my little baklava

duck, chestnuts, and Bordeaux wine

2011-12-26T07:34:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all an incredibly merry Christmas and a happy 2012. My confit de canard recipe coming up this week. Import from France, coupled with a fine Bordeaux wine, and for dessert, diples straight from Athens. Chestnuts straight from my farmer's market in front of my place in Maroussi. Also more photos to come from my weekend trip back to Athens where I had an apéritif for friends and a big fat Greek family dinner.

Health and peace and joy to you and your loved ones.

fonduing my way around Switzerland

2011-11-15T22:59:00.000-08:00

Bonjour mes amis. Back in the land of blogging. Have been working very hard, and have had some exciting travels on the weekends. Pics to come from the 10,000 weddings I attended this summer.

Here's a picture from a Swiss cheese fondue from last night. Good friends and good wine (Geneva Chasselas to be exact). Nothing better. This little place is located in Geneva's Junction. Typically, the fondue comes in a specialized pot. This one comes in a big bread bowl.

Mykonos

2011-09-13T13:32:00.000-07:00

I'd like to post food pictures from the greatest place on earth (soon).
More to come.

Guess who this is?

2011-08-06T03:40:00.001-07:00

Dinner for anyone who figures out who the guy on the left is?

and yes, Lyon was....

2011-07-13T01:45:00.001-07:00

legendary. Nothing like good wine, good food, and good friends in a Lyonnais bouchon.

i'm lame

2011-07-13T01:37:00.001-07:00

So between organizing an international AIDS conference, and going to weddings, I have been lame in giving you all updates. 'The Cooking Odyssey' back in the US is being happily received by television audiences, the family is doing well, and to show you how busy I am, I haven't experimented with any recipes in over a month (perhaps two).

I did eat extremely well in Paris however two weekends ago when I went for a friend's wedding. Also, I'm convinced the epicentre of the universe is Le Marais (after my village).

Please do follow our work at the 6th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention (IAS 2011) - which begins in Rome, Italy this Sunday. Lot's of exciting work being presented on ARV-based interventions (i.e. PrEP), elimination of mother-to-child-transmission, and of course - HIV cure research.

Off to Lyon this evening. At last.

2011-05-20T02:19:00.001-07:00

I have been talking about this since I was born. I'm off to the food capital of France tonight for the experience of a lifetime. Driving there with my mate Simon-Pier and staying at a friend's place. We will hit up a bouchon bistro in the old town I reckon. Bon weekend, mes amis. And tomorrow evening, dinner with the family across the pond.

when one doesn't like lamb

2011-04-30T23:31:00.000-07:00

the answer is goat. Had such an amazing time in mum's village for Easter. My uncle George roasted a full-size lamb on Easter Sunday. Thia Litsa cooked everything else (including a fab walnut cake). Quality time with cousins. Back in Geneva now. Here's a pic from the outcome of uncle George's efforts. Christos Anesti, and happy May day!

home sweet home

2011-04-22T23:29:00.000-07:00

Just arrived in Athens for Easter. About to head to my mother's village outside of Kalamata for the classic roasting of lamb with my uncles, aunties, and cousins. I can't wait (abstained from meat and dairy products for 40 days, I'm going a bit nuts). Just elated to be back home. Despite people's massive troubles to simply get by given the economic climate, there's is something special about Easter in Greece after all, which provides much needed inspiration.

I'm off to the village. To roast. And take pictures (I will post). There's nothing like it in the world.

Happy Easter. And I saw a great quote in LIFO magazine by Nikos Dimou this morning which captures the Easter holiday in Greece.

‎"Με Κρίση ή χωρίς - χαρείτε την Άνοιξη και την Ανάσταση. Δεν κρατάει πολύ, είναι όπως ο έρωτας. Αλλά, όπως ο έρωτας, μεθάει και λυτρώνει." Καλό Πάσχα παιδάκια.

it's official

2011-04-05T15:03:00.001-07:00

pilgrimage to Lyon. This Sunday.

"The Cooking Odyssey" on Create TV

2011-04-05T06:22:00.000-07:00

And I have to say, I'm very excited 'The Cooking Odyssey' is going to be on Create TV, starting later this month. Awesome.

talk + food

2011-04-05T06:19:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I'm giving a talk at work, and I will be preparing a Greek lunch feast (mezes) for my colleagues. The menu is as follows:

1) melitzanosalata

2) patzarosalata with walnuts

3) spanakoprasopita

4) tzatziki with grilled pita

5) dolmades

6) dako me paksimadia

7) slices of feta drizzled with Kalamata olive oil and oregano from Evia

8) figs with manouri cheese

I'm too lazy to make keftedakia.

mushroom risotto for the roommates

2011-03-23T07:07:00.000-07:00

I just picked up ingredients this morning so I can make a simple yet nostimotato mushroom risotto. Since I'm abstaining from dairy and meat courtesy of Greek Lent, no parmigiana or mascarpone in my portion. I got these lovely organic champignons bruns (sadly not local, they hail from Allemagne). I used to speak Greenglish. Now there's a bit of French interspersed in there. Apologies.

Καλό ταξιδι, Ελισάβετ....

2011-03-23T07:06:00.001-07:00

A legend left us today. Artist and AIDS activist.

An underestimated lentivirus model: what can HIV-2 research contribute to the development of an effective HIV-1 vaccine?

2011-03-21T02:07:00.000-07:00

Hodges-Mameletzis I, De Bree G, Rowland-Jones SL.

Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK.
Abstract
The development of an HIV-1 vaccine that would be effective against all existing subtypes and circulating recombinant forms remains one of the great scientific and public health challenges of our generation. One of the major barriers to HIV-1 vaccine development is a lack of understanding of the correlates of protective immunity against the virus. In this context, research has focused on the rare phenomenon of spontaneous control of HIV-1 infection, in groups referred to as 'long-term nonprogressors' and 'elite controllers', together with models of nonprogressive sooty mangabey simian immunodeficiency (SIV) infection in African nonhuman primate hosts such as sooty mangabeys and African green monkeys, in which the majority of animals tolerate high levels of viral replication without development of immunodeficiency or disease. Much less attention has been given to humans infected with the nonpandemic strain HIV-2, derived from the SIV in West Africa, most of whom behave as long-term nonprogressors or viral controllers, while a minority develop disease clinically indistinguishable from AIDS caused by HIV-1. This apparent dichotomous outcome is, based on the evidence accumulated to date, more clearly related to the host immune response than the good clinical outcome of HIV-1 controllers. We propose that complementing research into HIV-1 controllers and nonpathogenic SIV models with the prioritization of HIV-2 research could enhance the HIV-1 vaccine research effort. The absence of disease progression or detectable plasma viral replication in the presence of an effective immune response in most patients living with HIV-2 represents an opportunity to unravel the virus' evolutionary adaptation in human hosts and to establish the correlates of such a protective response.

Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2011 Feb;9(2):195-206.

fresh chocolate truffles

2011-02-25T03:08:00.000-08:00

On route to Boston from Geneva for the big HIV meeting (CROI) - I stopped in Zurich. And there, I picked up some fresh chocolate truffles at Zurich International Airport (they literally had made them that day and have to be consumed within 4 days).

Insanely delicious.

massacre in Distomo, Greece - case revisited

2011-02-13T04:24:00.000-08:00

Greek civilians look on as the Germany army makes its way to Thessaloniki in April 1941. Photograph: Getty

Interesting article in today's Guardian on the WWII massacre by Nazis in the village of Distomo. The international legal context of the current Greek government's efforts to support the case for compensation is expressed in a great piece drafted by my friend - Antonios Tzanakopoulos, who's a lecturer in Public International Law at the U. of Glasgow in Scotland. Please take the time to read both on this Sunday. Bon journée.

$50, I just spent on Swiss cheeses today

2011-02-12T08:21:00.001-08:00

Tomme de Bruson Croûte Fleur. Le Gruyère AOC. Toudeille Midi-Pyrénées. Raclette Valdor. Tomme à la farce truffée. I am a very happy man.

au revoir Mubarak

2011-02-11T09:56:00.000-08:00

I love this quote I saw saw by the New Yorker's David Remnick.

To watch Hosni Mubarak today in his late-night speech in Cairo, as he used every means of rhetorical deflection to delay his inevitable end, was to watch a man so deluded, so deaf to the demands of history, that he was incapable of hearing an entire people screaming in his ear. And it is almost always that way: the dictator, coddled in his isolation, surrounded by satraps and servants, immersed in his own sense of essential-ness, is the last to know.

lovely Geneva

2011-02-05T11:24:00.000-08:00

Oh how much I love this city. And my new job. I am making an effort to speak French (very experimental, but I think those that are Francophones appreciate the effort).

Food is insanely expensive. NYC is cheap compared to Geneva. That said, I think there are ways of finding reasonably priced food products, particularly in ethnic shops (huge fan). As in Les Pâquis (my favourite section of town). Today I went for my first walk around the lake (stunning vistas, freakin' gorgeous day) - and at some point, I stumbled upon a little Portuguese shop where else but in Pâquis. I discovered this olive oil that my friend Fernandes from Oxford used in her kitchen. I, naturally, argued in favour of the superiority of olive oil from my mother's village outside of Kalamata. I got all nostalgic about my Oxford days and ridiculously wonderful friends (whom I miss dearly) when I saw the label.

On a final note, I discovered a lovely cafe in Pâquis - Café Art’s. It had vibe, good food, GREAT cappuccino, and funky folks. I think that will be my hangout. It's open late. Like everything back in Athens.

Bon weekend.

Une nouvelle vie

2011-01-30T02:22:00.000-08:00

The Greek has landed in Geneva. And I already made a friend on the train. I thoroughly enjoyed my last koulouri Thessalonikis from my bakery back home this morning. Marietta, Lydia, and Stelina saw me off. My last night in Athens was spent in the midst of family lunch in Varkiza, a visit to play with my niece and nephew, a birthday party, and ending up at a jazz cafe where my housemate Markos was playing with his band. I will miss the Motherland. Lot's of love from Switzerland.

oh figs

2011-01-18T03:02:00.000-08:00

For all you fans of cooking shows back in America, please tune into your local PBS station and watch the long anticipated series 'The Cooking Odyssey', which I am hosting. One of my all time favourite recipes has been posted on the show's website. It's cheese pie made with a mixture of lovely cheeses and dried figs. Fresh figs, in season, are best (if you can get them locally produced). Aglaia Kremezi once told me, and quite accurately, that 'figs don't travel'.

Here's a link to the recipe - and please log onto the show's website. http://bit.ly/gkxlGK

go to bed

2011-01-15T19:07:00.000-08:00

Profoundly jet-lagged from the trip to the USA. the fact I don't have internet back in Greece or a working elevator in Neratziotisa when you have 3 bags to lug - not cool. Exciting times back in the States. The Cooking Odyssey has premiered in NYC and LA, and is being rolled out across other stations of PBS throughout the country. Tres exciting, indeed.

Got some hiking done back in the States, worked, got stuck in Boston because of a blizzard (but Cambridge is one of the loveliest cities in America I think), and managed to get my batches of American peanut butter (since AB Vasilopoulos needs to drop their prices on Skippy before I ever consider buying a jar).

I cannot sleep. First full day in Athens. Off to Geneva in two weeks. More tomorrow folks. Over and out. Good night.

Chefs Ferran Adriá, Juan Mari Arzak and José Andrés on 'the future of food'

2011-01-05T07:10:00.000-08:00

Chefs Ferran Adriá, Juan Mari Arzak and José Andrés on 'the future of food'

I love Ferran Adriá! Check this article on the future of food. My favourite quote of his, and he's spot-on is "When I hear we do strange things, I don't get it. For me, it's more strange to have a ham and cheese sandwich with Coke."

happy new year

2010-12-31T15:21:00.001-08:00

peace, joy, love, health, and all that good stuff in 2011. to the world.

posting soon my recipe for smashing truffle potato purée with a variety of Greek cheeses. it's been a huge hit. (and huge apologies to everyone for being slow with email and facebook, really backed up on messages and really limited access on my travels)

a broccoli a day keeps the doctor away

2010-12-29T06:42:00.000-08:00

I'm a big fan of this super food. I eat it twice a week (boiled). Then, I reserve one day for these unbelievably delicious purple cauliflowers I get at my farmer's market in from of my house.

Getting ready for New Year's folks. My cousin had a bone to pick with me by saying 'someone needs to get more active on their blog'. Ahem.

amazing talk on food at TED

2010-12-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

This kid below is brilliant.

Καλά Χριστούγεννα, & Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T08:47:00.000-08:00

creepy angel with only one eye. taken last year at Christmas time at my parents. i just had to post this.

Merry Christmas my fellow gastros. Wishing everyone health, joy, success, good food, good wine, happy families, song, dance, celebration and all that good stuff in life.

All I have to say is there's nothing like Rome at Christmas (brioche, amazing chocolate, the best espresso in the world, and without a doubt the best dressed people on the globe). Buon Natale!

gingerbread men and beetroot juice?

