Greece

Metaxa, Greek Brandy What can I say about Greek food other than apart from Hummus,(which isn’t really Greek) Tzatziki and Taramasalata, oh and a Souvlaki I had in Spain once, I had never had the delight until I lived in Vancouver. There were just no Greek restaurants around my part of the UK, probably still aren’t too many either. Anyway, the sad thing is, is that there are many great Greek recipes but here in Berlin, the Greek I have tried is good but it is the usual grilled meats or Giros with rice and tzatziki and salad or the lemon potatoes and moussaka of course, but nothing really from the family Greek kitchen.

Now if your order a plate of Meze’s which are the appetizers then yes you are in for a treat with the filled filo pastries or grilled octopus salad or the stuffed vine leaves and of course one of my all time favourites is the Greek salad and my favourite olives, the kalamata olives!

A few years ago I themed my birthday party on Greek food and made and bought Meze’s grilled up some meats, made some kofta kebabs and meatballs, some grilled pork chops, Greek salad, Greek rice etc and naturally we drank Mythos beer had a few bottles of Retzina and after we had Ouzo and Metaxa brandy. All in all good fun, but there are some great family recipes which I will share with you.

Briam

I first saw this recipe on Rick Stein’s Mediterranean Escapes when he was on the island of Corfu and visiting what was once a small mountain village, which it seems was vacated by all the residents but now a couple have opened up a restaurant there…

Greek Salad

Greek salad is now top of the list plus it is so simple to prepare that really there is no real recipe and of course everyone usually has their own version…

Keftedes Youvetsi

Keftedes Youvetsi is baked Greek meatballs with Orzo or Kritharaki in a tomato sauce. If you are wondering what Orzo or Kritharaki are it is a Greek pasta …

Moussaka

Moussaka is one of those dishes that you either like it or hate it and that is down to the use of cinnamon and eggplant or aubergine in the recipe…

Pastitsio

Now I always thought that Moussaka or Mousakas was the typical Greek baked mince dish, but there is another version, pastitsio, and it is a dish that I have never ever seen on a menu at any Greek restaurant I have visited, there again I have never been to Greece…