Greece: The Cookbook

Product Information

Gourd Alexandrian fashion. Drain boiled gourd, season with salt, arrange in a dish. Crush pepper, cumin, coriander seed, fresh mint, asafoetida root. Moisten with vinegar. Add caryota date, pine kernel; crush. Blend with honey, vinegar, fish sauce, concentrated must and oil, and pour the whole over the gourd. When it has boiled, season with pepper and serve.' The recipe from Cato dates to about 200 BC, but olives provided relish and flavouring all through ancient times. The olive tree had been under cultivation in Greece for a thousand years, if not longer, when the Iliad and Odyssey were composed (around the 8th century BC). At classical Greek banquets olives were served in brine, and sometimes, no doubt, they were served as relishes like this. Who Is It For? This cookbook has a keen focus on vegetarian dishes and perfect for those looking for fresh and vegetable heavy Greek cuisine. Add the beans to the tomato sauce with the hot water and another ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes. Food has been central to social life throughout human history. In the classical world it was part of occasions from religious rites to ostentatious parties. There is plenty of information available on what the ancient Greeks and Romans ate and drank – in written texts and in archaeological finds – which can help us bring their gastronomical creations to life in the 21st century.

The book covers everything from mezedes (or mezze), starters, soups and salads to fish and shellfish, meat and desserts. It explores all regions of the country, showcasing their produce, such as snails from Crete. A celebration of an incredible woman and her love for her family shown through her flavorful and authentically delicious foods. See more The Kitchen Shelf: Take a few pantry essentials, add two ingredients and make everyday eating extraordinary This is a popular recipe among Greek and Roman writers. Oribasius (4th century AD), a well-known doctor of the late Roman Empire, borrowed it from a much older book of dietary advice by Mnesitheus, a medical writer from Athens who lived in the 4th century BC. This book of Greek cooking explores the versatility of Mediterranean cuisine. An award winning author and host of a Public Television Cooking Show, you’ll love the variety in her recipes.

An award-winning author, journalist, and cooking instructor, Aglaia Kremezi, brings clarity and simplicity to each of the recipes. Interestingly, Christos is neither a celebrity chef nor food writer. He is a Greek Canadian filmmaker who wrote this Greek cookbook as a tribute to his mother. Greece: The Cookbook is the first truly comprehensive bible of Greek food in English. Rapidly increasing in popularity, Greek food is simple to prepare, healthy and delicious, and, more than most other cuisines, bears all the hallmarks of the rich cultural history of the land and sea from which it is drawn. It is the original Mediterranean cuisine, where olive oil, bread, wine, figs, grapes and cheese have been staples since the beginnings of Western civilization. With hundreds of simple recipes by Vefa Alexiadou, the authoritative grand dame of Greek cookery, the book also includes information on regional specialities, local ingredients and the religious and historical significance of the dishes, and is illustrated with 230 colour photographs. Greece: The Cookbook is the definitive work on the rich and fascinating cooking of modern Greece. The mount athos monastery lentil soup was quite bland and surely the 500g of lentils required for the recipe served more than double the servings mentioned in the book. The author, Christos Sourligas, weaves his mother’s story into these incredibly easy-to-understand recipes.

The servings indicated were also very incorrect. It was obviously written for the experienced cook and is not recommended for a novice in the kitchen. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt and the potatoes to the pot and boil for about 12 minutes until they are soft. Drain and place in a serving bowl. The recipes are bang on; this is the Anna Del Cona or Julia Child of Greek cooking - featuring simple, flavourful cuisine. Baked goods & sweets are mildly challenging but simple enough for a competent home cook to pull off & recipes are engaging enough to ‘teach you’ the basics of excellent Greek cooking (recipes for marzipan, veal stew, & sweet cheese tarts come to mind.) Other meals like vegetable stews and salads are simple enough for beginning cooks.The recipes are varied with some simple ones to make and others a little more complex with hard to find ingredients. In a lot of western democracies, especially in the US and the UK, there’s often a presumption that good food is a luxurious or a middle-class preoccupation – a rich people thing. What do you think of that mindset? Doctors were interested in this dish because it was said to cure headaches and was good for stomach upsets. Pliny claimed if taken before a meal it prevented drunkenness, and if taken after drinking it could cure a hangover! The cooking times are way off and there is no indication of the size of cooking and baking pans to be used. The traditional Mediterranean recipes offer you a bridge into the culture and a delicious way to integrate vegetables and fresh ingredients into your diet.