2010-12-20T12:31:00.000-08:00

Random post. I know. But seriously, I'm in the midst of deadlines this week, and I am containing myself from downing all the kourabiedes and melomakarona I have inherited from aunties, friends, neighbours (as it typically happens in Greece around Christmas). I'm being a good boy and drinking my newfound delight. Beetroot juice. Power drink. Here's the recipe.

2 beetroots, washed, boiled in a pot of water until fork tender, peeled, and sliced into chunks

1/2 green apple, sliced into chunks

juice of 1 orange

2-3 ice cubes

Possibly the easiest thing in the world. Take the ingredients above, add them to a juicer (in my case, a food processor or the otherwise recognised 'to MULTI!' in Greece), mix, and pour into a glass. You may want to add some water, of course.

It's not freshly squeezed OJ, don't get me wrong. But it makes you feel better in an instant.

Lastly, on the issue of gingerbread men, I am a failure. I tested out this recipe (without ginger of course, and then you beg to ask, WTF, they are not gingerbread men). It was lame (although they looked pretty). I reckon I need more sugar next time. Testing a batch of sugar cookies tonight (batter is in the fridge overnight, letting the flavours harmonise and we shall see what comes to pass tomorrow). I hope the Metaxa does this trick. Over and out.

Rebuilding the food pyramid for 2010 - The Boston Globe

2010-12-16T03:24:00.000-08:00

Rebuilding the food pyramid for 2010 - The Boston Globe

calamari: 30 seconds or 30 minutes

2010-12-09T02:59:00.000-08:00

If you want your calamari to be tender, and not like rubber, you have to cook it either for 30 seconds or 30 minutes.

pomegranate frozen yogurt (and without a machine)

2010-12-06T06:24:00.000-08:00

Since I gorged yesterday on a spread of all sorts of desserts at my auntie's Sunday lunch (including my own cheesecake creation with anthotiro with a melomakarona base) - I opted for a healthier alternative to start off the work week. I never made this before, but the combination of pomegranate + Greek yogurt worked wonders. I didn't add any sugar, although if I were to serve this to guests I would add some powdered sugar + 1 tbsp of honey.

For 4 ramekins:

2 cups of Greek yogurt (2%) [obviously, we buy 'strained' yogurt in Greece, not 'Greek']

seeds from 1 pomegranate [this took about 2 minutes to do, don't be intimidated]

3 tablespoons of water

Added pomegranate seeds to a food processor and blended for 1 minute on high speed. Scraped the sides, and then added the yogurt and water. Processed for another 1 minute, and poured yogurt mix into ramekins and placed them carefully in the freezer. After 20 minutes, I mixed each ramekin with a fork, to break the crystals. I did this 3 times every 30 minutes. Made for a refreshing and delicious afternoon snack. Enjoy folks!

HIV in Greece

2010-12-05T11:49:00.000-08:00

Αποσπάσματα από την εκπομπή "ΜΙΑ ΚΟΙΝΩΝΙΑ...ΕΝΑ ΟΝΕΙΡΟ" της ΕΤ1 που προβλήθηκε στις 4 Δεκεμβρίου 2010.
Η εκπομπή ήταν διάρκειας 1 ώρας αλλά λόγω χρονικού ορίου στο youtube, η διάρκεια αυτού του video είναι 15 λεπτά.

Good work America

2010-12-03T00:33:00.000-08:00

Happily, I woke up in Athens to find out the glorious the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act just passed the House of Representatives. For more on this important step in tackling childhood obesity in the US - please check this link:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2010/12/02/131761469/house-passes-bill-to-upgrade-school-lunches

Reminiscent of Jamie Oliver's campaign on school meals back in Britain. And of note, an Oxford academic conducted a study this year that suggested the positive impact Jamie's efforts had on school attendance. Good work chef.

Ενημέρωση. Προφύλαξη. Εξέταση.

2010-12-01T00:11:00.000-08:00

Σήμερα είναι η Παγκόσμια Ημέρα Κατά του AIDS. Support HIV prevention, safe sex education in our schools, medication and human rights for HIV+ patients in all corners of the globe, vaccine research, good science, and good health policies.

World AIDS Day

2010-11-30T14:31:00.000-08:00

Please remember those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

two meetings in one day

2010-11-26T10:24:00.000-08:00

More analysis on the first day of the Greek AIDS Conference in a bit. Meantime if you want to follow my commentary on the TEDx Athens meeting, please look at my Twitter page. Over and out.

busy weekend: TEDx Athens + 2010 Greek National AIDS Conference

2010-11-25T11:44:00.000-08:00

I will be juggling a busy weekend between TEDx Athens and the 3-day Greek AIDS Conference which commences tomorrow morning. For more information on the programme for the AIDS Conference (which incidentally, will be held at the Grande Bretagne in Syndagma Square) - please visit the conference website at - http://www.aids2010.gr/.

I am attending the meeting on behalf of a Greek-based NGO - Positive Voice (Θετική Φωνή). Please visit their blog to learn more about their incredible work in advocating for HIV/AIDS prevention, access to treatment, and human rights in HIV-infected patients.

count our blessings on this Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T01:49:00.001-08:00

My family, health, friends, community, my job, my teachers, sunshine in Athens, good food, good neighbours, a farmer's market in front of my house, proximity to the train station, access to the Parthenon for free, wireless internet, my Macbook Pro.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! And for all you pie lovers, please check out this video from today's New York Times.

Lela's amazing Thanksgiving roasted ham with Hawaiian sauce

2010-11-24T06:44:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe courtesy of my father by email this morning, but it's my mother's traditional ham recipe with a delightful Hawaiian sauce, which she typically serves both at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is one of her best, in my humble opinion! Note my father's precise measurements (the trained chemist in him). Love it.

And I quote:

You buy a chunk of ham with the bone. You place it cut side down in the bake pan. Pour 1 cup of hot water on the ham, and you sprinkle and rub with brown sugar enough to cover the whole chunk. Then, you stick gloves on the surface of the ham about one inch apart. You cover with aluminum foil. You place in the oven 325 Degrees Fahrenheit or 163 Celsius. You bake it for 1/4 of an hour for each pound of ham, so if the ham is 6 lbs - then you cook it for an hour and a half.

The Hawaiian sauce : One can of pineapple , dissolve in the juice, (1/2) one half tea spoon of cornstarch (νισαστές) and 1/2 cup of the juice from the ham also add 7 cherries and 2 ts ( tea spoons) of the juice from the cherries for color you simmer it at low heat until the sauce starts thickening you remove and you are done.

