youvetsi' (αρνί με ρεβίθια γιουβέτσι)

Serves 6 

You need to start this recipe the day before you plan to serve it. 

Ingredients 

1 cup olive oil

Juice of 2 lemons

About 2 heads of garlic, cloves sliced

6 lamb shanks

1/2 kg of dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in water and drained

4 bay leaves (I used the Daphnis and Chloe Balsamic Bay leaves)

2 large brown onions, sliced

2-3 fresh tomatoes, grated 

1-2 cups of homemade chicken or meat stock 

1 teaspoon of dried smoked chilli flakes (such as the Bukovo chilli flakes)

1 teaspoon of the 'Sparoza' spice blend for tomato sauces

1 tablespoon of dried riagni (I used the Daphnis and Chloe Oregano from Taygetus) 

Method

1. The day before you plan to serve the dish, combine the lemon, olive oil and garlic in a large bowl and add the lamb shanks, stirring to coat well. Cover the bowl and leave to marinate in the fridge overnight. You will also want to make sure that your chickpeas are soaking overnight. 

2. The next day, start by preparing the chickpeas. Place the chickpeas in a large pot and add cold water to cover. Bring to a boil. Then remove the pot from the heat and let the chickpeas sit in the water continuing to soak for a few more hours. Drain the chickpeas and return to the pot. Add more water to cover and 2 of the bay leaves. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer until just tender but not falling apart (around 45 minutes) - they will continue to cook for a little time in the clay pot later. Set aside. 

3. Remove the lamb from the marinade (but reserve the garlic from the marinade), season the lamb well with salt and pepper. In a large skillet or frying pan, add the shanks a few at a time and brown well on all sides. Set the lamb aside. 

4. In the fry pan or skillet, add a little more oil if you need too and then sautee the onions until they are just about to start to caramelise. Add the reserved garlic, the chilli flakes, remaining two bay leaves and the sparoza spice blend. Add the grated tomato and about 1 & 1/2 cups of chicken/meat stock and stir the base of the pan to release any really caramelised bits. 

5. Add the lamb to the clay pot, then pour the tomato-onion sauce over it, then sprinkle with the rigani. Place a 'cartouche' over the lamb and then add a layer of foil to seal the clay pot - then add the lid and then another layer of foil (you don't want any of the steam to escape while cooking). Place in the oven and bake for 2 & 1/2 hours until the lamb is tender. If you are using a clay pot, don't preheat the oven. Place the clay pot in a room temperature and then turn the oven on gradually, bring it up to around 160C. 

6. When the meat is tender, transfer it to a platter. Add the drained chickpeas to the pot (there should be about 1 & 1/2 - 2 cups or more of cooking juices left in the pot) along with a drizzle of olive oil and a little seasoning of salt and pepper. Coat the chickpeas well and bake uncovered for about 15 minutes or until most of the remaining liquid has been absorbed (you'll want a little bit left to spoon over the shanks before serving). Place the lamb onto the chickpeas and cook for another 5-10 minutes. Serve immediately on heated plates, placing a few of the chickpeas and onions on the plate, setting the lamb shank on top, with a drizzle of a little of the remaining cooking juices. 

Baked kalitsounia (καλιτσοuνια) with mizithra and mint

May 21, 2016, 12:43 am

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In the lead up to Greek Easter, on Palm Sunday in fact, Mr K and I enjoyed lunch along with the rest of our extended family at my sister in law's parents house. Our host Mrs A, who is originally from Crete, is an incredible cook. The Palm Sunday table was absolutely heaving with what seemed like one hundred beautiful vegetarian and seafood dishes - including the traditional bakaliaros, skordalia, chargrilled octopus, stuffed mussels and more including some Cretan specialties that I had not tried before, such as calamari slow cooked with green olives, tomatoes and fennel.

One of the absolute highlights on the table was, however, Mrs A divine Kalitsounia (καλιτσούνια). A small hand folded pie filled with wild greens and herbs - they were deceptively easy to eat!! Taking inspiration from Mrs A's kitchen, I recently tried my hand at making some cheese filled kalitsounia. 

On our last visit to Crete, we tried some very savoury kalitsounia, stuffed with the local fresh mizithra and various herbs. A sweet variation was also made with mizithra and cinnamon. Having some homemade mizithra to hand (see the recipe here), I decided to make the Easter style traditional savoury kalitsounia - where mizithra cheese is mixed with both fresh and dried mint. I love using a mix of fresh and dried mint in many greek dishes, as I feel it adds to the body and fragrance of the dish. In this recipe I have used Daphnis and Chloe's "The Sweetest Peppermint", as the leaves of the peppermint are carefully packed whole and by rubbing them with your fingers into the cheese mixture, they release the most incredible aroma.

Baked kalitsounia (καλιτσούνια) with mizithra and mint

For the dough:

3 & 1/2 cups plain flour
250ml warm water
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 tablespoons of raki or ouzo
1 tablespoon of lemon juice

For the filling:

400g well drained fresh mizithra
250g feta, crumbled
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of dried mint (Daphnis and Chloe "The Sweetest Peppermint" from Homer St)

For glaze:

1 egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon of water

Method:

For dough:

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix to form a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a few minutes, then wrap in cling film and place in fridge to rest for around an hour.

For filling:

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Combine all of the filling ingredients and mix until smooth.

2. Remove the dough from the fridge and lightly flour it. Portion the dough into smaller pieces and work with one piece at a time, keeping the remaining pieces well wrapped.

3. Either use a rolling pin or roll the dough through a pasta machine, first on the widest setting and then a narrower setting (several times) to form a long strip.

4. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Cut the strip into small rounds. Place 1 small spoon of the cheese mixture on each round of dough, moisten edges with a little water, fold over and seal well, pressing the edges together with a fork. Place in a single layer on a lined baking tray and keep covered with a clean tea towel until you have finished preparing the kalitsounia and are ready to bake them.

5. When ready to bake, brush lightly with the egg glaze and place in the oven for around 20 minutes or until golden.

Naxos: a guide

July 30, 2016, 6:14 pm

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The largest of the Cyclades archipelago, Náxos is one of the few Greek islands that is completely self-sustainable and could feed itself. Every square inch of the island, including the main town proudly boasts either a small vine plot or abundant market garden, squeezed in between low rise apartment blocks and villas. Further into the centre of the island, you will see flocks of sheep and goats everywhere, along with row upon row of silvery-green olive trees.


Naxos also has some of the Cyclades loveliest beaches and its most dramatic scenery: vast mountains, lush terraced valleys and traditional white-washed villages. It has a unique regional food identify, famous for the grapefruit like "kitron" which is the key flavouring for the smooth local liqueur and spoon sweet. Naxiot potatoes are also renowned throughout Greece - as is the islands impressive array of both sheep and goat's milk cheeses.


There is more than enough on offer in Náxos to keep you fully occupied for a week or more. Spectacularly clear, turquoise beaches are a short hop from the main town, ancient sites abound and it is easy to while away a day, evening or more in the twisting back lanes of the hilly old Venetian quarter of the main town, known as Kástro. Best of all, the huge cruise ships that land in some of the other Cycladic islands have not yet made their way to Náxos. In this gem of the Cyclades, you can experience the real Greece – Naxos is authentic. Its not a white washed weary, touristy version. Best of all, you will also get to experience the incredible warmth and philoxenia of the Naxiots. 

Getting there

Náxos is one of the main ferry hubs of the Cyclades. There a regular 3 – 4 & 3/4 hour ferries departing from Piraeus (times depend on taking the express or standard ferries). Naxos is also a short 45 minute - 2 & 1/2 hour ferry ride from the popular Mykonos and Santorini. There are also daily 45 minute flights to and from Athens.

Checking in

For our stay in Naxos, we wanted to be centrally located so that we could make the most of our 5 day visit. After doing a little research online I found the gorgeous “Fragias Boutique Hotel”, located just a short walk to the centre of Naxos town and near to the water  - the local town beach called Agios Georgios. Fragias was absolutely perfect for our stay, offering a small kitchenette as well as a spectacular homemade buffet breakfast, full of plenty of local specialities such as Naxiot cheeses (made by family in the nearby mountain village of Apiranthos), spoon sweets, pastries, cookies and divine thick strained local yoghurt, to get us started for the day. The rooms were generous in size and beautifully styled, with a Cycladic feel and plenty of personal touches. On arrival, we were offered a traditional Greek welcome from the lovely owner Argiro and her charming daughter Despina: homemade kitron spoon sweet, a small glasses of cherry liqueur and very chilled, tall glasses of water. One hot summery evening, as we wandered back from the main town, we said hello to Argiro and her family, who were enjoying dinner. We were immediatley welcomed and kindly offered a tray of flavoursome, chilled watermelon. Argiro and Despina were also so kind to us, that on leaving the hotel to head back to Athens, we were packed a very generous picnic for the ferry - including two wheels of the most delicious homemade cheese. I would definitely recommend this hotel to all travellers heading to Naxos. By the end of our weeks stay – we honestly felt like part of the family.

