kitchenhabits

pappardelle with mushrooms

if you really want to make a good impression go with something simple but tasty, casual but unique, a dish that anyone would like to eat but all would think it was especially made for them.. and believe me they would feel special if you feel it too when you cook it, I know it sounds…

chimichurri sauce

chimichurri sauce comes from Argentina and it’s said that stands for ‘give-me-curry’ or in other words ‘give me sauce-seasoning’. people there eat it mostly with red meat but here’s what; today I moved in my new house, so when you have to finish up some many things you’re happy to have a jar with chimichurri sauce,…

chicken with potatoes & carrots

this may look like a ‘Sunday’ recipe let’s say, you know the ones that your mother used to cook cause everybody would eat together for sure and most of the times it would be a recipe that require more time. The truth is that this one will take a lot less time than what you’d expect but for…

potato chips

I know that nowadays people take good care of their nutrition avoiding junk food amongst other potato chips. the thing is you shouldn’t avoid them but find a way to eat the healthy version of them, where possible. with the home made potato chips you’ll get so enthusiastic by the taste and the compliments from your…

pisia

my great grand mother was born and raised in Pontus, the ancient Greek colony in Black Sea, a region tied to epical narratives with Jason, Hercules, Odyssey, inhabited by highly competent merchants and overal hospitable people, Pontic Greeks. I never called her grandma; everybody called her ‘Mana’ – Mother. She was mother to everyone and source of unique Pontic recipes…

salmon with lentils & rice

well, did I grew up with salmon? no. I was eating it from time to time but I was always told to eat ‘locally’ and ‘seasonally’, meaning enjoy the place and time of the year you’re into. so of course you can find good salmon in Greece if you want but you can certainly find the…

yogurt, thyme honey & walnuts

what should I write about Greek yogurt or honey or walnuts? they’re always in my kitchen and quite often altogether in my plate! it’s a combination that rings Greek bells, drives me to sunny blue skies, thyme scented steep mountains and happy hospitable people, who even when they get unexpected visitors and don’t have a treat…

pasta with minced meat sauce

when you give me laurel leaves, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg and onions, my mind goes directly to minced meat and in most of the cases with pasta! this is not the traditional Italian way to go, no. this is the magical way of east, Poli, spices and aromas that open your heart, people that lived and cooked there giving food a central place…

watermelon & feta salad

“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy…” the song probably doesn’t refer to food (even though it talks about fish jumping around..), anyway it’s true that during the hot summer days our body needs ‘easy’, light food and lots of water. I remember the hot summer nights in grandma’s old house, sitting in the yard with all the…

“les petites carreaux” apricot jam cake

so you have apricots and then you have apricots from my dad’s garden (or your dad’s garden you know what I mean…) it’s like you think you know something and then you discover the real thing! the smell, the taste, the softness, the way it melts in your mouth; for me there is no other..!…