TEDx Athens: Meeting of the curious minds

2010-11-24T06:09:00.001-08:00

Meeting of the minds this Friday in Athens. I CAN NOT wait. Be there. TEDx Athens. I found out about this from another mate, and I am a bit surprised I managed to sneak in an application this late. In any event, entrepreneurs, poets, sommeliers, you name it - it's going to be a fantastic gathering from what it looks like. This is a refreshing change from the gloom and doom of the IMF and all this negative energy. One particularly cool character is this guy, Kostas Grammatis, a visiting researcher at the MIT Media labs, and the founder of ahumanright.org. Check his work out. I will also be attending the Greek AIDS Conference, and blogging from there.

Greek Thanksgiving?

2010-11-23T02:50:00.000-08:00

So, what would a Greek Thanksgiving entail?

All the American traditions with a Greek twist? My personal favourite is halloumi cheese stuffed in the turkey cavity.

my amazingly robust and fragrant baked sea-bass with fennel and ouzo

2010-11-13T01:28:00.000-08:00

My friends Alexi and Daphne came over for dinner the other day, and I made a lovely old recipe of mine to test out my new AEG oven. For those who are intimidated by fish, this is a very robust, easy recipe. I bought in the afternoon some fresh sea-bass (λαβράκι) from the fishmonger's - and I had them scale it, and then gut it. When I came home, I carefully clipped the fins with a pair of scissors, and gave it a final wash again under cold water. Most importantly, I kept the head on (since there's always someone who wants to eat it). I tend to use a combination of wine and ouzo when cooking seafood, since I find the addition of ouzo heightens the flavours. Recipe follows, folks.

1 large sea-bass, whole, with head, scaled, and gutted

1 large lemon, thinly sliced

juice of 1 large lemon

1 large fennel, thinly sliced

2 knobs of butter

2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

2 scallions, thinly chopped

1 medium size red onion, finely sliced

2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

1 cup of fresh parsley, roughly chopped

1/2 cup of white wine (any wine will do)

2 shots of ouzo

Preheat oven to 220 degrees C. Take 2 large pieces of aluminium foil (more than double the length of the sea bass), and stack them one on top of the other. In a medium size pot with salted boiling water, poach fennel slices for 4 minutes, and then drain in cold water. In roasting pan, place stacked aluminium foils in the bottom (half of the foil will extend past the length of the pan), and lay the sea bass on top. Season the sea bass on the outside with salt and freshly ground pepper, and rub with olive oil. Stuff the sea bass with 3-4 lemon slices, the butter, and a bit of the fennel (oh, and some of the garlic!). Don't worry if some of it extends out of the cavity of the fish.

Add the onions, scallions, and the remaining fennel and garlic around the fish, and on top. Pour the white wine and ouzo on top of the fish. You can drizzle some extra olive oil at this stage over the vegetables if you wish. Take the aluminium foil that extends out of the pan, and wrap it over the sea bass, creating tight creases around the edges to trap the air inside. Place pan in the middle rack of your pre-heated oven, and bake for 30-35 minutes. Serve immediately with some fresh bread, and a lovely white wine. I had the pleasure of two bottles of a Greek dry white called Ψηλές Κορφές (2008) which Alexi and his wife brought over. It had a very prominent sweetness, fruits, with a lovely finish.

important paper on funding for chronic disease prevention

2010-11-09T01:14:00.000-08:00

Friend and colleague Andrea Feigl just published a seminal piece called ‘Where Have All the Donors Gone?: Scarce Funding for Chronic Diseases’. Her co-author, Rachel Nugent, discusses in an interview the current funding mechanisms for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This is particularly important given the UN Summit on NCDs that will take place next year in NYC, and will serve as a critical moment to get governments, health policy experts, and donors on the same page.

Aneton

2010-11-09T01:08:00.001-08:00

A little slice of posh food right in my own backyard. I can't freakin' believe it. I just found out about this restaurant, Aneton, near my home here in Maroussi. One of the owners is a the presenter, Vassilis Kalidis, on a new cooking show called Food and the City on MEGA. In fact, my good friend and future cousin Margarita was raving about this place last week. Now I know where I'm going this weekend.

I can't judge yet, but their website maintains a rather funky, very cool 70s look (of which I am a fan).

chocolate rice pudding (ρυζόγαλο σοκολάτας)

2010-10-20T05:36:00.000-07:00

I'll be doing my usual dropping-by my cousin Yannis' for dinner. I'm establishing a bit of a tradition here by not bringing dessert as most Greeks do (instead of wine as is the case back in the UK or the States) - but...in fact making my own dessert on the spot.

Tonight, we make chocolate rice pudding, inspired by the illustrious Nigella Lawson herself.

3-4 tablespoons of unsweetened quality cocoa added to 5 tablespoons of hot water. I'm considering however substituting the cocoa for dark chocolate. I'll slowly whisk in 1 L of warm milk, then proceed to add 125 g (about 3/4 cup) of risotto rice, followed by 100 g (1/2 cup of sugar). Oh, and a touch of vanilla essence!

Pop it in a baking dish for about 2 hours in a pre-heated oven (150 degrees C). Every 20 minutes, carefully stir the pudding mix to prevent the top layer from crusting. Serve warm.

Dr. Hodges

2010-10-18T06:59:00.000-07:00

at last, my love has come along

My lonely days are over
And life is like a song
Oh, yeah, at last...

Agh re Etta James. Thea. And a very wise woman. I'm home, of course, at last. September 20th was my crowing day. I passed my PhD examination. I have my life back. And so can't wait to start posting some recipes from my excursions all throughout Athens.

fresh Kalamata figs with anthotiro

2010-09-03T01:12:00.000-07:00

For one portion. Figs + cheese = a marriage in heaven. I made this dessert last night for my friends Alexi and Daphne.

- 1 large fresh fig, washed and quartered

- 3/4 cup of anthotiro (ανθότυρο) - which is one of my favourite Greek cheese (a variation of mizithra), buttery and soft.

- 2 tablespoons of organic honey

- a touch of lemon and orange zest

- a dash of liqueur to your liking (I used saffron tsipouro)

I added just a little tsipouro to my figs. Combined the zest with the anthotiro. Served the cheese in the middle of a small dessert plate, drizzled the honey on top, and arranged the sliced figs on one side of the plate.

how the hell are we going to feed ourselves

2010-08-17T23:14:00.000-07:00

Nature (my beloved scientific journal) has a series of articles on food, agriculture, and the implications of the rise of global population. The take-home message from the debate for me is the lack of public spending on agricultural research on the part of the richest nations.

