all the recipes
RAVANI or REVANI or both ?! And why not RAEVANI then ?! This is one of those old-fashioned and traditional Greek and Turkish cakes, that has practically disappeared from circulation and almost stopped gracing our tables for decades. Why ? Because creamier and more complicated, layered and somewhat more sophisticated creations took their place. It...
WHY 1-2-3 ?! Because this sequence of numbers represents the proportions or ratios of the ingredients. 1 part fed & active sourdough starter (at 100% hydration, which mean half flour & half water), plus 2 parts water plus 3 parts flour. It’s easy, mathematically speaking. It may not be a total success at the 1stattempt...
It’s WHITE and it’s GREEN . . . because it was WINTER and then it seemed like SPRING, much earlier than usual. And I planted my seeds and they became seedlings. And then it wasn’t spring any longer and it got colder and then it got really, really colder. Winter to spring to winter. And this happened...
SATURDAYS. I’ve always loved this day, even when we were kids and had to go to Greek School one weekend day per week, after five weekdays in “regular” French & English school in Montreal. Before my parents got a car, we’d take the bus and subway with my father, back to our old neighborhood in Mount-Royal (which...
I had a craving for a greek dish called “SARMADES” or “LAHANODOLMADES” which is a northern greek version of cabbage leaf rolls, stuffed with a mixture of rice and minced meat, strongly-flavored with lemon and cumin, that are time-consuming in their assembly, each one roll and piled on top of one another,...
“PASTITSIO” … such a very Greek dish (as well as Cypriot, Turkish, Egyptian & Maltese) because it’s just so Mediterranean. But the original word “pasticcio” is Italian and signifies a baked pasta & meat dish. It’s not a lasagna nor a beefy macaroni & cheese dish, but something in between...
This SOURDOUGH series is in 3 parts : the 1st is for making the sourdough starter, the 2nd is for making the actual sourdough bread with the sourdough starter and the 3rd is for how to use the daily leftovers that you accumulate and usually discard but that you should save, while preparing the sourdough starter, to make some...
Is a meat patty just a piece of ground meat ? Is a slice of blue cheese just cheese ? Is a condiment just a sauce ? Are dressings just extras ? Is a bun just bread ? Is a burger just a hot sandwich ? They all could be just that of course … unless you make a special effort for each separate element and assemble them creatively ! If...
Are they chocolate MI-CUIT (which means half-baked) cakes ? Chocolate LAVA or MOLTEN cakes (as we like to say in North America) ? Or GATEAUX AU COEUR COULANT (which means cakes with a runny & flowing center) ? Chocolate MOELLEUX (which means soft & tender) cakes ? But they’re not really chocolate FONDANT (which means quite...
TICK-TOCK because I’m running late ! TICK-TOCK because the beauty of these strawberries (pretending to be roses) is fleeting and with a very short lifespan, before just re-melting and disappearing ! I love their “ephemeral” aspect, almost like real roses fading (but at super fast-forward) … but I hope your...
For all of you ECOLOGICALLY-MINDED & ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY BRAVE KITCHEN WARRIORS & WIZARDS & WHATNOTSwho wondered what to do with leftover sourdough starter batter (because for 150 grams of created sourdough starter, you’re supposed to discard over 1 kg of flour and water mixture), well here’s how to avoid tossing...
They’re ADDICTIVE and addiction is quite BAD, so just listen up : All you folks who are DRINKING & SMOKING TOO MUCH & EATING BADLY & MISBEHAVING ALL THE TIME & GOD-KNOWS-WHAT-ELSE, please don’t make these ! They’re too deliciously sweet, salty, crunchy, spongy, creamy, gooey & decadent … Okay, go...
The “NEW & IMPROVED” 2.0 VERSION … or just a better and more intense version of my rolled baklava fingers (renamed as “cigars” here) ! Why ? Because I realized that regular baklava that is usually prepared as a flat & multi-layered dish, and then sliced in squares and served was almost always more...
I’m exhausted. I had one week off and am now launching myself in 5 assignments during the next 5 weeks before my next one week off happens again. I obviously didn’t rest. I’m doing stuff around the house. Not regular everyday cleaning and tidying up but more electrical stuff. “LIGHTING” can be everything,...
A “USE EVERYTHING & WASTE NOTHING” hearty WINTER MEAL, resembling a lasagna (but there’s no pasta here), with winter vegetables and some chicken. All the ingredients are pre-roasted before assembling them, using only 1 mixing bowl, 1 roasting dish, 1 casserole and 1 baking sheet and nothing else (okay,...