How to get around

The local buses “KTEL” depart from Naxos town (Hora) with destination several of the island’s villages & beaches. Destinations and frequency of the Naxos’ KTEL buses depend on the time of year of travel. Its best to head straight to the KTEL office (located near the main ferry port in Naxos town) and pick up a copy of the daily and weekend scheduled timetable. 
However, we found the easiest way to get around was to hire a car. For a small economic car, prices range from about 25-35 euros per day. We used “New Car” rentals, located in Naxos town.

What to see

The beaches: Naxos has some of the Cyclades most beautiful white sand beaches, with crystal clear turquoise waters. Best of all, you don't need to go far from Naxos Town to find beach bliss. Heading south is Ayios Prokopios, a busy beach with a full suite of lounge chairs, cafes, perfectly clear waters and a long sandy stretch.  Ayia Anna, is next along the coast, with plenty of small hotels and fish tavernas. My clear favourite beach, however, was Plaka. It is the next beach along after Anna, with its endless white sands and spectacularly coloured waters.

See the Portara: the symbol of Naxos, it is the first thing you will see if you travel to Naxos by ferry. The marble gate, the only remnant of the unfinished 6th century BC temple of Apollo, stands atop of a small islet that is connected to the Town of Naxos. It is the best place to watch the sun set over the island.

Walk in Kastro: the oldest quarter in Naxos Town. With stone buildings, paved paths and arches, Kastro was constructed by the Venetians and this romantic quarter is now a host to boutique shops, bars and cultural venues.  

Visit the inland villages: authentic mountainous villages in the centre of Naxos island are true gems. Rustic Apiranthos, Melanes and Halki (home to the islands famous distillery specialising in the famous kitron liqueur) are the most picturesque villages, surrounded by silvery-green fields of olives, fruit and citrus trees – as well as plenty of vine plots.

Open air cinema: a favourite past time on hot Greek summer nights, check out Cine Naxos Open Air Cinema, screening new releases. The cinema is also the venue for old school fun such as the traditional "Karagiozis" puppet show, perfect if you have little kids on holidays - and for grown ups who like to relive their childhood.

What to Eat

Of all the Cycladic islands, Naxos is the one to come to for food alone. All of the local tavernas that we visited cooked in an authentic, old fashioned way - with much love and care. However, before we get to these hotspots, some of the most famous local products to try on your visit include:

Cheese, glorious cheese:  The legendary “Graviera” of Naxos is famous throughout Greece as the best kind produced in the country. It is made from cow’s milk. It is smooth, voluptuous and slightly piquant. Bring it to room temperature and slices of it make the perfect (and easy) hors d’oeuvre to accompany white wine, raki, ouzo or tsipouro. If it makes it past the hors d’oeuvre, it can also be fried as “Saganaki” - drizzles of local honey and a dusting of sesame seeds remain optional. Other cheeses to try include: xinotyro (it can range from a sour, pungent fresh ricotta style cheese made from sheep and goat milk to a harder cheese aged for six months to about one year), kefalotyri (made of goat and sheep milk from the mountainous villages, is aged for around 18 months and characterised by tiny little holes and has a slightly sour, earthy flavour), Myzithra (made of goat and sheep milk like a soft, sweet fresh ricotta), Anthotyro is similar to myzithra but is aged for more than a year. It has a milk white interior, and slightly crumbly texture. The homemade anthotyro we were given made the perfect hors d’oeuvre served alongside some slices of very aromatic fresh peaches and chilled local rose wine. A drizzle or two of thyme honey was also welcome. 

At this point, its probably also relevant to note that more 14% of Greece’s dairy production comes from Naxos. You should definitely also try the local milk and the indulgent, thick strained yoghurt - perfect with a big dollop of homemade orange spoon sweet. The local "krema" - a chilled custard like dessert made from local milk which comes in a classic vanilla or chocolate flavour, are also delicious and will bring back plenty of memories of the desserts grandma used to make. 

The local rose wine: don't expect Château Lafite-Rothschild and you will be pleasantly surprised by the local, easy to drink, rustic style wine.  Most of the traditional tavernas serve their own homemade wine and it can vary from place to place, depending on the patrons preference. The rose wine is always served cold in clay jugs or traditional aluminum carafes. It is usually quite dry, but with some good fruit flavours on the palate. 


 

The potato: is king in Naxos and you will see them being collected from the fields as you drive around. While the potato is famous, Naxos' tomatoes, onions, olives, olive oil, grapes, sour cherry, orange, bergamot, fig and melons are also wonderful. This is also the place to indulge in fresh seasonal greens. There was plenty of fresh summer vlita to be enjoyed on our recent trip - so fresh, we could watch the yiayia's meticulously cleaning and selecting the best leaves for our meal, while sitting next to us at one of the taverna's in the village of Melanes. 

The kitron: this large yellow fruit is all skin and pith. It is used to make the renowned liqueur and spoon sweet. The skin is also dried, sweetened and sliced - to be nibbled on like any other dried fruit or to be used in baking and cooking. The closest flavour I could liken it to was grapefruit - but it is so, so much better. Vallindra was the first distillery to produce Kitron and still does, it is definitely worth a visit, if you explore the inland village of Halki. Also look out for the raki (with honey and cinnamon) - something to store away on your home drinks trolley for cold winters - enjoyed preferably by a fireside. 

Where to Eat (and shop)

Old fashioned food and hospitality - O Vasilis, Melanes 

O Vasilis (in the village of Melanes): is the best place for rooster in red sauce and homemade hilopites pasta, dusted with kefalotyiri cheese. The marathokeftedes (wild fennel fritters) that are famous in the Cyclades were also excellent. The taverna has sweeping views over the church and village below - as well as the olive tree dotted hillside, complete with striking marble quarry cutting. All of the game and poultry served in the taverna is home-reared, as is much of the other produce served. Leave plenty of room for the complimentary platter of seasonal fruit, spoon sweets and homemade dessert of the day, which on our visit was a biscuit based slice with a layer of thick cream and freshly picked strawberries.  O Giorgis taverna in Melanes also comes highly recommended for its rooster in red sauce and also rabbit. 

Cheap and cheerful - Tomata, Naxos Town 

If you can't make it up the hill to Melanes, you can try rooster in red sauce at Tomata in Naxos town, which is owned by the son of Mr Giorgis of Melanes fame.  While there are plenty of reasonably priced traditional dishes on offer at Tomata, most of locals were enjoying pork souvlaki doused in a mustardy lemon and rigani spiked dressing, accompanied by Mythos beer on tap - as well as large, fresh horiatiki salads bursting with juicy summer tomatoes. This is also a great place to indulge in plenty of those divine fried Naxiot potatoes. 

Sweet treats - Rendez-Vous, Naxos Town 

Just across the road from Tomata is dessert heaven at zaxaroplasteio, Rendez-Vous, filled with plenty of tempting sweet treats made from local milk, eggs, butter, cream and fresh fruits. You can find Rendez Vous in two different locations in Naxos town: one at the port road and one opposite Tomata/Cine Naxos. 

Rustic and delicious mezedes and seafood - The Jetty, Naxos Town 

Don't be put off by the salty old sea dogs sitting outside the taverna, enjoying a little raki as the dusk settles. This is the place for the freshest grilled sardines or anchovies - and a range of other simple mezedes. Walk inside the small taverna, called The Jetty (right alongside where the big ferries dock) to select the small fish you would like to have grilled. We also enjoyed smokey eggplants smothered with fresh garlic and tomato, as well as the complimentary pickled octopus and vegetables. This is the perfect spot to sit and enjoy uninterrupted views of the sun setting over the Portara - you might even pick up a few fishing tips from the old sea captains sitting next to you. 

Grilling heaven - Giannis Taverna, Halki

You'll be lured in by the chickens slowly turning on the rotisserie out front, along with the aromas wafting from the kontosovouli that is also slowly turning. Gianni’s Taverna is in the center square, known for the said kontosouvli. Gianni's equally famous gigantes (large white beans in homemade tomato sauce), grilled lamb chops and souvlaki will more than line your stomach before a visit to the Vallindra distillery - a short two minute stroll away.

Local delights - O Platanos Taverna, Apiranthos

Sit beneath the cool of the plane tree and enjoy a variety of traditional homemade dishes, such as ‘rosto’ pork in tomato sauce to cheese pie with mastic ice cream. 

Self catering 

If you are self catering (or you want to take a little of the Naxiot food culture home) visit Kiriakos Tziblakis, dating from 1938 this store is packed to overflowing with bulk spices and plenty of local olives, olive oil, raki, honey and cheese. There is also a very (very) small (about five or so local farmers) laiki (the greek word for local market) in Naxos town, opposite Mythodea taverna most days in early summer until noon - its probably something to chance if it is actually on, rather than lock into your itinerary, given the flexible operating days and times. 











The huge Koutelieris supermarket stocks nearly all local produce, as well as all other Greek essentials. Not like an ordinary supermarket we were bowled over by the friendly staff - especially at the deli section, where we were offered tasting after tasting of the local cheeses, to help us select the perfect one for that particular evening. 

Simple Sicilian inspired winter lunch

August 6, 2016, 1:55 am

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Agrigento's Valley of Temples is one of Sicily's most popular tourist destinations. This spectacular Ancient Greek site is set against a backdrop of incredible trees; almonds, olives and Sicily's ever present citrus fruits. Indeed, it would be hard to imagine Sicily's unique cuisine without them. While there are a large number of differnt types citrus fruits grown across Sicily, Agrigento's main crop is the navel orange, called 'Brasiliane'. 