This also brings me back to what ecologist and Oxford don Dr. Malcolm Coe lectured a month ago at Magdalen College - there are simply too many of us on this planet.. If you ever get a chance to hear him speak in your lifetime, you will consider yourself very privileged.

the two things I owe you

2010-08-17T04:33:00.001-07:00

Talk about being late. My update from the 2010 Oxford Symposium, and the recipes from the cooking class at Magdalen College to be posted. I promise. Seriously. Off to the village tomorrow in the Peloponnese to get olive oil for the house.

au revoir Jamie's, bonjour Athina

2010-08-17T01:35:00.001-07:00

Athens is lovely. Last week I went to this wonderful restaurant called Kuzina in the area of Thisio. This is the second time I have been there, and one of their signature dishes is loukoumades stuffed with feta and olives, served with a pomegranate sauce. Unbelievably delicious.

It's good to be home. Will keep you all posted on the airing of the Cooking Odyssey back in the US. For more - check the facebook group.

good bye Drucker

2010-07-30T03:02:00.000-07:00

The loveliest bunch of students left today. More to come on the big feast we cooked two nights ago at Magdalen College. Safe travels, my friends.

AIDS conference in Vienna

2010-07-22T03:34:00.001-07:00

I'm more excited about this week's World AIDS conference in Vienna than food. Impressive results coming out of a study that showcased the efficacy of a microbicide (with 1% tenofovir) in women. Good news on the HIV prevention front for women.

the price of olive oil is going up

2010-07-22T03:31:00.000-07:00

this was bound to happen. Article from a few days ago in The Independent on how Greek olive oil producers are piling up their stocks - and the effect this is having on costs for consumers. Lucky me, I have home made olive oil from Avramiou.

vegetarian recipe special in The Guardian's OFM

2010-07-18T05:17:00.000-07:00

More to report on the Oxford Symposium from last week which was fantastic! I am writing an article for it and will post in a few days back to the blog.

But in the meantime, enjoy an array of vegetarian recipes in today's Guardian. Woo hoo! Nigel Slater has a gorgeous recipe for baked peppers with a summer sauce.

the state of Greek gastronomy

2010-06-12T03:28:00.001-07:00

An interesting article in the Washington Post regarding the impact of the financial crisis on the Athens food scene. Kouragio.

peach zabaglione

2010-06-11T12:34:00.000-07:00

but with a twist. I'm thinking of making this as a dessert special in the restaurant, but instead of egg yolks, I'll take some mascarpone with double cream and orange zest. The base will be peaches cooked off with some caster sugar and Vin Santo (or Marsala).

argument with George - what do we make for dinner?

2010-06-05T08:49:00.001-07:00

My beloved mate Magdis is visiting from Paris, and he's busting my b*lls. He's not keen on carbohydrates, since he's on the Atkins diet. So this equates to no pastichio, no gemista, and no moussaka. Although I have figured I can substitute the potato in moussaka for more aubergine. Any recommendations?

tea and cakes in London? Go to Louis Pâtisserie

2010-06-03T10:13:00.001-07:00

Delightfully awesome. Hands down.

This place is incredible. It's a little Hungarian pastry shop right around the exit of the Hampstead tube stop. It's the most charming little place ever, a recent discovery of mine, as I stopped on my way to a friend's birthday BBQ. Since Greeks prefer pastries to wine when visiting a household, I stayed consistent with that practice. Truth be told, it reminded me of Xatzis' pâtisserie in my omorfh Thessaloniki by Kamara.

I purchased a chocolate mousse cake slice, along with a piece of tiramisu for £5.20. Since I only had £5 on me, I reassured the endearing lady at the front that I would blog about her shop. Time Out London has some excellent reviews of this Hampstead stablishment.

Please go. You most definitely will not be disappointed.

Raymond Blanc's amazing chocolate mousse

2010-03-20T06:51:00.001-07:00

This recipe is courtesy of the legendary chef Raymond Blanc (from the Guardian).

No butter. Just 3 simple ingredients. I cannot wait to make it.

Maman Blanc's chocolate mousse

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: n/a

This recipe is best prepared 1 day in advance and left covered in the fridge

Ingredients

180g dark chocolate, at least 66% cocoa solids, finely chopped (Raymond says, "Do use the best quality of chocolate. With 70% cocoa solids you can expect the best chocolate experience!")
240g / 8 egg whites, free-range/organic
30g / 2 tbsp fructose sugar

Method

Place the chocolate in a large bowl set over a pan of hot water and leave to melt over a low heat. Turn the heat off when liquid.

In an electric mixer, (not on full power) whisk the egg whites and fructose until they form soft peaks. (By whisking egg whites, you can 'harvest' the air by trapping tiny air bubbles inside a network of protein. However, if you over whisk the egg whites, they will become thick and grainy, lose volume and separate into a dry froth and a runny liquid.)

Whisk in 1/3 of the egg whites to lighten the mixture and immediately fold in the remaining egg white with a large spatula. Do not over mix at this stage as you will knock all the tiny bubbles of air out and be left with a dense mousse.

Pour into a glass bowl or individual glasses and leave to set in the fridge for 2 hours or until required.

Variations

Baked chocolate fondant

Dilute 12g of arrowroot (or cornflour) with a tbsp of water and fold it into the chocolate mousse. Fill small oven proof moulds (buttered and lined with a 1/2 cocoa powder half 1/2 caster sugar mixture) 2/3 of the way up the mould and bake in a preheated oven (170C) for 6-7 minutes. The chocolate fondant should be cooked on the outside and melting in the centre.

Warm chocolate soup

You could also take the chocolate mousse and fill a soufflé mould, place in a bain marie and gently warm in a pre-heated oven at 170C for 6-8 minutes depending on the size of your mould. This will give you a lovely warm chocolate soup which will start to soufflé on top.

may 2010 be an amazing year for you all

2009-12-31T14:33:00.000-08:00

My sincerest wishes for a glorious New Year. Υγεία, αγάπη, και χαρά!

happy Christmas from Oxford

2009-12-23T08:25:00.000-08:00

May you all have a wonderfully decadent Christmas and a happy and healthy 2010. Thank you all for following my blog. I'm going to attend Christmas Eve carol services at midnight here in Oxford at New College, which has an impeccable, world-renowned choir. So if you're in town, join us at 11:30pm. I have been invited to dinner by my lovely friend Monika who will be cooking up a feast, roasted pork with winter vegetables, a butternut squash soup with sage, and some other treats......I cannot wait.

tu me mangues

2009-12-19T05:54:00.001-08:00

This song is dedicated to all those I care about and miss a whole lot. Had a lovely curry last night with the housemates. And a week ago a glorious lab dinner. An international feast, including a Gambian specialty of lamb in a peanut sauce called domoda (to die for).

i'm sad for all Americans today

2009-12-10T09:50:00.001-08:00

The epidemiologist in me has comment on the defeat of the public option today. For more, please check this article at The Huffington Post.

