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Friday September 9th, 2011


Eating the Sun.






Autumn is tearing strips off Summer this week and we all know that inevitably Summer will surrender to the attack.  The blustery days have a storybook charm. Dark evenings will soon make the pavements twinkle and street vendors selling caramelised nuts will lace the air with a fairground vapour. But I’m not ready to submit to the season change just yet. 

Defiant, I am donning my apron and inviting sunshine into the kitchen. The weather outside can do what it likes. Greek food is made of sun. The tomatoes grow enormous and juicy on it, lemons ripen in it as do deep green olives, and oregano grows wild under its canopy. I can but feel sunny when I eat Greek.

I worked as a cook for a short while on the island of Crete.  The taverna was based in the small, touristy town of Aghios Nikolaos. Authentic cuisine was often not what the punters craved after a night of clubbing. In fact it was in Greece that I mastered the art of the English Breakfast, although we fried the eggs in olive oil - try it if you haven't already, it’s delicious. But on quiet days food was mainly served up for the family and staff (me). Here are a few of the recipes we would make and eat outside on white plastic chairs facing the Aegean Sea. It is what I eat when I want to taste the sun.

Care to join me?






When I was a child I vowed that when I grew up I would only eat food with my fingers. These dishes satisfy the rebellion. Resign yourself to the mess and stuff it all in a pita with the souvlaki (Greek meat kebabs). They can be made with chicken or pork too.








I love the zingy lemony flavours found in Greek food. There's nothing like a table of different dishes to keep the taste buds dancing. If you can squeeze any more in, here's a recipe for Greek baked vegetables, it does go really well with the souvlaki, but could easily be a veggie option...




10 comments:

  1. I love your comment about cooking eggs with olive oil - until I left home I didn't know that people used anything but olive oil for frying! The only time we ever had sunflower oil in the house was for baking cakes. I don't even buy it myself now. I'm sure I'm missing out on something but I LOVE olive oil too much to change.

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  2. This all looks amazing! I absolutely love Greek food. I particularly love a bit of lamb kleftiko and spinach and feta pie. Mmm getting hungry just thinking about it!

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  3. Hi C, Thanks for comment, it's great to get feedback. Wow that's so interesting, it's funny to think that when my parents were children olive oil was something you bought at the chemist for earache! I love olive too, I found a recipe for olive oil and banana cake, should give that a go sometime...

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  4. Thanks Adele, really pleased you like the post. I love Greek food too I will definitely be posting more Greek recipes on the blog. Ooh yes me too re: lamb kleftiko, now you've reminded me of that I might have to make it for Sunday dinner next week, doesn't help the ever expanding waistline!

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  5. Oh my gosh Kate! That tzatziki sounds heavenly! I must make it some time!

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  6. Thanks Louise, glad you like the look of it. It is one of those recipes that is so, so easy yet so, so delicious! x

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  7. Hahaha @Kate and now if you suggest putting olive oil in your ear as a home remedy alot of people think you're crazy (even though GPs still do recommend it...)!

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  8. lovely combination and site
    nice to meet you

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  9. Thanks so much, it was really interesting to see your great site too, thanks for getting in touch.
    Kate x

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  10. This is certainly sunshine food, shame we have not seen much of it in Scotland though :(

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