The province of Agrigento stretches from inland Sicily to the coast. As such, the food of this province of Sicily has a good deal of spectacularly varied produce to choose from - navel oranges included. Sardines and anchovies are some the most favoured seafood, enjoyed fresh on the coast and in times past, preserved in salt to also be enjoyed by those in the more inland region of this province. 

When we recently visited Agrigento, I had the good fortune to be able to try some of the spectacular local sardines. Whenever I see fresh sardines on the menu, I can just imagine their silvery shimmer and I know I am going to have to order them - even before I've usually read the detail on how they have been prepared. In the case of our visit to Agrigento, the preparation for these sardines was 'sarde a beccafico', a well known Sicilian dish, popular across all of Sicily, not only in Agrigento. 

The term 'beccafico' means 'fig-pecker' and refers to a small songbird favoured, historically, across many Mediterranean countries. In regard to this particular dish, the upturned tails of the sardines, when rolled, are supposed to bring to mind these little birds. A poor man's version, if you like, of the traditional game dish available in times past to only a privileged few. The stuffing used to fill the sardines is also the same as that traditionally used for the birds: breadcrumbs, onions, pine nuts, raisins, fennel and of course, plenty of citrus zest

Back home in Australia, we seem to be having a bumper citrus crop. My father in law's garden was full of bright orange pops of colour across a blue Sydney winter sky - with plenty of super juicy navel oranges, blood oranges and his favourite variety, the enormous Washington navel orange. Dad gave me a huge back of citrus to take home and I had the perfect idea for how to use them. When we were in Agrigento, I was given a recipe for a simple winter salad of navel oranges, fennel and olives. It's similar in many ways to the Ionian recipe I have for an orange and onion salad, but the Sicilian twist is a punchy parsley and lemon dressing, complete with toasted aromatic fennel seeds. The classic Sicilian flavours in this salad were a perfect match to echo those in the sarde a beccafico. All in all this little Agrigento inspired lunch was a great way to bring a little bit of Sicily and enliven the incredible memories of the Ancient Greek site of the Valley of the Temples on a cold Sydney winter's day. 

Sarde a beccafico (serves 4)

1 kg of sardines, cleaned and butterflied 

50 gr raisins 

50 gr pine nuts, toasted 

1 orange

2 lemons 

1 small onion, finely chopped 

fresh breadcrumbs

fresh parsley, finely chopped 

fresh fennel tops, finely chopped 

juice and zest of 1 lemon

bay leaves 

olive oil

1. Take the cleaned and butterflied sardines and marinate them briefly with juice of half a lemon, salt pepper and a little olive oil. In a separate bowl, soak the raisins in lukewarm water. After a little while, when the raisins are plump, drain and finely chop them. 

2. In a skillet, toast the fresh breadcrumbs with a few glugs of olive oil until golden. Transfer them to a bowl and add the chopped raisins, the onion, the toasted pine nuts, the parsley, the fennel tops and the zest from the orange and one of the lemons. 

3. Take the remaining lemon and cut into slices. Place these in the bottom of a lightly oiled baking tray. Then returning to the sardines, take a teaspoon of the filling mixture and place on the inside of each of the sardine fillets and then roll it up. Place the sardines side by side, tails sticking up, in a well-oiled baking tray. Tuck a bay leaf between every two or so sardines. Then, scatter a little of any of the remaining breadcrumb mixture over the top sardines. Finally, sprinkle a little olive oil over the top of the sardines and then place in a hot oven (about 200ºC) for about 10-15 minutes or until cooked and golden brown. Serve warm. 

Agrigento style orange and fennel salad (serves 4 generously)

2 fennel bulbs with fennel tops, sliced very finely

1 blood orange, peeled and sliced

2 navel oranges, peeled and sliced 

a handful of good olives, green or black

for the dressing:

extra virgin olive oil

a pinch of sea salt

1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 tablespoon of fresh fennel tops, finely chopped 

1 teaspoon of roasted fennel seeds

1 teaspoon of smoked chilli flakes 

Toss the fennel, orange slices and olives in a bowl and combine. In a small bowl, whisk to combine the dressing ingredients and season to taste. Dress the salad with this mixture and garnish with some extra fennel tops. 

Naxiot style octopus & vegetable pickle (χταποδι τουρσι)

August 12, 2016, 4:46 pm

≫ Next: Kumquat and metaxa marmalade (κουμ κουατ και Μεταξα μαρμελαδα)

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Naxos is well known for its incredible culinary heritage and its reputation rests largely on the amazing produce of the island. This super easy to make meze, which hails from Naxos, can be easily recreated outside of the island, with produce from your local farmers market.

We enjoyed this meze in Naxos recently (you can read more in my guide to Naxos). The recipe comes from a small fisherman's taverna, which sits right on the main ferry port. It was the perfect start to a leisurely evening meal, accompanied by a very chilled ouzo, set against the spectacular backdrop of the sun setting over Naxos' famous Porta. This was one of those holiday dishes that was really going to stay in my memory and I just had to ask for the recipe. I could have seen myself back in Sydney regretting a missed opportunity if I had not asked. Luckily the taverna cook was more than happy to oblige and the recipe was shared, along with the secret tip to use plenty of fresh herbs - a common theme in much Greek cooking!

Naxiot octopus & vegetable toursi  (χταπόδι τουρσί)

Ingredients  

1 medium octopus 

1 medium carrot 

1 large celery stick 

1 red pepper  

1 garlic clove, crushed  

1 cup Greek olive oil  

3/4 cup of Greek wine vinegar  

1 tbs. fresh dill, finely chopped  

1 tbs. fresh parsley, finely chopped  

1 tsp. Greek bukovo chilli flakes  

1 – 2 sterilized jars  

To serve: lemon wedges and flat-leaf parsley    

Method 

To clean the octopus, pull off the tentacles and remove the intestines and ink sac. Cut out the eyes and beak. Remove the skin and rinse well. 

Place the body and tentacles of the octopus in a large saucepan without any liquid. Cover and simmer the octopus in its own juices over low heat until it turns deep pink and is tender (about 45–60 minutes). Drain the octopus. When cool enough to handle, cut the head and tentacles into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl. 

Slice the vegetables very finely using a mandolin. Blanch in lightly salted boiling water for 5 minutes and set aside.  

Add the Greek wine vinegar into a small separate pot and add bring to the boil over medium heat. Turn the heat off, add the garlic, herbs, chili and olive oil and stir well to combine. 

Place pieces of octopus and vegetables in the jars and then pour the dressing into the jars (ensure the octopus is covered). Leave to marinate in the refrigerator for 12 hours before using. Stir occasionally. Store in your fridge for up to 1 month. 

To serve, lift the octopus and vegetables out of the marinade, pile into a dish and garnish with lemon wedges and plenty of finely chopped parsley (I like to stir this through before serving). Don't worry if the marinade seems a little thick after it has been in the fridge. It will become more liquid when the oil returns to room temperature. 

  

   

Kumquat and metaxa marmalade (κουμ κουατ και Μεταξα μαρμελαδα)

August 19, 2016, 9:15 pm

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The best thing about returning home from a Greek summer? It has to be spending time with family and friends that we missed while we were away and drinking in the winter sunshine in dad's beautiful garden. 

While we had been basking in the Greek summer sun, dad's citrus was revelling in near perfect growing conditions in a little corner of inner west Sydney. Dad's citrus was not alone, with many Australian farmers reporting it had been an amazing year for all kinds of citrus fruits. 

The kumquat tree in dad's garden was quiet simply heaving with little orange gems. Talk about a Christmas in July! The kumquat tree came with the best kind of Christmas decorations - edible fruit. Well, 'edible' fruit that requires a little tender loving care. You certainly would not want to be eating these juicy but bitter little guys fresh straight from the tree. 

That is where Ma's sage advice came to the fore. The kumquat is such an Ionian kind of fruit.  Commonly made into a spoon sweet, the kumquat is to Corfu what the kitron is to Naxos. Perhaps it was the influence of long ago anglo rule in Corfu, but this little humble fruit is also known on the island for its marmalade making capacity, as well as the more traditional style of spoon sweet. Indeed, there are quiet a few recipes circulating in the Ionian islands for kumquat marmalade. While Ma fossicked through her mental recipe archives, dad encouraged me to experiment. "There are just so many this year" he said, "have a try and then come back and get another bucketful." He said this while telling me about his own mother and the women of her generation, who had store cupboards full of various homemade preserves to get their families through long winters and lean times. "Now they were cooks!" he said. 

Perhaps it was my holiday induced state of zen, but I was quiet content working through quartering a few kilos of kumquats. This marmalade takes a little preparation time, but its definitely worth the effort. It's best slathered on some good country style brown bread and can become an indulgent brunch with a good dollop of ricotta or homemade fresh mizithra. The addition of the brandy is also a nice warming touch for cold winter mornings. 

Kumquat and Metaxa Marmalade (κουμ κουάτ και Μεταξά μαρμελάδα)

Ingredients 

1kg kumquats, scrubbed
1kg white granulated sugar
1 tbsp Metaxa Brandy

Method

Quarter each kumquat, then using a sieve over a bowl, squeeze out the juice and seeds. Discard the pips and keep the juice and the quartered fruits.