I always tell my European friends America has the best public health schools in the world, and the irony is the health of the American public is secondary to political and corporate interests. What happened today saddens me greatly. C'est la vie. God bless the NHS, that's all I have to say.

maybe i should eat less to live longer

2009-12-02T12:36:00.001-08:00

If Drosophila can do it, so can I. More on the latest research in dietary restriction in one of my favourite biological models. God I love the journal Nature!

not a surprise at all

2009-11-30T00:44:00.000-08:00

NY Times article I just saw today (through Huffington Post) on the dramatic increase in food stamp use across the US.

Thanksgiving gorge

2009-11-27T03:35:00.000-08:00

We ate way too much last night courtesy of Dr. Cairns and Ms. Patrick here in Oxford. They made an incredible, inspiring, and decadent feast. These lovely photos were taken by Mr. Hudson. They liked my pie. I think the best aspect of it was the maple syrup whipped cream served with it. Tonight I'll get my act together and post the recipe.

chocolate pecan pie

2009-11-26T05:06:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Later tonight I'll post the recipe (a fusion of two excellent recipes) for my chocolate pecan pie.

However Tall the Mountain

2009-11-22T09:04:00.000-08:00

Awista Ayub, author of the critically acclaimed book However Tall the Mountain, and a great friend from my college days at the University of Rochester, has been up to some incredible work in her native Afghanistan. For more please, read this article at the Rochester Review.

the best tsoureki ever?

2009-11-20T08:20:00.000-08:00

I think we have a winner! My housemate Markos (technically he's former now, but everyone from the infamous Leopold/Catherine gang refuses to move on) brought me what I always ask for from Greece. Tsoureki (sweet bread). His mom always gets it from their local zaxaroplastio (pastry shop) in Nea Ioania (Mesologiou 24). It's called Τα Γιούλια (Ta Gioulia).

It's got texture, aroma, and it's always soft and never dry. Their contact information follows.

ΜΕΣΟΛΟΓΓΙΟΥ 24 - N.ΙΩΝΙΑ
ΑΝΑΓΓΕΝΗΣΕΩΣ 51 - ΠΕΡΙΣΣΟΣ
Τηλ: 210 2799766

Τηλ: 210 2798351

Also check this site out. Miltos catering. Hot desserts!

Sandorini

2009-11-18T09:07:00.001-08:00

Heaven.

when you're writing a thesis, just make a slow roast

2009-11-18T07:20:00.000-08:00

Aglaia Kremezi is an authority on Greek gastronomy and a lovely lady. I found this recipe of hers for leg of lamb stuffed with seasonal greens and feta cheese on Epicurious which I'm going to try out. I love her recipes!

In the meantime, I have a four-hour slow roast (160 C) right now in the oven (stuffed with garlic with a very simple marinade - some Dijon with oregano, Cornish sea salt, pepper and olive oil). I have included some parsnips, carrots, red onion, and leeks. Totally random, I know. This should be typically done on a Sunday. A Wednesday and I'm making a roast. But it's incredibly easy as I am writing up the thesis. And I found a very great price on this organic Welsh leg cut yesterday at Waitrose. Couldn't resist!

Back to work. Will let you know how it turned out.

Peace and love.

who's got a good chocolate muffin recipe?

2009-11-17T10:29:00.000-08:00

Next few days planning on making this recipe courtesy of Ms. Nigella Lawson (but with the addition of Nutella inside).

Any thoughts on other recipes (or this one)?

250g (1 3/4 cups) plain flour (I used 1/2 plain flour, 1/2 wholemeal flour)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp cocoa powder
175g (1 3/4 cups) caster sugar
150g chocolate chips
250ml (1 cup) milk
90ml (over a 1/3 of a cup) vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 200˚C and line a muffin tray with paper cases.
Combine the plain flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, caster sugar and chocolate chips in a large bowl. Whisk the milk, vegetable oil, the egg and vanilla extract in another bowl.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix till the mixture just turns runny. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases.
Bake for 20 minutes or a toothpick inserted into the centre of the muffin comes out clean.

best eggs ever

2009-11-10T04:12:00.000-08:00

If you live in the Oxford area (or beyond), then I highly recommend you visit this incredible organic farm called FAI (formerly operated by Oxford University) in Wytham (just northwest of Oxford city centre). I organised a trip for the Oxford Gastronomy Society last Friday. We were given an amazing power point presentation on the concept and daily operations of the farm by Corri Waitt. Pictures to follow. We were taken by an open trailer to see their sheep, cattle, and pigs. At the end of the tour, we had the opportunity to purchase produce, and I ended up buying a dozen organic eggs, along with smoked bacon. The eggs especially are just like the eggs you get from my mother's village in Messinia. Unbelievable.

The farm is having an open day in December, Sunday the 13th from noon until 4pm.

the best tzatziki ever

2009-10-29T10:05:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege to meet an amazing couple, Christel and Pavlos Pavlidis. They produce an award-winning tzatziki that is simply exquisite. Smooth, great taste, love the texture. I can't say enough. For more, please check out their website at ARGO fine foods.

spanakoprasopita

2009-10-27T14:50:00.000-07:00

Tonight I will be making a spinach-leek pie using phyllo pastry.

Rough recipe for filling follows, kids.

good amount of baby spinach, washed and chopped

1 big-ass leek, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces and sauteed in olive oil

2 spring onions, chopped

crumbled feta cheese

salt and pepper

2 eggs

some olive oil (extra virgin, of course)

Oh and yes, some dill!!!!! Half your sheets on the bottom of pan (each brushed with a mix of butter/olive oil), filling, other half of sheets on top. Bake at 350 F until golden brown top. Voila. In the meantime, disappointing news on Greece's ranking as far as countries with largest gaps between the rich and poor.

migrants and human rights in Greece

2009-10-13T05:13:00.001-07:00

Undocumented Afghan migrant children sleep in a forest on the outskirts of Patras, Greece.

A champion of human rights in Greece just sent me this link from Human Rights Watch about the state of migrants and asylum seekers back home. It's a disturbing piece, and reflects the previous government's attitude and failures from a policy perspective on this issue.

Please take the time and read this. Click here. Also there's one blog I like with particularly interesting commentary on migrants/refugees in Greece.

gemista (stuffed tomatoes, peppers, and butternut squash)

2009-10-05T07:35:00.000-07:00

My little cousin (OK, she's in her 20s, but I think of her as my baby cousin) Mariangella visited me this weekend, and it was a great opportunity to cook something that makes us embrace autumn (and it sure has arrived). What else but gemista. This recipe is an adaptation of my friend and colleague, Eleni Melirrytou, from Athens.

