The Foods of Greece [Paperback]

Aglaia Kremezi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 3, 1999

Mediterranean cuisine is widely touted both for its intense flavours and its health properties. This award-winning cookbook introduces the cookery of Greece, with its abundance of vegetables, grains, fruit, fish, herbs and spices.'

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Athens-born writer and photographer Aglaia Kremezi has authored several cookbooks, contributed to such major publications as the Los Angeles Times and Gourmet, appeared on "Good Morning America," "CBS This Morning," taught at leading culinary institutes, and served as a consultant to top restaurateurs.

MARTIN BRIGDALE, one of Britain's foremost food photographers, is also an enthusiastic and accomplished cook. His work has appeared in many books and magazines.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Potato and Olive Stew with Tomato Sauce (Patates Yahni Me Elies)

Potatoes were introduced to Greece in the early nineteenth century by Ioannis Kapodistrias, our first governor, after the revolution that feed Greed from Turkish domination. There is an amusing story about their introduction that is a good indication of the Greek character.

At the time, the nation's capital was at Nauplia, in the Peloponnese. The enlightened governor wanted to give potatoes to the people, thinking that they would be an ideal food for the starving nation, but nobody wanted to try them. So, one day he stacked some potatoes by the Nauplia harbor and placed an armed soldier to guard them, proclaiming that whoever stole even one was going to be executed. By the next day all the potatoes had disappeared. (In fact, the impoverished people of the Peloponnese were grateful for any food after the overthrow of Turkish rule, so this story has no historical validity.)

Ingredients:

1/2-3/4 cup olive oil 2 pounds new potatoes, peeled and quartered 3 large onions, thickly sliced 5-6 cloves garlic, sliced 1/2-1 teaspoon minced fresh chili pepper, or 1/3-1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 teaspoon dried oregano 2 cups chopped fresh or good-quality canned tomatoes 1 cup small black olives, rinsed and pitted Sea salt 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

In a large, heavy, and deep nonreactive skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat, and saute the potatoes until they turn a golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. They don't need cook through because they will continue cooking in the sauce.

Preheat the oven to 375' F. Remove the potatoes from the skillet and ad the onions. Saute until transparent, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and chili pepper. After a few seconds, pour in the wine and add the oregano, tomatoes, and olives. Cook for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.

Place the potatoes in a clay or glass ovenproof pan that can hold them in 1 layer. Pour the sauce over them, and back uncovered for 30 to 45 minutes-adding a little water if needed-or until the potatoes are tender. Taste after 15 minutes and add more salt if needed-the olives are quite salty-or more chili pepper. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve while still hot.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Stewart, Tabori and Chang (August 3, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1556709560
• ISBN-13: 978-1556709562
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 9.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,499,037 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #99 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > European > Greek

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars mouth wateringly authentic!, May 15, 2000

By 

lucas cragg - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Foods of Greece (Paperback)

This probably the best written and most beautifully designed Greek cookbook that I've come across. The photographs are absolutely stunning and certainly inspire one to want to start cooking - pronto! The recipes seem to come close the fare I fell in love with in the little family-run tavernas of Crete. The author is a food writer for a Greek magazine and has a multitude of worthwhile insights on the nature of Hellenic gastronomy and foodways. I'd say that if you could have only one Greek cookbook (tragic as that would be), this would be it.

39 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The authors finds the real Greek food of our grandmothers., January 23, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Foods of Greece (Hardcover)

This is Greek food distilled to purity...the real thing, the stuff of the centuries. This book probably the best Greek cookbook I own -- and I own dozens of them. The author writes about food for a Greek publication, and really knows her stuff. She went in search of the authentic Greek cuisine of our grandmothers, far from the greasy moussaka and insipid souvlaki of touristy Greece. It's not the Greek food trying to be French or American, not masquerading as something pretentious, using alien ingredients and modern short-cuts. Kremezi's quest for the authentic took her to the back roads, the tiny islands, where the fundamentals of Greek food -- the olive oil, the figs, the wild greens, the fresh fish -- are treated the same way they have been for thousands of years. Each page is a revelation, a journey, a deeply satisfying treasure ---- found. The book is rich in the history, lore, detailed preparation of each component of the meal. Also, it's a large-format, coffee-table book, full of pictures of the authentic Greece the author is seeking and is concentrating on so well--the Greece that was, and in some areas, still is. It is a world of perfect blue skies, white stone houses -- a world apart from the modern, noisy existence the "other" Greece can be.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an alluring book, March 15, 2007

By 

Esther J. Ramer "classics student" (WI, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Foods of Greece (Paperback)

This lovely cookbook combines authentic recipes with stunningly beautiful photographs of food and landscapes. Each recipe is accompanied by background information on traditions, history, and the specific place of origin. Many of the recipes are featured in full-page photographs. The combination of color, lighting, and authentic backdrops gives these images an exquisite beauty. Other excellent photographs show the people of Greece involved in traditional tasks such as making cheeses and breads, milking sheep, and harvesting grapes and olives. The recipes are detailed and delicious. The text is infused with the author's experiences growing up in Greece, along with folklore and references to classic writings. This book is a feast for the eyes, palate, and intellect.