Place the kumquats and their juice in a heavy-bottomed or jam making pan, and add enough cold water to cover. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer gently for one to 1 and a half hours (basically until the fruit is very soft).

Next, add the sugar, stirring until dissolved. Bring the mixture back to the boil, and boil for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and skimming any foam that rises to the surface, until the marmalade reaches setting point.

To test the setting point, place one teaspoon of the mixture on a saucer and cool in the freezer for a few minutes. If set, the marmalade will wrinkle up when touched. Stir in the Metaxa brandy and then distribute the marmalade carefully into warm, sterilised jars and seal.

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Fanouropita (φανουροπιτα)

August 27, 2016, 12:34 am

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A 'Fanouropita' (φανουροπιτα) is a cake that is traditionally made in Greece to honour Saint Fanourios, patron saint of lost things, on August 27th. The Saint's capacity to help find something lost is suggested in his name, in the Greek language, φανερώνω (fanerono) means reveal. In seeking the intercession of the Saint, for something lost, the Greek people will take their baked caked to the village church to be blessed. Then it is shared among the congregation. As such, whoever made the cake is supposed to be given hope that whatever they have lost may be found. 

The cake itself is vegan and flavoured with olive oil, cinnamon, cloves and orange. It a sort of Greek version of gingerbread (albeit, without the ginger). Tradition requires the cake to be made with 7 or 9 ingredients and it must contain  fruit and nuts, so that you are able to "find" something while you eat the cake. 

Fanouropita (Φανουρόπιτα)

4 cups self raising flour

1 & 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon of ground cloves

1 cup of olive oil

2 cups of fresh orange juice and the zest of two oranges 

1/2 cup of brandy 

1 cup of sugar 

1/2 cup toasted, roughly chopped walnuts

1/2 cup of roughly chopped golden raisins 

Method

Preheat oven to 180C. 

In a separate bowl, combine the flour with the spices. 

In a another bowl, beat the oil and the sugar until well combined. Then add the brandy, zest and orange juice. Beat again to combine. Then fold in the dry ingredients, finishing with the walnuts and raisins. 

Pour the mixture into a greased and lined 30cm diameter baking tin. 

Cook 45-50 minutes in a moderate oven at 180C or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. 

When the cake is cold, dust with icing sugar. 

Fried garfish with cauliflower 'skordalia' (Τηγανητα Ζαργανα με κουνουπιδι σκορδαλια)

September 18, 2016, 1:29 am

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Skordalia often makes a regular feature on our weekly family menu. The thick, creamy, garlicky puree is definitely not for the faint hearted! It's the perfect partner for really any kind of seafood - so good a pairing in fact, that on my mother in law's home island fish stock or the cooking liquid from the fish is usually used to make the skordalia.  The other traditional ingredients for skordalia are usually potato or bread and almond meal. 

My usual skordalia recipe required a tweak recently, when we had friends call in for a casual lunch. Gluten, dairy and potatoes were strictly off their menu - hence my milder cauliflower skordalia came to be. The almond milk in this recipe is a little nod to the traditional almond meal that is often used to make skordalia. The creamy puree contrasted nicely with the crunchy, lemony coating of the garfish. In this recipe I have used the excellent Sparoza herb and spice blend with lemon zest, which is available online from Homer St.  A big side plate of fresh, lightly steamed asparagus makes this a real spring feast. 

Fried garfish with cauliflower 'skordalia' (Τηγανητά Ζαργάνα με κουνουπίδι σκορδαλιά)

For the garfish:

1kg garfish (ask your fishmonger to clean them, you can leave the heads on or remove them on)
2 cups of brown rice flour
2 tsp of 'Sparoza' herb and spice blend with lemon zest
olive oil (for frying)
Juice of 2–3 lemons (depending on how juicy they are)
salt and cracked pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large frypan.

Fill a freezer bag with the rice flour, salt, pepper and Sparoza spice blend.  Place a few garfish at a time into the bag with the rice flour. Dust off any excess, then fry them in the hot oil until the skin is nice and golden, turning over once only. Serve with the essential side of fresh lemons to squeeze over the fish.

For the skordalia: 

¼ cup olive oil
½ small cauliflower
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
150 ml almond milk

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat, then add sliced cauliflower, onion and garlic. Stir occasionally until tender, about 10 minutes. Add almond milk, cover and reduce heat to low and cook until cauliflower is very tender, about 20 minutes. Purée until smooth.

Finding France in Sydney with Maeve O'Meara

September 23, 2016, 4:29 pm

≫ Next: Octopus & new season potato salad (Σαλατα με πατατα και χταπoδι)

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Julia Child said in her book, My Life in France, "...Our first lunch together in France had been absolute perfection. It was the most exciting meal of my life..." and so has begun the story of many a devoted Francophile, including my own dear Papa. To celebrate his birthday, what better present to offer than a day of finding French gourmet delights across Sydney.

Unlike many suburbs of Sydney, which are buzzing cultural food hubs (such as Earlwood/Marrickville being the  'little Greece' of Sydney, Haberfield home to Italy, Auburn for Turkish food, Cabramatta for Vietnamese cuisine etc) there is no one 'little France' in Sydney. The French community of Sydney, its cafes and restaurants are spread out across many of Sydney's "little villages" or suburbs.  Setting out to find these gems, we jumped on a bus early on Saturday morning at Sydney's Central Station. Greeting us, our guides for the day were Maeve O'Meara - the Sydney food legend, author and presenter of the wonderful series of 'Food Safari' programs, along with Alex (fluent in several languages and abounding with foodie knowledge) and Peter, the bus driver and sommelier for the day.

First stop of the day, suitably for breakfast treats, was Textbook Boulangerie Patisserie. This haven for Francophile's has been open for just over a year. Early on a Saturday morning, there was a throng of fans huddled around the glass counter filled with super glossy airbrushed creations, sparkling with a hint of silver leaf. The more traditional Francophile's amongst the fans were arming themselves for the weekend ahead with fortifying buttery croissants, aromatic coffee and divinely crunchy baguettes to go. 

We ordered our coffees for the day and then joined pastry chef John Ralley, who provided us with a hands on demonstration of how croissants come to be - everyone in our little group had a go at stretching and rolling the buttery layered dough. From this French staple, John then took us on a creative journey demonstrating how his 'Willy-Wonka style' cherry ripe pain au chocolat is made. Next came the tastings, a wonderful selection of glossy petite fours including Textbook's slick take on traditional apple crumble. Fruit filled Danishes were next, made from the same dough used to make the croissants, then it was time taste a little of the wonderful baguettes - the closest thing to French bread that I have ever tried outside of France, incredible!

Heading across town, the next stop for the day was at Darling Point's Gourmet Life.  This store was a beautifully arranged Aladin's Cave of French (and European) gourmet delights. The proprietor John regularly imports a range of wild and cultivated mushrooms direct from France - from chanterelles to ceps. Excitingly, truffle season was just about to begin with the famous truffles of Alba destined to arrive at the store in the coming days.

Gourmet Life also had an amazing selection of French cheeses, caviar, flavored olive oils, a full range of the 'Terre Exotique' herbs and spices (displays of which I always salivate over at length, when in France) to name but a few of the French products. John and Maeve took us through a tasting of different vingarettes - raspberry, mango and tomato and basil, all hailing from the region of Nice in France. Next came some hugely aromatic truffled potato chips that were dangerously moreish. These were closely followed by a generous slice of baguette topped with pungent, salty Roquefort  and good dollop of sweet onion confit.

After all of the generous tastings, it was time for a little shopping. We stocked up on some Provençale truffle infused olive oil, and while you can take a Greek husband on a French food safari, there was no stopping his urge to buy three large tins of exceptional Greek olive oil from Gourmet Life. Having tried the amazing A L'Olivier 'Tomato & Basil Fruit Pulp' Vinegar during the tastings, I also had to purchase a bottle for my pantry at home. This taste of 'summer in a bottle' is fast becoming an essential in our house and I don't think it will be long before I am back at Gourmet Life to stock up on another bottle. It's perfect drizzled over a little buffalo mozzarella and rocket, but even better with oysters, a recipe for which is below.





Next on the schedule for the day was a stop at Brasserie Bread in Banksmeadow. The enthusiasm shown for making beautiful artisan bread in this bakery is truly contagious. On this visit, we got to learn all about their new single origin bread. As we learned, the single origin bread was all about grain that originates from a single source, in this case the Southern Flinders Ranges of South Australia. Generous tastings of a variety of breads followed, but their new single origin sourdough, with sprouted wheat was a real highlight and my favourite. We made a purchase to enjoy later that evening  - along with just a little fromage.

After Brasserie Bread we headed across town to Pyrmont for a stop at Vic's Meats at the Sydney Fish Markets. This is definitely the place to pick up all you need to make classic French dishes from the classic steak and frites, to pork rillettes or braised rabbit with mustard. In addition to checking out their great selection of meats and game we were also offered the opportunity to see the fascinating skills of butcher Troy at work, as he artfully and speedily took a whole side of beef down into various cuts. More tastings were to come and there were many contented sighs from our fellow tourists as they tucked into slow cooked beef brisket straight from the onsite smoking machine.