3 large ripe tomatoes

2 green bell peppers

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

2 small butternut squashes

2 large potatoes, peeled, and cut into wedeges

1 cup of tomato passata

1 large slice of feta cheese, crumbled

Filling

1 cup olive oil

1 large red onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 cup uncooked white rice

tomato pulp from tomatoes

1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped

1 tsp mint, chopped

salt and pepper

Wash and dry vegetables. Cut a slice off the top of tomatoes and peppers and scoop out the pulp (Eleni mentions that it's important not to thin the skin too much). Lightly salt the insides of the vegetables. For the butternut squash, remove skin before you cut in half (from top to the root), and scoop only the seeds/pulp in the bottom half of the squash. Lightly salt the squash as well. Keep the tomato pulp and place vegetables to the side.

Preheat oven to 185 degrees C. Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a sauce pan, and saute onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes. Add the rice, salt, and pepper and give it a good stir with a wooden spatula. After one minute, add the tomato pulp, and cook off for another minute. Remove from heat, and add parsley, mint, and 1/4 cup of oil. Give it a good stir again! In a large baking tray, arrange your vegetables upright. Fill the vegetables with the pulp/rice mixture 3/4 of the way (do not fill all the way to the top of the hollowed-vegetable) and fill each vegetable with just enough warm water to fill them (this will help to cook the rice). Replace the tops (except for the butternut squash of course).

Arrange the potatoes in between the gaps and drizzle with the rest of the olive oil. Pour the passata over the vegetables. Sprinkle some salt and pepper. Bake for 1 hours 30-40 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil if the tops of the vegetables start getting burnt (you want to get that deep dark brown/almost black colour, but there's a fine line for this).....and then use your discretion to remove towards the end. One note, about 40 minutes into it, check some of the tomatoes and peppers and make sure to add a little bit of more water (since it will have evaporated). Sprinkle some feta inside the vegetables (right on top of the rice mixture). Let the vegetables stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

Ah, before I forget, Eleni loves to add 1/4 cup of pine nuts, and 1/3 cup of sultana raisins in the mixture along with the parsley and mint. We couldn't find any pine nuts, and I forgot the raisins. The addition of feta is my preference (not everyone adds it in Greece).

extra strawberries? make jam

2009-10-03T03:56:00.000-07:00

I just found this short recipe from the Food Network website which I wanted to test out. Use lime juice instead of lemon. Back to thesis writing. Happy weekend, folks.

fava in honour of Rio's win to host the Olympics in 2016

2009-10-02T12:45:00.000-07:00

Lunch today consisted of yellow split peas as a spread topped off with an olive and sun-dried tomatoes (fava, as we say back home). The title of this post is a shout-out to the beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro and its even more beautiful people for having just been awarded the Olympic Games for 2016. Many of us recall (1997) the joy and celebration when it was announced that Athens would host the 2004 Games. How the years go by, eh?

There's really no connection between this fava recipe and Rio other than that I made it on this happy day. Congratulations again to Rio and see you in 2016. I'm totally going.

fava

2 cups of yellow split peas, rinsed under cold running water

8 cups of cold water

1/2 white onion, unchopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

1/4 cup of olive oil

juice of 1 small lime

1 tbsp of white wine (not necessary)

1 tbsp of balsamico (most Greeks like to use standard red-wine vinegar I think)

olives and sun-dried tomatoes for topping

salt and pepper

In a medium size pot, add water, peas, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and olive oil. Bring to a boil, removing with a tablespoon the white foam that forms. After 1 minute of boiling, reduce to a STRONG simmer for 1 hour. Add salt, stir, and cover and reduce heat to a GENTLE simmer for another 20 minutes. You are looking for the peas to get soft to the point where you're getting the texture of a dip. Remove from heat, add some fine pepper, white wine (the housemates had some left over which I stole), balsamico, and lime juice. Give it a good stir. Remove bay leaf. Individual portions can be served with an olive and 1 chopped sun dried tomato. You can dress it with a red onion that's sliced....or sprinkle some oregano if you wish. Some recipes for this call for one to remove the onion, but for me it just softens to the point where it melts away practically.

Healthy option, loaded with protein, and I got a bag of yellow split peas from Waitrose for 49p. What a deal. Fava is synonymous with one of my favourite places in the world, Sandorini.

my sister's sensational spanakorizo

2009-09-30T01:38:00.000-07:00

Last night I made a very simple yet lovely (and healthy) spinach rice recipe (spanakorizo as we call it). I used risotto rice instead of your Uncle Ben's long grain white rice that most Greek-American's use. Just a preference. Here's my sister's recipe. I also like to add in the beginning with the onion some chopped celery. And I prefer without a doubt the fresh spinach.

If I have baby spinach, I'm lazy and I don't even bother to chop it. Still comes out wonderfully delicious and the texture is great (my mother will roll her eyes if she hears this). Crumble some feta cheese on top. Gorgeous!

1/4 cup of olive oil
can of tomato sauce, 8oz.
pack of frozen chopped spinach (1 lb. of fresh spinach)
1 large white onion, chopped
1 cup of rice
1 1/2 cups of water
salt & pepper to taste

Chop, wash, drain spinach & set aside. Then, put chopped onion with oil in medium size pot & sauté it until golden brown. Add tomato sauce & cook for a couple of minutes then add water & bring to boil. Then put in the fresh spinach (or frozen spinach -which ever your choose) & cook until it wilts. Put in the rice a touch of salt & pepper. Mix...cover....lower heat....medium is ok...as long as you check it from time to time. Add more water if rice is not tender enough or if it's getting stuck to your pot. This should take about half an hour.

like the Greeks, the Israelis and Palestinians do everything over food

2009-09-29T01:27:00.000-07:00

The awesome Arianna Huffington just posted about her final day in Israel, where she's been visiting over the past week and discussing on her blog the dynamics of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Peace, peace...in the Middle East.

a little bird told me that I was in a Greek newspaper

2009-09-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

I got a bunch of emails from the Motherland yesterday from friends and family telling me Kathimerini printed the piece on our show. I had the privilege of spending two days in the gorgeous island of Kea with Vassiliki Kerasta and her photographer Pavlos Fysakis who joined our team during our shooting. Lovely folk.

Anyway, back to thesis work. Dinner tonight is a rainbow trout with herb butter baked in the oven (super cheap, from Waitrose), coupled with a very simple and delicious salad.

