RIGANATHA APO TIN LEFKADA This is another simple bread snack that was the traditional afternoon meal among field hands and farmers in Lefkada. Islanders will tell you proudly that riganatha isn’t made anywhere else in Greece, and they are right. Unique to this dish is its dressing—rose water vinegar. For the rose water vinegar: The traditional way of making this was […]

PRETZA ME PSOMI Pretza is a local feta cheese product made in Zakynthos and Cephalonia, something akin to cream cheese but pungent and peppery. You can find it in several cheese shops in Athens, but it is nowhere to be found in America. You can make an ersatz version by mixing crumbled feta with a little ricotta or fresh Greek myzithra […]

Ingredients: 1/2 pound unsprayed young pink rose petals 2 pounds sugar 1 cup water Juice of 2 lemons Method: Place the petals, in batches, in a large sieve or colander and shake so that any excess dirt, pollen, and stamens fall out. Place the cleaned petals in a large basin and sprinkle with the sugar. (This may also have […]

MELOMAKARONA ME ELAIOLATHO This is one Peloponnesian version of a traditional Christmas cookie. The region’s telltale ingredient, olive oil, replaces butter in this recipe. Sometimes, Greek cooks will do that—replace butter with oil, that is—to transform a sweet into something permissable for fasting. In the Peloponnesos, though, the use of olive oil is the norm rather than the exception. Ingredients: For […]

KOURAMBIETHES ME ELAIOLATHO APO TO LEVITHI Makes about 72 shortbread cookies Ingredients: 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil 2/3 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup ouzo 1/2 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 cup finely chopped walnuts Grated zest of 1 lemon 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour, […]

Rose water has been used throughout history by women around the world. Cleopatra used it to keep her skin dewy and supple during her reign as queen of Egypt. It was used as a means to cool hot angry skin in the summer heat as well as for its ability to smooth and brighten complexions. […]

It’s great in pastries to add a touch of fragrance Rose water is used in the refreshing Μαχαλλεπί (mahallepi), a popular dish enjoyed during hot summer days Add a few drops to a glass of water for a simple, subtle, refreshing drink Glyko tou koutaliou, the traditional Cypriot preserved sweets, can be made with rose […]

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

Rose as an herb is very cooling, soothing, anti-inflammatory, and astringent…the perfect recipe for those suffering from acne. Apply it to red, hot to the touch, blemished areas for a calming effect. The best method is to spray it on directly. Rose water is also quite antiseptic, so acne causing bacteria don’t stand a chance […]

This recipe is the more traditional way to prepare rose water. You can make a quart of excellent-quality rose water in about 40 minutes. However, if you simmer the water too long, you will continue to produce distilled water but the rose essence will become diluted. Your rose water will smell more like plain distilled […]