One of the top seafood restaurants in Thessaloniki (and one of the best in Greece) is Mavri Thalassa (Black Sea) – the name likely paying homage to the many Greeks who resettled in mainland Greece from the Black Sea region. This family run restaurant has been operating for years and I’ve been following their social media posts – often sharing tips and techniques to cook fish and seafood. One such dish is where they poached some grouper, removed the bones and placed the cooked fish meat on a platter. The fish was topped with a reduction of the poaching liquid, extra-virgin olive oil and lemon ..read more

There’s a long, narrow island that runs parrallel to coast of Greece that stretches from just south of Volos to about 60 minutes north of Athens. That island is Evia and today I am going to show you how to make one of their specialties, Tyropitari. The dough is akin to phyllo dough that’s made for making spiral pies. The filling is simply crumbled Feta, egg and some pepper. You can try a 50/50 mix of Feta and Graviera as well. These fry rather quickly and you know you’ve successfully made them if you see air bubbles on the surface of the fried dough – a sign of a light yet crispy crust. Pi ..read more

Mother’s Day Greek Lunch by Kalofagas Celebrate Mother’s Day with a delicious Greek lunch at the St. Lawrence Market Kitchen! Indulge in inventive Greek dishes prepared by Chef Peter Minaki (Kalofagas) and wines selected and poured by Kolonaki Group. One seating…no line ups…no rush! Treat your mom to a culinary experience she won’t forget. Join us for a memorable afternoon filled with Greek flavours and warm hospitality. Limited seats available, so book now to secure your spot! MENU Appetizers Welcome glass of sparkling wine Mediterranean Meze Platter (dips, raw veg, dolmades, olives, ar ..read more

You’ve made lagana from my site (or how dare you go to another site) and you’ve served it for Clean Monday. All good. But I want better. This no-knead lagana recipe is easy, more flavourful and you may make it beyond Lent. It’s that good. Inspired by Jim Lahey no-knead bread method, this version of lagana will be the talk of the table. Why make this recipe? It’s a dump, stir, cover and wait overnight recipe. Good for those looking for an intro to bread making and the lagana benefits from overnight fermentation. That’s flavour! Pin Print No-Knead Lagana Recipe by Peter Minaki Servings 4 s ..read more

One of the regions known for its variety of phyllo pies is Epirus, located in northwestern Greece. Epirotes are also known for making excellent phyllo pies but sometimes life gets in the way and sometimes a quick fix is needed to feed a family/friends/kids, Enter Alevropita (translated as Flour Pie) that’s quick and assembled less than the time it takes your oven to pre-heat. Ingredients are basic: milk, eggs, Feta, salt, pepper, flour, corn meal, baking powder, butter, olive oil. Basically, mix and dump in a Pyrex and place in the oven. In Approx. 30 minutes you’ll have this easy Feta pie ..read more

I love milkshakes and each year in the lead up to St. Patrick’s Day, that fast food chain sells Shamrock Shakes – light green in colour, mint flavoured and I love them! For St. Patrick’s Day, I like to have make an alcohol version…Shamrock Shake for adults if you will. Want to skip going out to McD’s for shakes for the kids, make them home (obviously omit the vodka). Pin Print Adult Shamrock Shakes Recipe by Peter Minaki Servings 2 servings Prep time 5 minutes Cooking time 5 minutes Ingredients 6 scoops good vanilla ice cream 1/4 cup whole milk 2 shots of Creme de Menthe 2 shots ..read more

A spiral cheese pie from the island of Skopelos (part of the Sporades island chain) but what makes them unique is that these are fried (when usually they are baked in the rest of Greece). Traditionally, these fried spiral pies originated from neighboring Allonissos but the larger, more populated island of Skopelos has adopted these pies. If one visits Skopelos, it’s hard to think that one can escape having these pies at least once! Pin Print Skopelitiki Pita Recipe by Peter Minaki Servings 5 servings Prep time 30 minutes Cooking time 10 minutes Traditionally these are fried in olive oil ..read more

Welcome to An Evening of Greek Ouzo- Mezedes and Live Music! Come join us on Sunday, April 14th at St. Lawrence Market Kitchen for a night filled with delicious Greek mezedes, ouzo, tsipouro, wine and live music from The Dimitra Kahrimanidis Trio. Whether you’re a fan of Greek cuisine or looking to try something new, this event is perfect for foodies and drink enthusiasts alike. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to enjoy a culinary journey through the vibrant flavors of Greece. Grab your friends and join us for a memorable evening of food, drinks, and good company! Ouzo, tsipouro and ..read more

I am a big fan of sausages and when I go to Greece in the summer, it’s a joy to have an array available from the market. The choices vary, depending upon where in Greece you are but let’s do a run-down of Greek sausages. Cretan Sausages: ground pork marinated with wine vinegar. They are often lightly smoked from branches of thyme, sage, oregano. They contain a moderate amount of fat and are usually flavoured with cumin and hints of orange. Sausages from Peloponnese: Fat content varies, depending on the region or producer (some fattier than others), often contains fine or course orange peel/ze ..read more

I love comfort dishes – ones that remind you of meals when you were a child. Dishes that are tasty and make you feel good over all. A good meal will soothe the soul and roast chicken often can satisfy that desire for comforting tasty joy. My preferred cuts of chicken are leg or thigh but for this recipe we’re going for bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. Buy high quality chicken – organic or halal. They will taste better and very little shrinkage when fully cooked (cheaper chicken providers actually pump chicken with water and chemicals). The flavour profile here is classic Greek: lemon, garlic ..read more