The Ultimate Greek Cookbook
• from traditional family recipes •
Greek Food is healthy and with these authentic recipes you will enjoy the process
of preparing and serving nourishment to those you care about.
Greek cooking can best be described as the loving preparation of
hearty, delicious meals as pleasing to the senses as the palate. It’s also good for your heart.
That’s
the official statement, now let’s get right to the fun, which is what Greek food is all about, and along with the
instructions and tips in this book you will be introduced to a few Greek Gods, and some short stories about being a child
in a Greek world while encumbered with a Scotch-Irish mother.
Author's Note:
Pappadikis was my grandfather’s name before he came to America, and out of respect I used the pen name John Pappadikis
for the book, Aphrodite’s Food for the Gods.
Comments
from users of Aphrodite’s Food For The Gods
“This is
so much more than a cookbook. It’s a window into an ethnic past. The roast lamb recipe was fantastic! My husband would
never eat lamb before. His great-grandmother was Greek and he never knew her, but reading the stories made his own family
stories seem real and he enjoyed them very much. I wanted more.”
Kathy Sherman, Everett, WA.
“I like to cook many kinds
of food . . . this was my first time trying Greek cooking. The recipes were easy to follow and the food was wonderful. My
favorite recipe was the chicken soup – so tangy and rich!”
Ritita Duvalier, Seattle, WA
“This is a fun cookbook. The stories reminded me of my own childhood and gave me anticipation to cook
the foods described later in the book. Although my native land is Turkey, I recognize the same dishes as very near
those of my country and they made me homesick.”
Amir Kut, Restauranteur, Seattle, WA
“My
job requires a certain amount of business entertaining of clients from around the world and I’m always looking for
something unique to prepare. Aphrodite’s Food for the Gods offers me some terrific choices. The personal
stories and information in the book also give me topics of conversation.”
Scott Worthington, Hudson, OH
“I prepared Kakavia using the recipe in Aphrodite’s Food for the Gods. It was great! I thought
the cookbook design itself was ethnic. And the stories were on my mind the whole time I was cooking.”
Rosemary
King, Seattle, WA
“A
comprehensive selection of traditional Greek food preparation with the emphasis on excellence. Rich flavors and textures
straight from the Old Country. Very authentic – I loved it all! Highly recommended.”
Eugenia Horitos,
Val’s Restaurant, Seattle, WA
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Comments from users of Aphrodite’s Food For The Gods
“My favorite recipe was the Mousaka. My family enjoyed it and never
knew it contained eggplant . . . My only criticism is that there were not more stories. This is the first time
I ever used a cookbook as my night reading material . . .”
Lynn Lee, Mountlake Terrace, WA
“A great deal of research
and work went into this . . . I can’t add a thing . . . It’s a great book!”
Ron Smith, Chef,
Seattle, WA
“My
friend borrowed Aphrodite’s Food for the Gods from her neighbor. We shopped at the Pike Place Market early in
the morning and made a day of acting like authentic Greek women. It took most of the day, between the shopping
and the cooking, but it was fun and the meal was worth the effort.”
Mary Jane Filmore, Chicago, Il
“My favorite recipes were the soups. I could almost hear Greek music playing with each mouthful. I served
garlic bread with the soup and the whole family used it to clean their bowls. I thought the section on Greek gods was very
interesting. In fact, later, I checked a book out of the library on the subject.”
Darilyn Waters, Edmonds,
WA
We welcome your feedback!
Sample Recipe
MOUSAKA
Eggplant Casserole This is the classic recipe, however it's preparation includes many
variations, such as a white sauce topping with nutmeg, different kinds of cheese, and pure vegan. Be creative, do your own
thing! 2 lbs. lean or extra lean ground beef or Lamb
2 tsp, mint leaves-chopped fine
1 cup water
1 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
2 tsp. nutmeg
I tsp. paprika
1 chopped onion
2 lbs. butter
1 cup tomato sauce
3 eggs
I large eggplant (or zucchini)
salt and pepper
1 cup flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brown meat and onion in butter in a large skillet.
Add mint tomato sauce, water, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated. Set aside. Cut
eggplant into 1/2 inch thick slices. Roll in flour and fry in butter until golden brown. For less fat and firmer eggplant,
do not fry, simply spice and prepare raw. Place 1/2 of the slices in a baking pan and spread top with the meat mixture.
Cover with remaining slices of eggplant. Cover and bake or about 1 hour.
About 15 minutes before casserole
is done, sprinkle with nutmeg. Beat eggs and pour over casserole. Cover with cheese and sprinkle with paprika. Return to
oven, uncovered for 20-25 minutes until top is golden and sauce is bubbling.
Let sit 5-10 minutes before serving.
(From Page 54)
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