The short ride from Pyrmont to Rozelle took us to our next stop at the Essential Ingredient. While we admired an impressive and beautiful collection of French cookware, from the classic De Buyer copper pans and cast iron skillets, to colorful Le Creuset pots and stylish Laguiole cutlery, we enjoyed a glass of champagne with the traditional accompaniment of Fossier rose biscuits from Reims, followed by an incredible oozing soft French cheese.






















Just when we thought we couldn't eat anymore, it was time for lunch at La Grande Bouffe.  A voluptuous chicken liver parfait, complete with cornichons and onion-red wine reduction started off proceedings, with a choice of chilled Riesling, Loire valley rose or cotes du Rhône. This was followed by a crispy skinned salmon with a classic beurre blanc sauce and fresh peas cooked with lardons.

The final course of fromage followed at the amazing Formaggi Occello in Surry Hills. Here, the lovely Sogna took us through a tasting of some classic French cheeses including an amazing Roy des Vallees (or ‘King of Valleys’) a firm cheese containing a blend of sheep and goat's milk and an incredibly super stinky Epoisses from Burgundy - a strong cheese lover's delight.








After we finished our cheese and said our goodbyes to our fellow tourists, we lingered a little longer to talk with Maeve about her other upcoming tours, there are so many fabulous choices on offer. One thing is for sure, before we embark on our next tour, I'll definitely be coming back to visit many of the French safari finds. In fact, Formaggi Occello is dangerously close to my office and I know I will be back for a visit before you can say - bon appetite!!

To join the next French Food Safari of Sydney, visit Gourmet Safaris or phone (02) 8969 6555.



Provençale Oysters

Oysters in whatever guise make a luxurious appetizer, but even more so when you add a touch of the South of France with A L'Olivier 'Tomato & Basil Fruit Pulp' Vinegar. If you are not a fan of lightly cooked oysters, a little drizzle of this vinegar over fresh oysters (as shown above) is also fantastic.

24 fresh oysters on the shell            
2 tablespoons A L'Olivier 'Tomato & Basil Fruit Pulp' Vinegar
30g French butter             
4 pieces of pancetta (or French style lardons), finely sliced             

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Rock salt

Arrange the oysters on a bed of rock salt in a large, shallow, heatproof dish. Combine the A L'Olivier 'Tomato & Basil Fruit Pulp' Vinegar and butter in a small saucepan. Heat until the butter melts and the mixture begins to bubble. Remove from the heat. Spoon a little vinegar and butter mixture over each oyster. Top evenly with the sliced pancetta and season with sea salt and pepper. Cook under a preheated grill for 2–3 minutes, or until the pancetta is crisp and golden.

Octopus & new season potato salad (Σαλατα με πατατα και χταπoδι)

October 3, 2016, 1:27 am

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The arrival of spring always signals the start of salad days in our home. The days are longer, the weather is pleasantly warm and you can smell jasmine in the air. Apart from salad, the other great delight that I associate with spring is our cephalopod friend, the octopus. In Greece, octopus is a traditional fasting food, popular during lent, which falls during the springtime. Anecdotally, I have often been told that in Greece, the best season for the tastiest octopus is also the spring time. Whether there is a best season for octopus, I remain unsure. However, here in Australia, whatever the season octopus is consider a resilient and sustainable seafood option - just one more reason to make this satisfying salad.

Inspiration to make this salad struck me recently on a trip to Tasmania. In between commitments, the a small old fashioned neighbourhood grocer caught my eye with a chalk board promising 'locally grown new season potatoes' amongst a range of other Tassie treats. I quickly grabbed half a kilo and popped them in my carryon suitcase. On return to Sydney, I then spent a good part of Saturday hunting down the freshest octopus I could find. The real crowning glory of this salad however is the beautiful, green peppery Karabool Olive Oil from Mudgee, which Mr K recently received as a gift. It is really quite exceptionally and if you have the opportunity to purchase some, I could not recommend it more highly. 

Octopus & potato salad (Σαλάτα με πατάτα και χταπόδι)

1 kilo of octopus, cleaned 

1/2 bunch of chopped fresh parsley

1/4 bunch of chopped fresh dill

20 small baby potatoes

3 green shallots, chopped

3 red radishes, finely sliced 

1/4 cup roasted almonds, chopped

1/4 roasted pepita seeds

For the vinaigrette

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons of Greek wine vinegar 

1 tablespoon Greek dried rigani 

1 teaspoon of roasted fennel seeds

1 teaspoon of smoked bukovo chilli flakes 

Method. 

Wash the potatoes and boil in salted water for 30 minutes or until tender. The strain, let cool and the slice in half. 

Place the body and tentacles of the octopus in a large saucepan without any liquid. Cover and simmer the octopus in its own juices over low heat until it turns deep pink and is tender (about 45–60 minutes).

Drain the octopus. When cool enough to handle, cut the head and tentacles into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl.

Put the potatoes in a bowl and add the sliced ​​octopus. Add the rest of the ingredients and pour the vinaigrette sauce. 

Stuffed Vegetables with Quinoa (γεμιστα με κινoα)

October 7, 2016, 11:57 pm

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It is always nice to take a little twist on tradition every now and then. This week it was yemista's turn for a bit of a creative tweak. Instead of filling the peppers, zucchinis and tomatoes with the usual mix of white rice, I instead used some brown rice (for a hit of manganese & selenium) plus some quinoa for a little extra protein. The best addition to this recipe though was the fantastic Sparoza Mediterranean herb and spice blend, which uses a combination of 15 herbs and seeds from oregano and melissa to linseeds, mustard seeds and sesame seeds. The Sparoza spice blend makes this dish incredibly aromatic and I loved the fact that it makes the brown rice and quinoa filling even higher nutritional value with all those extra seeds. This spice blend has become a little bit of an addiction really. It makes for the perfect snack when added to a little toasted pita bread that has been liberally drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.  

The real test for this twist on tradition came when I took a large tapsi of this dish to my parents in law's house for lunch. Ma is the expert on yemista and I was rather nervous about what her thoughts might be on the radical use of quinoa and brown rice in this traditional recipe. Happily, this dish got a big thumbs up and a "poli nostimo" from both Ma and Ba. 

Stuffed Vegetables with Quinoa (γεμιστά με κινόα)

Serves 6, cooking time 1 & 1/2 hours

Stuffing 

1 medium red onion, very finely chopped
1 medium brown onion, very finely chopped
1 bunch of parsley, very finely chopped
1 small bunch of dill, very finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, very finely chopped
400g pork and veal mince*
1/3 cup brown long grain rice
1/3 cup white quinoa
1 & 1/2 tablespoons of Sparoza Mediterranean Blend**
1/2 Bukovo chilli flakes
Salt and ground black pepper

* if you wish to make a vegetarian version of this dish, you can simply leave the meat out and replace with a little extra rice and quinoa.

** available in Australia from Homer St (www.homerst.com.au).

Other ingredients

20 vegetables (tomatoes, zucchini and peppers)
3 cups of hot stock or water
1 cup white wine
Olive oil

To prepare the vegetables

Wash the vegetables thoroughly, dry and then cut the tops off (reserve the tops and set aside). Scoop out pulp (reserve) and discard any seeds from the peppers or tomatoes. Sprinkle the cavity of the vegetables with a little salt and set them upside down in a tapsi (baking dish) to let any excess juice drain out.

To make the stuffing

Gently fry the onions and garlic in olive oil until soft. Then add the reserved pulp from the vegetables (making sure it has also been finely chopped first). Add the mince and fry until just browned. Stir in the rice and quinoa, 2 cups of the hot water or stock, the parsley, dill, Sparoza spice blend and chilli flakes. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for about 10 minutes until liquid is absorbed. season with a little salt and pepper.

To complete the dish

Fill the vegetables with the stuffing mixture, allowing room the rice and quinoa to swell. Replace tops on the vegetables and stand in an oven dish. Pour into the base of the pan the remaining cup of stock and wine. Drizzle with a little olive olive oil. Cover with foil and cook covered in a moderate oven for about 40 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for a further 30-40 minutes until the vegetables have started to brown on top. You may need to check there is enough hot liquid in the pan, top up with a little more boiling water if needed. Serve hot or at room temperature. 

Prawn fritters (γαριδοκεφτεδες)

October 9, 2016, 12:53 am

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These Greek prawn fritters are super easy to make and are the perfect kind of meze for spring days, as the weather becomes warmer. The most simple accompaniment to these fritters is a big squeeze of lemon and a chilled glass of rose wine - preferably Greek of course. However, if you have a bit of a party going on, the keftedes can be joined by some pickled octopus, dolmades and spicy feta cheese spread for a more substantial set of mezedes. What's more, all of these meze are gluten free, so they make a great option if you are catering for any one who is following a gluten-free diet.

Greek prawn fritters (γαριδοκεφτέδες)

serves 4; prep time 35 mins; cooking time 30 mins 

600g fresh uncooked / green prawns, roughly chopped (use pulse option on a food processor)
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 green onions/shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of ouzo
1 tablespoon of fresh dill, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of dried mint, finely crumbled
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon of lemon zest
2-3 tablespoons of brown rice flour
olive oil for frying

Method 

Mix all the ingredients together with a spoon in a large bowl until well incorporated and become a homogenous mixture. Add a little more rice flour, if you think the mix is not coming together - it should be fairly sticky mix. Leave to chill in a refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Remove from the refrigerator and, using wet hands, shape small meatballs evenly.

