Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska

A Life in Food: Eating and Cooking with Mother

Mother and Daddy, Young and in Love 1944

When we were kids, Mother wasn’t an adventuresome cook. Oh sure, she made pâte à choux crab puffs, her one specialty, for bridge parties, but we weren’t allowed to eat them. Part of the reason was Mother and Daddy were famously picky eaters.

We didn’t eat lamb, cucumbers, squash, cabbage, kale, ...

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How to Steam Clams, Plain or with Greek Gigantes Beans

Clams and Beans in Buttery Wine Broth

Gigantes, giant white beans, are a Greek specialty bean. I recently explained that gigantes are related to scarlet runner beans and are a PGI product of Greece. In the European Union, a PGI designation identifies foods grown in unique regions that have special qualities and characteristics. I also gave my ...

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Gigantes (Giant Beans) Cure Homesickness for Greece

Gigantes (Greek Giant White Beans) in Tomato Sauce

Birds singing, doves cooing, roosters crowing, cats meowing, dogs barking, engines revving, women chattering: the morning sounds of a Greek village.

When we’re in Atsiki on the island of Limnos, Greece, I treasure my last few minutes in bed listening to the village come alive. I force myself to get up ...

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Ancient and Modern Greek Cooking with Beans and Grains

Greek Beans and Grains Soup (Polysporia) with Rustic Greek Cornbread

In Greece, dishes combining beans and grains have been served since ancient times. Originally they were offerings to pagan gods. Today, they’re made to honor Greek Orthodox saints and the Virgin Mary.

Greek names for beans and grains roll off the tongue: Polysporia, Polykoukia, Bourbourelia, Fotokoliva, Koliva, Fotopapouda, Papoudia, Panspermia, Sperna, ...

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Traditional Persian Recipes Made Easy

Roshi and Ranna Fekrat

If you want more friends, start cooking. I’ve met most of my favorite people though a shared love of good food, good wine, and good parties.

Homemade food soothes the soul and makes people happy. Cooks need never be lonely. They rely on friends to eat the delicious food pouring from ...

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The Day a Tomato Made Me Love Carrots

Spicy Carrot Spread (Vegan)

Bright colors, robust flavors, unusual combinations: these are the foods I crave. Spicy Carrot Spread with Garlic Yogurt hits all my buttons. As a bonus, the recipe is quick and easy. I make it often. I bring it to parties. I have it for breakfast. I leave out the yogurt ...

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