https://theoliveandthesea.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/IMG_0687-7.48.59-PM-scaled.jpeg Tomato braised sausage, known in Greece as “spetzofai”, is a family favorite in our home. The traditional recipe has a slight kick from the spicy sausage. My boys prefer a non-spicy version, which is easily achieved by swapping out the spicy sausage for sweet Italian sausage. It pairs well with pasta, rice, oven roasted potatoes, french fries or a few thick slices of bread, which is how we enjoyed it during a recent trip to the Greek island of Zakinthos. Ingredients Two pounds spicy or sweet Italian sausa ..read more

https://theoliveandthesea.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/IMG_2449.jpg Beet salad makes for a wonderful summer appetizer. Our family also enjoys these beets as a side dish to accompany our baked lamb on Easter Sunday. It’s simple to make and adds a wonderful pop of color to the table. Be sure to use fresh beets. While using precooked beets will significantly cut down on the preparation time, they won’t yield the same vibrant pink color. You can also opt to serve these beets as a dip. Simply prepare the salad in a blender and blend until smooth. Ingredients 3 large beets 1.5 cups Greek yogurt 1 ..read more

https://theoliveandthesea.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/05045E29-8D04-427F-8BDF-6BE5B1397830-2-scaled.jpg Visiting the Greek castle town of Monemvasia makes for a fun and relaxing getaway. Located on the southern coast of the Peloponnese, the castle is well worth the visit and will transport you back in time. How to Get There As of the writing of this blog post, the only way to get to Monemvasia is by car or bus. You can drive directly from Athens to Monvemvasia in about four hours. Another option is to turn the drive into a multi-day road trip with one or several stops along the way: Athens ..read more

https://theoliveandthesea.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/IMG_1424.jpeg A traditional youvetsi consists of roast lamb with orzo in a rich tomato broth. It is delicious and holds a place of honor on Greek menus. A few years back, my mother-in-law introduced me to a spin on the traditional dish by substituting the tomato broth with cherry tomatoes. The result is a slow roasted lamb paired with dripping flavored orzo balanced by pops of sweetness and acidity from the roasted cherry tomatoes. If a dish ever captured my heart, it is this one. I love to use a Frenched rack for this dish but shan ..read more

https://theoliveandthesea.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/IMG_8362.jpeg Like most, our 2020 summer vacation plans were cancelled. We had a fun trip lined up to visit the town of Monemvasia and hopefully that adventure will be in the cards for 2021. In the meantime, I’ve been reminiscing about last summer’s Greece getaway to The Romanos Resort at Costa Navarino. Located in the region of Messinia, the resort has two golf courses, a beach, spa, several restaurants, and my personal favorite – private infinity pools. Intended as a ten year anniversary celebration, our two night getaway was less abo ..read more

https://theoliveandthesea.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/IMG_0714.jpeg This navy bean soup, known as “fasolada” is Greece’s national dish. Simple and unassuming, this soup is both comforting and nutritious. Being vegan/vegetarian it is well suited for the season of lent, during which Greek’s forgo meat and dairy. One can also opt to top it with some crumbled feta for an added touch of saltiness and enjoy with a thick slice of country bread. Ingredients 1 pound dry navy beans 1 medium onion 10 cups water (in addition to the water needed to soak the beans) 1 handful of celery leaf or 1 cel ..read more

https://theoliveandthesea.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/IMG_0352.jpg Baked feta with honey and sesame is a Greek appetizer or “mezze” that perfectly combines the flavors of savory feta, buttery phyllo, sweet honey, and crunchy sesame seeds. If you want to add a little extra flair to your presentation, use black and white sesame seeds. You can also serve with honey on the side for each person to drizzle over top. These baked feta with honey and sesame bites make for the perfect finger food, something to consider when you’re planning your next party! These can be served hot out of the oven or a ..read more

https://theoliveandthesea.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/IMG_9889-e1622945700388.jpeg This syrup drenched sweet semolina cake is traditionally topped with a light dusting of confectioner’s sugar or a sprinkle of crushed pistachios. Being chocoholics, our family is partial to this ganache topped version. Add some candied orange slices and specs of gold leaf to jazz things up, making this simple sweet semolina cake as fancy as it is tasty. Ingredients For the cake 1 cup melted butter 2 cups sugar 5 eggs 2 cups Greek yogurt 3 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 cup cognac 1 teaspoon baking soda 3 teas ..read more

https://theoliveandthesea.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/IMG_8668.jpg Having previously visited the northern Peloponnesian region of Nemea, we set our sites on the Mani Peninsula, to the south, for our annual summer getaway.  The Caves of Diros A three hour drive from our home in the western Peloponnese, we reached the seaside town and capital of Mani, Gythio, by mid-day. With a few hours to spare before our room would be ready, we enjoyed a relaxing lunch in town and headed out for our first adventure, the caves of Diros, a scenic 45 minute drive away. A lig ..read more

https://theoliveandthesea.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/IMG_9389-e1622945502516.jpeg If there was ever a dish that conveyed how melt-in-your mouth delicious eggplant can be, it is this tomato baked eggplant recipe, known in Greece as “imam bayildi”. The sauce is prepared one of two ways – with homemade tomato sauce, which yields a deeper flavor, or diluted tomato paste, providing a “lighter” sauce. This tomato baked eggplant is best served with pasta, rice, or on its own with a thick slice of country style bread. If serving as an entrée, you’ll definitely want to include the crumbled feta, wh ..read more