Black-eyed pea salad

1 cup of cooked black-eyed peas

2 handfuls of washed baby spinach

2 cooked beet-roots

1/2 cucumber, chopped coarsely

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

2 tbsps balsamico (I'm running out of the good stuff, darn)

2 tbsps of extra virgin olive oil (where else is my new bottle from but from Kalamata)

Mix all the ingredients, and dress with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Add a little fine sea salt. Work with your bare hand the dressing into the ingredients......freaking delicious!

kokoras krasatos

2009-09-27T15:37:00.001-07:00

Coq au vin. They say it's French, but we also make our version in the land of Greece. I made it last week, albeit I used chicken instead of rooster since I couldn't find any at the market.

Recipe will be coming to y'all soon. One thing I have to say. F******* amazing. Also I want to give a shout-out to my friend Nathan who just got his PhD, officially a doctor now. And also, to my lovely friend Denise for having graduated on Friday along with the rest of our mates. Kai sta dika mas.

y-a-l-e, go yale, go

2009-09-15T19:37:00.000-07:00

There's a reason why I love Yale so much. They are thinking of developing a course, interdisciplinary, in food. Maybe after the financial meltdown.

I'm really impressed with the work of the Yale Sustainable Food Project.

lentil soup (with a little bit of porcini mushrooms, feta, and thyme)

2009-09-15T19:22:00.000-07:00

Off to bed. As if I'm going to post the recipe now for the lentil soup I made today. I want to but I can barely keep my eyes up. I know. I have had so much work today that I am finally getting to this thing called a blog to which supposedly I'm supposed committed. Apologies to all you lovely folks who read up. Have just been knackered from my great trip. However, one thing I have to say - you all should really look into submitting a paper at the 2010 Oxford Symposium. I attended this weekend, and I can say it was one of the most inspiring conferences I have ever been on.

And shaking the hand of the legendary Raymond Blanc was an experience in itself. He's a superbly lovely man. I'm also after this weekend a huge fan of world-renowned food writer Geraldene Holt.

The Cooking Odyssey

2009-08-25T12:03:00.000-07:00

The journey has begun. It's more like an adventure. I am in love with Kuria Xariklia from Pyli, the mountains around Metsovo, and the waters of Porto Katsiki. I waltzed with Miss Karavia on the streets of Lefkada last night, and got a hug from Mama Karavia.

My culinary discovery was the addition of pepper (this being rice pilaf) to the heated butter before adding the rice. A secret by Kuria Aphrodite in Metsovo.

amazing article on food sustainability in London

2009-08-10T10:15:00.000-07:00

I saw this article on a friend's post on facebook. It highlights one of my friend Susan's favourite restaurants in London - Moro.

happy birthday to my big sis

2009-08-05T05:04:00.000-07:00

My sister has her birthday today! Xronia polla! She's an amazing Greek cook, and I'm envious that the whole family is celebrating, minus myself.

organic welsh lamb steaks with herbs and feta

2009-08-05T04:55:00.000-07:00

I'm back. Kalo mina. Sorry it's been so long. Working hard.

Here I have for you a superly easy-to-prepare recipe that leads to some wonderful flavours. I found at my beloved Waitrose in Oxford some great deals yesterday on lamb steaks. Life has been much more fullfilling with a Waitrose in my backyard.

Preheated oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Took two lamb steaks, rubbed Kalamata olive oil, salt, pepper, dried oregano and mint on both sides. Added them onto a tray lined with foil. I sprinkled some crumbled feta cheese and 1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt on top of each steak. Squeezed some lemon juice over as well. Cooked for about 18 minutes, and then jacked up the temperature to +220 (grill) for another 6 minutes.

They were divine. Serve with side salad or rocket, spinach and watercress with some cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumber, and olive oil with balsamico.

will the G8 do something about starvation?

2009-07-10T14:36:00.000-07:00

hhmmmmmmmmmm.

who's the fattest state in America?

2009-07-01T10:39:00.001-07:00

The verdict is in, and it's Mississippi!

smoking ban in Greece is official as of this hour!

2009-06-30T14:15:00.000-07:00

Yes ladies and gents. The new law has just gone into effect. July 1, 2009.

the Cooking Odyssey

2009-06-30T14:00:00.000-07:00

the journey begins....

man, fire, and how we became who we are

2009-06-25T12:12:00.000-07:00

An interesting book was just reviewed by Nature (God I'm tired right now), and I want to buy it.

happy birthday to mama Hodges and my auntie

2009-06-19T04:28:00.001-07:00

My mom turns 70 today, and my Thia Vivi has her birthday today but I won't disclose her age or she will kill me. I miss them dearly. Xronia polla!

give me back my marbles

2009-06-18T18:03:00.001-07:00

As the new Acropolis Museum in Athens opens up tonight, I think of the words of our great Melina Mercouri over the Parthenon Marbles that reside in the British Museum.

'What does Shakespeare mean to England, St. Paul's Cathedral? What does the Taj Mahal mean to India? What do the paintings in the Sistine Chapel mean to Italy? The Parthenon Marbles are our pride, they are our identity. They are today's link with Greek excellence, they are creations synonymous with our concepts of democracy and freedom.'

MEGA TV in Greece also made a really interesting documentary on the British Museum's claim to the marbles, and I also found an interesting piece in the NY Times by Christopher Hitchins.

And now I go home to sleep.

my favourite new website

2009-06-16T08:36:00.000-07:00

I just discovered the U. of Reading's Food Biosciences Department! Here's a little clip on the effect of food on memory....a diet rich in flavonoids (ie. from blueberries) will keep me more astute.

chocolate nutella cake courtesy of my friend Abi (and the BBC)

2009-06-11T09:38:00.001-07:00

My dear friend and labmate Abi made this cake today for 'cake club'. It was amazing. Orgasmic, really.

Ingredients
175g softened butter
175g golden caster sugar
3 eggs
200g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 tbsp milk
4 rounded tbsp Nutella or own-
brand chocolate hazlenut spread
50g hazelnuts , roughly chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4/ fan 160C. Butter and line the base of a 20cm round cake tin.
Put the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and milk into a bowl. Beat with a wooden spoon for 2-3 minutes, or with an electric hand mixer for 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
2. Tip three quarters of the mixture into the tin, spread it level, then spoon the Nutella on in four blobs. Top with the remaining mixture, swirl a few times with a skewer, then smooth to cover the Nutella.
3. Sprinkle with the nuts. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until risen, nicely browned, feels firm to touch and springs back when lightly pressed (cover with foil if it starts to brown too quickly). Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out, peel off the paper and cool on a wire rack. Wrap tightly in double thick foil to keep fresh for up to a week.

what's up with the row over a chocolate bunny by Lindt?

2009-06-11T05:01:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I really like the Wall Street Journal. Not as much as I like Lindt chocolate. Take a look at this story on the trademark of chocolate bunnies within the EU.