Place a fry pan on medium heat and fill to about 1cm in height with olive oil. Fry the prawn fritters turning now and then to get a uniform golden colour.

Remove with a skimmer from the pan and let them drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with plenty of lemon.

Nafplio: a guide

October 20, 2016, 3:49 pm

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It is nearly impossible to describe in words just how much I love the Peloponnese. Nafplio is indeed one if its gems and among one of the most romantic towns in Greece. Geographically located on the eastern side of Peloponnese and only 2 hours drive from Athens, this is a popular weekend destination. The Old Town is a marvel to walk around with elegant neoclassical mansions and large squares, while on the hill above the Old Town is a fortress castle dating from the Venetian ages. There are some incredible beaches located nearby (even the town beach is excellent) and the Old Town is host to plenty of fabulous restaurants, tavernas, cafés, art galleries and museums. The twice weekly local farmers market is also a real delight and not to be missed.

Getting there

There are no airports near Nafpilo, but it is an easy 2 hour bus ride from Athens. There are regular buses from Athens to Nafplio every day. Buses from Athens depart from Kifissos KTEL Bus Station very frequently, about 4-5 times per day. The bus trip takes about 2 hours. There are also buses to Nafplio from other towns of Peloponnese and specifically from towns in the peninsula of Argolida, such as Ermioni, Kranidi and Epidaurus.

How to get to Kifissos KTEL Bus Station:

If you are arriving at Athens Airport, the bus route X93 will take you from there (the airport) to Kifisou avenue (KTEL Kifisou).

If you are arriving at Piraeus Port, then you will need to go to Omonia Square and take the number 51 bus (see below).

If you are leaving from the centre of Athens, you can get to the Kifissos KTEL Bus Station via bus or metro.

Bus: the OASA No 51 bus, which departs from Menandrou Street.  To find Menandrou Street, head to Omonia square and then walk for 5-10 minutes along Agiou Konstantinou, this will bring you to Menandrou Street, which is the third road you meet.

Metro: Despite the fact that Athens has a great Metro system, there is no stop at the Kifissos KTEL Bus Station. The closest stop is “Eleonas” and then a 15-20 minute walk or around a 5-10 euro taxi ride.

Checking in

The best place to stay in Napflio is in the heart of its historic, neoclassical centre. Nafplio's history is discovered around every corner and the streets are filled with restaurants, tavernas and cafés, art galleries and museums. Staying in the centre will allow you to easily walk to sights including Syntagma Square, the Palamidi castle, the old city walls, and much more.  If you do stay in the old part of town, it is worth bearing in mind that the room sizes are small. However, what these rooms lack in size, they do make up for in character and styling:

Nafplion 1841

A lovingly restored and modernised family home, and offers luxurious bed and breakfast accommodation in a traditionally welcoming atmosphere. Rooms at Nafplion 1841 are furnished with beds from the prestigious Greek brand Coco-Mat. Other standard amenities include air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs and complimentary Wi-Fi.  www.nafplion1841.gr

Omorfi Poli Pension

A charming renovated neoclassical building of 19th century, the 7 elegantly decorated rooms have their own names, which reflect the characteristics of the styling. Other amenities include private bathrooms, free Wi-Fi in all rooms, air conditioning and balconies. www.omorfipoli-pension.com

Pension Anapli

A quirky, characterful and inexpensive choice, the rooms in this small hotel are all wood ceilings, stone and in some cases - tree trunks. This hotel has a lovely family environment including private bathrooms, free Wi-Fi in all rooms and air conditioning. There is also a lovely roof terrace (which requires a bit of work on some stairs) but rewards with lovely views for breakfast, or an early evening drink. Pension Anapli is also very competitively priced. www.pensionanapli.gr

At the more lux end of the scale are:

Nafplia Palace Hotel and Villas

Complete with infinity pool, the Nafplia Palace Hotel and Villas is located with views over the Bay of Argolis, the old town of Nafplio and nestling under the ancient walls of the Palamidi. This hotel has been described as having a little ‘faded glamour’ but still provides a very luxurious stay. www.nafpliapalace.gr

The Amphitryon

Elegantly redesigned contemporary boutique hotel, guests can use the infinity pool at the Nafplia Palace Hotel. www.amphitryon.gr

Hotel Grande Bretagne

Not to be confused with the famous Athenian hotel, the Hotel Grande Bretagne in Nafplio is right on the square in the port and is all old world luxury www. grandebretagne.com.gr

Getting around 

If you stay in the old town, then it is very easy to get around to the major sights such as Syntagma Square, the Palamidi castle etc on foot and within minutes.  Additionally, you can rent bicycles in Nafplio (there is a program similar to the Velib program in Paris) to explore the old town. To head off to the beaches beyond the old Town, a car is recommended. However, if you are only visiting the resort town and spectacular beach of Tolo, this is easily accessible by bus (around 20 minutes) . Similarly, local KTEL buses will also take you the ancient sites of Mycenae and Epidavros (around 45 minutes each). You can hop on a bus opposite the court house.

 

What to eat

The land surrounding Napfplio is incredibly fertile. In spring, you will be intoxicated by the smell of thousands of orange trees in full bloom. Oranges are known as 'Argolid's gold' and you can find them fresh in juices and salads, as well as in jams, spoon sweets and more. This region also yields lemons, apricots, grapes, olives, eggplants, walnuts and potatoes. It is also known for a sweet melon, called 'Argitika' Further from Nafplio in Traheia you can try the kefalotyri cheese and in Iria, you can join an artichoke festival in May. 

Beyond the produce itself, you can try the king of local specialites - milk lamb slow cooked for hours with potatoes in an earthen pot, called "bogana" (ΜΠΟΓΑΝΑ). There is also the tradition of baking "gournopoula" (a small pig) for hours, which simply melts in the mouth. The region of Argolida is also home to a traditional handmade pasta, called "Gkogkes." They are made from flour, water and salt and served with local manouromyzithra and hot oil.

Where to eat

If you are self-catering, or keen for the odd beach picnic, then you have to visit the Nafplio farmers market or ‘laiki’. The farmers’ market in Nafplio is twice a week, every Wednesday and Saturday. It stretches from Kyprou Street (near the junction of Argos Street) and continues on 25 Martiou (25th March) Avenue. This is really one of the best farmers markets in Greece, filled with plenty of fresh fish, fruits and vegetables, cheeses, wine and grape products, such as homemade petimezi.

The best mezedopolio (Greek tapas) in Nafplio is called ‘O Noulis’. Here you can join all of the locals at this family-run restaurant. Owner and chef Andrianos Andrianopoulos will often point out what is fresh and available on the day's menu. We feasted on freshly marinated anchovies that came with a punchy hit of garlic and paprika, a divine skordalia and some super crispy zucchini fritters, accompanied by a chilled carafe of local rose wine. A sweet hit from Mrs Andrianopolous’ homemade fruit spoon sweets and an aromatic Greek coffee saw as off to explore the late afternoon.

In the words of Shirley Valentine, if you would like to drink a glass of wine in a country where the grape is grown. Sitting by the sea, looking at the setting sun, then the best place to head is at the newcomer bar, situated around the old navy pool, attached to the restaurant ‘agnanti’.

If you head to Tolo, there is a myriad of tavernas and restaurants to choose from. If you are looking for some very straightforward, Greek home-style cooking, then the beautiful family run “Taverna old house” on the beach is a great option.  Also on the main road in Tolo is the brilliant “NERANTZATO” store, which is full of traditional local goods and products, such as handmade spoon sweets, jams, preserves, sour cherry syrup and ‘petimzi’ grape molasses.

Laiki Nafplio

Every Wednesday and Saturday

Kyprou Street (near the junction of Argos Street) to 25th March Avenue

Mezedopoleio O Noulis

22 Moutzouridou, 211 00 Nafplio

Agnanti

Near Miaouli Beach, 211 00 Nafplio

ΝΕΡΑΝΤΖΑΤΟ

90 Sekeri, 210 56 Tolo

Taverna Old House

32 Aktis 210 56 Tolon

What to see

Nafplio was the first capital of Greece, after Independence. Due to its strategic position, Nafplio has three fortresses: the massive principal fortress of Palamidi, the smaller Akronafplia and Bourtzi on an islet west of the old town. There is a beautiful walk around the headland along the seafront that brings you to the imposing Palamidi fortress, towering 216 metres above the town. If you don’t feel inclined to walk the 857 steps, you can take a taxi to the top for the impressive view of venetian and terracotta roof tops.

Close to the town is the lovely Arvanitia Beach, all white pebbles and aqua water. The beach offers spectacular views to Akronafplia Castle, Palamidi Castle and the Argolic Gulf.  If you get there early enough in the day, you’ll be able to hang out with the towns elderly local residents, the best place to pick up a few recipe tips! Later in the morning Blublanc  beach bar heats up and becomes one of the town's undeniable hot spots. Blublanc offers free sunbeds and umbrellas to its customers – all you need to do is purchase your frappe and you are set for the day.

