Many Greek recipes call for the traditional combination of olive oil and lemon juice added just before serving. The combination – mixed or separate – is simple, healthy, and delicious. Some recipes say mix them (into “latholemono” sauce) and some call for them used separately. How do you figure out when to use which? The […]

Freshly made dips taste great, but sometimes, after they’ve been refrigerated to chill or stored for a short while, the taste seems to change. Whether you’re making dips ahead of time or storing some leftovers, here are some tips to make sure your dips always taste their best. Aerate Dips and spreads made with sharp […]

When fried potatoes are just cooked, they’re usually nice and crisp. A few minutes later, they may be soggy. Make fries that stay crisp in the serving bowl until the last one is eaten: use good quality potatoes whether strips or rounds, cut in uniform size salt before frying fry in enough hot oil to […]

Dried beans and peas – limas, pinto, red, black-eyed peas, garbanzo (chickpeas), and Great Northern, to name a few – are favorites in Greek cooking, and easy on the family budget as well. Beans are easy to make, but often not especially quick since most need to be soaked for at least 6 hours, and […]

The information below shows measuring equivalents for teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, pints, fluid ounces, and more. This page also includes the conversions for metric and U.S. systems of measurement. 1 tablespoon (tbsp) = 3 teaspoons (tsp) 1/16 cup = 1 tablespoon 1/8 cup = 2 tablespoons 1/6 cup = 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons 1/4 cup […]

There are many versions of these little pumpkin filled pastries. In Cyprus, they are called kolokotes (koh-loh-koh-TES). Other parts of Greece call thembourekia (boo-REH-kyah). The traditional dough for this recipe is made with olive oil and would be appropriate to eat during fasting periods. I have adapted the recipe and use a sweeter dough that includes butter and […]

Tsoureki (tsoo-REH-kee)is the traditional bread of Greek Easter. Tsoureki is a rich yeast bread flavored with orange and a delightful spice called Mahlab (also called Mahlepi) that is ground from the pits of wild cherries. You can find Mahlab online or at ethnic grocery stores specializing in Greek or Middle Eastern products. Every family has their own […]

Each year the Orthodox faithful bake a cake in honor of Saint Fanourios’ (fah-NOO-ree-os) day on August 27th. He is believed to be the “finder” of lost items for those who bake this cake and bring it to church as an offering of thanks or “tama.” It’s a delicious spiced cake with raisins and walnuts […]

Traditionally, one is offered something sweet upon arrival in a Greek home. Greek hosts keep a supply of spoon sweets or preserves on hand that are made from almost any fruit or nut you can imagine. If there is an abundance of fruit on the trees, you can be sure that the bounty will be […]