Monthly Archives November 2008

Thanksgiving is here. But what is thanksgiving? Food is one thing, Black Friday and sales is another, but these are just some of the ways to celebrate the oh-so-important holiday. One of the things that makes this one important is the absolute no relation to any religion. Catholic, Protestants, Jews, Evangelists, Orthodox, hindu and every other religion can celebrate this holiday with no reservations or regrets. There are of course other similar holidays like the 4th of July, the Veterans day but those are revolving around the American nation and not around the family. What was missing was a universal family oriented celebration. A day that we will bring the family around the table and take a moment to be thankful for all the good things that are happening. This became the quest of a woman to make this day, a day that we can use to cherish family and love. It was a quest to make a day that will stop the time; force us to sit and relax; be with those we love.

This one is a follow up of the previous recipe on Maestra, the traditional one pot greek dish that is such a stable for the summer and the winder and the spring and the fall… Yeah you got it all, year around. Once you cook it you can serve it straight up, but you can also have some fun with it. Fun meaning… Decorate it. Make it fancy. You deserve some fanciness in you dinner. And this one is great dressing trick for burgers or chicken. You only need cheese.

Take two thin s...

Manestra is on of the childhood memories dishes. One of those dishes, that were made on special occasions, and you could eat as much as you could handle. It is one of the dishes that can be made in the middle of winter and brings a cozy feelings to the heart. None of my cooking books do not discuss the origin or the history of the book. However my personal feeling guides me to the so called “yuvetsi”. It is the big cousin of manestra, made similarly, with the same ingredients but different procedures. The name yuvetsi accounts for the earthenware used to make it, a pot with the clay-coloured interior and curved handles. It is Bulgarian in origin (Gyuvech), and it is the original name of the earth-ware dish traditionally use to make it. Nowadays it is used widely for many types of dishes. Manestra is the pot version of the dish. Although the whole dish with the meat is better the right procedures can make any dish equally good, even without any meat. So let ‘s get started.

The ingredient...

This is an old recipe I had to my first blog, long time ago... About 2 years or more. It was my first ever coffee recipe, and It was an inspiration of the moment that was a success. I will repost the recipe as it was with only a few additions and modifications, when needed. So although there is a great deal of reference to coffee as the first time, be aware that that there are a few recipes on coffee already. Also be the picture is not my own, it was a picture from the web, and I just added it temporarily here. Over the weekend I will make it again (I missed that nice flavor) and I will post complete step by step instructions. So before we start here is again a disclaimer that warns you.

Among my best cooking dishes (?) is grilling. I use the question mark in the dishes part, because it is not really a dish, or at least when friends come over, things get much out of control and the food is massive, the plates are useless and manners are gone! We very mage look like a group of savage eating and having fun. Grilling as a mentioned before, it is the ultimate expression of primitivity, since it combines meat, the fire and the man.

As promised long time ago when I had the post about the slice of heaven, I will visit Sophie and brink you the recipe. Sophie is such a lovely person, that is no wonder why she so much loved in the office by everyone. She gave me this awesome pie a few weeks ago, as a thank you to my small contribution to her cause. Please read the details here. I asked her to let me know when she is making it, so I can visit and take pictures of recipe. She did two weeks ago, but I know find time to post the recipe...The most important part of the recipe is the dough that is the Hamentaschen Dough. A hamantash (also spelled hamentasch, homentash, homentasch, (h)umentash, pluralized with -en or -n) is a pastry in Ashkenazi Jewish cuisine recognizable for its three-cornered shape. It is eaten during the Jewish holiday of Purim. They are made with many different flavors, including prunes, nut, poppy, date, apricot, fruit preserves, chocolate, or even caramel or cheese. Hamantashen are traditionally made by rolling the dough thin, cutting it into circles (of various sizes), placing filling in the center, and folding in three sides. The dough may be a cookie dough with orange juice added, citrus zest added, or a yeast dough.