There is also Karathona beach,  Nafplio's 'landmark' beach beside Palamidi Hill. Getting to this beach requires a little bit of effort on a foot, via the Arvanitia to Karathona trail. Alternatively you can also get there by bus or car.

Tolo beach is slightly built up, but it does offer beautiful clear, clean aqua waters. A perfect beach for families.

The best part of staying in Nafplio is simply to wander the venetian streets and take in the restaurants, tavernas and cafés, art galleries and museums. The Komboli Museum (www.komboloi.gr) is definitely worth a look and the perfect spot to pick up a little gift to take home. The main platia called Syntagma (Constitution) Square, is paved in marble and is wonderfully grand, surrounded by historical buildings including a Turkish mosque. When in Nafplio, joining the locals for an evening ‘volta’ along the at the waterfront and the walkway is a must. You can enjoy the scent of summery, salty evening air and walk of your evening meal – or if you are still a tad peckish pick up some roast nuts or hot corn.

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Braised artichokes with broad beans (αγκιναρες με κουκια)

October 23, 2016, 1:16 am

≫ Next: Dolmades with swiss chard, aggourida and quinoa (ντολμαδες με σεσκουλο, αγουριδα και κινοα)

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It's that time of the year again. My favourite time. It's artichoke season. For me, the artichoke is quite simply the queen of all vegetables. At her best, when eaten in season. although I can't deny that I also love a good preserved artichoke (especially the divine homemade ones that I tried on the spectacular Greek island of Tinos this year) and my freezer is never complete without a bag (or two) of frozen artichokes, from Greece, of course. 

Artichokes are not only delicious, but they are nutritional powerhouses. They contain potassium, magnesium, folate, antioxidant vitamin C and a surprising amount of fibre. Indeed, a large artichoke can contain up to 10 grams of fibre and 1/2 cup of cooked artichoke hearts can contain around 7 grams of fibre. The addition of broad beans to this traditional Greek dish also brings a further 4.6 grams of fibre, per 1/2 cup of cooked broad beans. Evidence suggests that fibre can help to lower the risk of heart disease and cancer and control blood sugar.

The artichoke is a much loved vegetable in Greece, featuring most famously in a homestyle dish 'a la polita' with plenty of dill, lemon, carrots and potatoes. In Zakynthos, artichokes are prepared filled with a herb and tomato flavoured rice (possibly my most favourite dish of all the delights prepared in my mother in law's Ionian kitchen). A little further a field from Zakynthos, in the Peloponnese artichokes are slowly simmered with another springtime treat, pungent green garlic. You can find the recipes for these classic Greek artichoke dishes here:

Braised artichokes with green garlic 

Zakynthian stuffed artichokes

Artichokes 'a la polita' (city style)

The beautiful green colour of this dish marks it as one that belongs to the spring. Traditionally, it is served as a main meal in itself with some crusty bread and the classic Greek table accompaniments of some sheep and goat's feta cheese and home cured olives. However, it also works well alongside some pan-fried fish. If artichokes and broad beans are not in season in your neck of the woods, you can use good quality frozen artichoke bottoms and broad beans as alternatives to fresh. This dish keeps well in the fridge for up to a day or two, but is best when brought back to room temperature just before serving.

Braised artichokes with broad beans (αγκινάρες με κουκιά)

Serves 4, cooking time 1 hour 

Ingredients:

500 gr broad beans (podded)

6-8 artichoke hearts, cleaned and quartered 

1 small onion, finely chopped

2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 

1/2 bunch of dill, finely chopped

1/2 bunch of parsley, finely chopped 

1 tablespoon of bukovo chilli flakes (or to taste)

A little sea salt (to taste)

3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

1 lemon, preferrably organic, well cleaned and halved

2 cups of water

Method:

1. In a heavy bottom saucepan, place olive oil and heat. Add the finely chopped onion and garlic, cook while stirring until translucent.

2. Add the herbs and chilli, stir to combine. Add the cleaned artichoke quarters, the podded broad beans, the water and squeeze the juice from the lemon, then add the lemon halves to the dish as well. Cook on a low heat until the vegetables are tender, but not falling apart (about 45 mins to 1 hour). 

Dolmades with swiss chard, aggourida and quinoa (ντολμαδες με σεσκουλο, αγουριδα και κινοα)

November 3, 2016, 2:06 am

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Surprisingly, 'swiss chard' isn't native to Switzerland. It’s homeland is the Mediterranean and it has been a revered vegetable (particularly for its medicinal qualities) since Ancient times. The Greek philosopher, Aristotle wrote about chard in the fourth century B.C. Today, swiss chard continues to be a much loved vegetable on the Ionian island of Zakynthos, where it is known in the local dialect as ‘seskala’. In the rest of Greece it is  referred to as seskolo. The Zantiots prize the flavour of seskala, which is similar to spinach, but with a stronger, more assertive (some think, bitter or earthy) flavour.

The fantastic variety of phytonutrients in seskala is quickly recognizable in its vibrant colours, from the rich dark green leaves to the rainbow of reds, purples and yellows. Sekala is rich in vitamin K, A, C as well as iron, magnesium, potassium, and manganese. It also has lutein, shown to help with eye health.

Although seskala is available throughout the year, its peak season is in the summer months. In Australia sekala is at its peak from  December to February, when it is at its best and in the greatest abundance.

For those who are not familiar with wrapping and rolling leaves for dolmades, the leaves of the seskala are by far the easiest to use. Big and rich, they do not need much as much time and effort as that which is required for spring time vine leaves.

This recipe is a twist on classic dolmades. I have swapped the more traditional ‘carolina’ white rice for brown basmati rice and added a little extra protein with the addition of quinoa. Instead of the more traditional lemon, I also like to use verjuice, known as ‘aggourida’ in Greek – particularly as lemon season is coming to an end here in Australia, as we head into the summer months.

Dolmades with swiss chard, aggourida and quinoa

(ντολμάδεςμε σέσκουλο, αγουρίδα και κινόα)

Makes about 40 dolmades, preparation time 30 mins, cooking time 45 mins

Ingredients

About 1kg of seskala

1/4 cup aggourida or verjuice

1/2 cup olive oil (more if needed)

water, as needed (1 or more cups)

Stuffing ingredients

400g ground pork and veal*  

½ cup brown basmati rice

½ cup of white quinoa

2tsp of ‘sparoza’ Mediterranean herb and spice mix

1 & 1/2 tsp salt, as needed

1/2 tsp black pepper

Method

Wash the chard and cut the stems. If you have any large leaves, cut them in two. Layer the leaves in a neat pile and place any torn or damaged leaves in the bottom of the pot you will use to cook the dolmades. (The pot that you use will need to hold the rolled leaves snuggly).

Blanch the leaves in a separate pot of boiling salted water for 1 minute, remove and set aside to drain well in a colander.

Place all the stuffing ingredients in a bowl and use your hands to knead the mixture to combine the flavours well.

Place a 6-8 seskala leaves before you on a work surface and start stuffing the leaves, by placing one spoon of the stuffing mixture in the middle of each leaf. Roll and fold in the sides of each leaf gently. Place each stuffed leaf on top of the leaves in the bottom of the pot – build them up into layers as you go.

Place a small dessert plate on the pot to hold the stuffed leaves in place; mix the olive oil, aggouridaand water and pour over the pot and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and let it simmer for 45 minutes or so. Uncover and check to make sure the stuffing is fully cooked. Cool and serve warm.

*during fasting times, you can substitute the meat with more rice and quinoa to make a meat free version.

Broad beans fried with ouzo (κουκια τηγανητα με ουζο)

November 5, 2016, 4:39 pm

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While artichokes will always remain my true love of springtime, broad beans come a very close second. This recipe is inspired by my father in law, who while working as a grocer in his store in Dulwich Hill would often make himself a quick lunch of flash fried young broad beans in between customers. Ba would lightly dust the young tender broad beans in seasoned flour and fry in Greek extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). He says this quick lunch reminded him of the ones his mother, Ekaterini, would make when he was a young boy in his family villaged, called Diasella,  in the Peloponnese. 

My twist to the recipe is to enrich the batter a little and add a dash of ouzo. This makes a great light springtime dinner, with a little smoked trout or (for the more robust taste buds) Greek herring called Renga (Ρέγκα) and some punchy, garlicky skordalaia. This light spring time meze is best accompanied by a chilled glass of ouzo.

Broad beans fried with ouzo (κουκιά τηγανητά με ούζο)

Serves 4 as part of a meze; cooking time 20 minutes 

1/2 kg of young broad beans, cleaned and strings removed 

Fleur del sel, to serve (I use the Sparoza brand, available in Australia from Homer St)

Ouzo batter 

1/4 cup Greek EVOO 

1 tablespoon of ouzo

1/2 cup water 

1/2 cup brown rice flour

2 egg whites

Method

To make the batter, whisk the oil, ouzo and water into the rice flour and beat well. Using a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they have firm peaks. Then fold into the batter. 

Place a frying pan on medium-high heat. Add the oil to a frying pan, to coat the bottom by about half an inch. 

Dip the cleaned and stringed broad beans into the batter, and coat on both sides. Carefully place into the hot oil and fry until golden on both sides. Drain well on paper towels and serve with a sprinkling of fleur de sel.

