The Team Of Irene And Maria Fill The Air With Delicious Smells!
We were invited to an intimate little lunch with Irene and daughter Maria and of course Greek food was the order of the day. Wow! Came in hungry, departed "stuffed to the gills" mumbling something about "I can't believe I ate that whole thing"!
Did You Know? - Greek cuisine is a Mediterranean cuisine. It has some common characteristics with the traditional cuisines of Italy, and Turkey.
Contemporary Greek cookery makes wide use of vegetables, olive oil, grains, fish, wine, and meat (white and red, including lamb, poultry, rabbit and pork). Other important ingredients include olives, cheese, eggplant (aubergine), zucchini (courgette), lemon juice, vegetables, herbs, bread and yoghurt. The most commonly used grain is wheat; barley is also used. Common dessert ingredients include nuts, honey, fruits, and filo pastry.
Irene prepares appetizers (which could have been the whole meal)
We had a beautiful spring table fit for royalty
Del and Vicky were there first...
The kitchen was buzzing with activity just like a.....
Irene must have thought she invited 200 guests based upon the amount of food!
So organized! Each plate had notes in them about what goes where!
We gets to sit and visit!
Paul kept commenting on the retsina wine
Paul keeps an eye on the glass in case the retsina eats a hole in it!
Did You Know? - Once upon a time, adding ingredients and flavorings into wine wasn't considered to be the faux pas that it is today. In fact, in the past, additives and flavorings were absolutely essential to wine because the acted as preservatives and extended a wine's drink ability. Take Greece for instance, where they make a wine that's infused with sap from an Aleppo pine tree. The wine is called Retsina and it emerged from an ancient wine making tradition that can be traced back as far back as the 2nd century BC.
Ed listens carefully to the wine discussions!
Del seems to enjoying the appetizers...
Studying the possibilities!
Oh dear.... What new sport can Irene take up now (other than cooking!)
Ed smells food! Always makes him happy
Ed and Irene discuss technical stuff...
Wow! Greek lasagna!
The lamb was sooooooo very tender!
Life is good!
Little bites of heaven! Great vegetarian dolmades made from tender vine leaves wrapped into little rolls and stuffed with rice, pine nuts, and fresh herbs.
The traditional filling comprises chopped spinach, feta cheese, onions or scallions, egg, and seasoning. The filling is wrapped or layered in phyllo (filo) pastry with butter or olive oil, either in a large pan from which individual servings are cut, or rolled into individual triangular servings.
Quotation To Remember: "Anybody can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way - that is not within everybody's power and is not easy." - Aristotle
Lunch is about to be served!
Delicious food everywhere! We sat and visited for an hour...
Maria kept going to the kitchen and bringing more....
Baclava
Did You Know? - Baklava is a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened and held together with syrup or honey. It is characteristic of the cuisines of Levant, Mediterranean, Caucasus, Balkans, Maghreb, and Central and West Asia.
Although the history of baklava is not well documented, its current form was probably developed in the imperial kitchens of the Topkapı Palace in Istanbul. The Sultan presented trays of baklava to the Janissaries every 15th of the month of Ramadan in a ceremonial procession called the Baklava Alayı.
An artistic touch!
Irene finally gets a chance to have another sip of Retsina
Maria is still working in the kitchen
We are heading home after a wonderful afternoon with fantastic friends
Be safe!