Fried eggs smothered in garlic as in Zakynthos (αυγα τηγανητα σκορδοστουμπι οπως στο Τζαντε)

November 19, 2016, 2:18 pm

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A survey of my Greek family has revealed that one of their favourite family meals is Ma’s “eggs smothered in garlic”. The literal term 'skordostoumbi' is used to mean garlic pounded or mashed. The amount of garlic used in this recipe denotes its Zakynthian origins, although my Peloponnesian father in law also makes claims on the origin of this dish.

Most often made for a late breakfast, it contains a whole head of garlic, ripe summer tomatoes, plenty of extra virgin olive oil, fresh oregano and eggs. If you are feeling decadent, you can also add a little crumbled feta or some cubes of fried potatoes. While this dish makes a great breakfast, it is also perfect for a late lunch or light dinner - just add a green salad on the side.

Fried eggs smothered in garlic as in Zakynthos (αυγα τηγανητα σκορδοστουμπι όπως στο Τζάντε)

Serves 2; cooking time 50 mins

Ingredients

1 espresso cup of EVOO
1 head of garlic, chopped
200 grams of fresh tomatoes, peeled and grated or ½ can diced tomatoes
3 sprigs of fresh Greek oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Freshly sliced red chilli, to taste
2-3 eggs
2 tablespoons chopped parsley or oregano, to serve
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, optional

Directions

In a large, deep skillet, heat oil over low heat. Add garlic and cook until softened and beginning to caramelize, about 20 minutes. Do not allow to burn.. Add tomatoes, chilli and oregano, simmer for 20 minutes or until thickened.

Crack eggs evenly on top of sauce; cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until whites are set and yolks are thick but runny (if you like firmer yolks, cook for 1 to 2 minutes more). Sprinkle with parsley and feta cheese and serve.

Maeve O'Meara's Mediterranean Islands Safari

December 2, 2016, 2:52 pm

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After spending some of the European summer indulging in the beauty of Mediterranean islands such as Sicily and a handful in Greece, it was only fitting to join the wonderful Gourmet Safari’s “Mediterranean Islands’ tour of Sydney.  Our guide for the day was the lovely Nino, knowledgeable in the many culinary gifts of the Mediterranean, particularly those of Italian origin. Like the French Food Safari, which we experienced recently with the delightful Maeve O'Meara, this tour was not concentrated on one suburb of Sydney, but took in a variety of locations to reflect the different cultures that make up the Mediterranean Islands. So it was back to Central Station early on Saturday morning to set out an explore a range of epicurean delights stretching from Cyprus to Sicily.

While the Mediterranean and its islands have a diverse cultural makeup the one constant is, unsurprisingly, the diet of its inhabitants. Famed for its variety of health benefits, the Mediterranean diet is all about eating less meat, more fish, more olive oil and large quantities of fruit and vegetables – especially leafy greens and tomatoes. The diet also encourages eating plenty of legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, plus a daily glass of wine. Then of course, there is also a recommended daily coffee.

So in keeping with Mediterranean tradition, our first stop for the day was at the wonderful Di Lorenzo Coffee in Marrickville. Aldo Cozzi and Mina Di Lorenzo, owners of Di Lorenzo coffee greeted us with freshly blended and roasted, wonderfully aromatic coffee. Aldo told us that here in Australia, we drink our coffee much stronger than in Italy. His carefully crafted coffee reflects Australian taste and has a naturally sweet, nutty flavour with a bitter-free aftertaste. Aldo gave us plenty of tips for brewing his coffee at home, recommending the simple Italian style stove top coffee pot for a brew as similar to a professional style machine as you can get. This was happy news for me, having managed to collect a new Bialleti  pot on nearly every visit to Italy. Following the aromatic coffee came some decadent Italian style hot chocolate, so thick you could stand a spoon up in it - what a breakfast! A truly indulgent treat, perfect for cooler nights, or possibly anytime of the day or night for the chocoholic in your life.

The Italian theme continued, with our next stop at the Sydney institution Paesanella. There were more indulgent treats instore for us with generous tastings of buffalo mozzarella, burrata and ricotta, to name but a few. Paesanella also offers a range of hard sheep and goat’s milk cheeses, such as pecorino – and plenty of traditional Greek cheeses such as kefalograveria and kefalotiri.  An extra highlight at Paesanella, in addition to their beautiful cheeses, was the opportunity to taste a range of traditional Napoli style pizzas. The pizza chef has recently arrived directly from Naples and his delicious creations took us straight back to the incredible pizzas we had tried in the buzzing streets of Naples. When I say tastings, please keep in mind these were Mediterranean in size – like 3 or 4 slices of pizza per person - plus a calzone. A day to throw caution to the wind and leave any notions of lighter style eating at home! There was also plenty of time to browse the food emporium and stock up on the excellent De Cecco pasta, a range of fine and semolina flours for homemade pasta, Sicilian tomato passata, Paesnaella’s own brand of new harvest olive oil and plenty more.

After an Italian morning, it was time to set course for some Greek Cypriot flavours across town in Earlwood.  Next stop was my most favourite Greek food store in Sydney, Earlwood wines. Here owners Harry and Maria Ipermachou greeted us with a chilled glass of Greek rose wine and had set out a banquet of traditional Greek products for us to taste, including plenty of different cheeses, olives and dips like the classic taramosalata. While we tasted the different offerings, Harry talked us through a range of different products from Liqueurs to legumes, right down to how he makes his classic pickled octopus, available in the store. I took the opportunity to stock up on plenty of my pantry staples such as cinnamon and clove tea, thyme scented honey from Greece, Maria's delicious homemade artichoke dip, Kyknos tomato paste, petimezi (grape molasses), some bright green salted pistachios from Greece and cracked green olives from the divine Nafplio.

After a lovely visit with Harry and Maria, we then headed next door to Trianon cakes, where second generation bakers Chris and Arthur Efthymoiu greeted us with warm smiles and the scent of baking - all vanilla and cinnamon. Here we tried some classic Cypriot olive bread and also a cheese bread. Along with plenty of sweet treats such as kourabiedes, Greek almond shortbread. Mr K couldn't resist in getting some "Turkish delight" to take home, Trianon's signature pastry of loukoumi or Turkish delight, wrapped in a light pastry which is then fried and dusted with coconut. They are super sweet, chewy in the center and slightly addictive - best enjoyed with an aromatic, thick Greek coffee (I love the Laiko Cyprus Coffee brand which is, handily, available next door from Earlwood wines).

From Trianon Cakes we headed back into Marrickville to the beautifully styled Barzaari. Owners Andrew Jordanou and Darryl Martin specialize in cuisines of the eastern Mediterranean from Cyprus and Greece to Lebanon and Turkey. The wonderful sweets of the Mediterranean continued here with a tasting of orange spoon sweet and a fresh out of the oven spiraled baklava. These were accompanied by a Greek style coffee, made in the traditional way - a briki over hot sand and coals. This produced a smooth and aromatic cup with a thick kaimaki (the cream that sits on top of the coffee) and the whole process was completely mesmerizing.

While drinking this coffee, I was reminded of a recent study made by the University of Athens, which suggests that "a boiled Greek type of coffee, which is rich in polyphenols and antioxidants and contains only a moderate amount of caffeine, seems to gather benefits compared to other coffee beverages." The study looked at people on the Greek island of Ikaria, who live to age 90 and older. Coffee was one of the keys of their Mediterranean diet and this was linked to the Islanders longevity and good health. Remembering this, I felt much better about my third (or was it fourth?) coffee for the day.

Then guess what? It was time for LUNCH! From Greece, we headed back to Italy and the region of Sicily, for a long lunch at SUD Restaurant in Concord. Owner Paolo Gratto greeted us with warmth and plenty of Southern Mediterranean hospitality. Lunch started a glass of Sicilian wine, I opted for the spicy Nero D'Avola, enjoyed along with some classic Sicilian chickpea fritters, sandwiched 'street food style' in crusty Italian bread. Then it was time for delicious arancini, with a crunchy outside and oozy ragu and cheese filled center. Keeping step with the Mediterranean diet, the next course included some pan fried bitter wild greens, laced with plenty of garlic, crunchy bread, Italian sausage and chilli. This was followed by calamari fritti and then came the classic Sicilian dish of caponata, salty and sweet eggplants cooked with tomato, celery, olives, capers and more. Atop of the caponata sat a delicious piece of grilled swordfish. To finish, there were pistachio dusted cannoli and traditional Sicilian 'Cuzzoli' - long strips of bread dough, or doughnuts if you like, dusted with icing sugar and served with cinnamon and honey, as well as generous second dish of nutella.

This dear friends concluded the tour. It was time for us to say our goodbyes to our fellow tourists and the lovely Nino, before we trundled home for a well-earned Mediterranean style siesta after all of that deliciousness. If you have a friend or loved one with a sense of adventure or a passion for the Mediterranean, who enjoys good food, then I am sure this wonderful tour of Sydney would be a very welcome Christmas present. 

To join the next Mediterranean Islands Safari of Sydney, visit Gourmet Safaris or phone (02) 8969 6555.

Mr K and I were guests of  Maeve O'Meara on the Mediterranean Islands Safari.