The Foods of the Greek Islands: Cooking and Culture at the Crossroads of the Mediterranean at Chef2Chef

Beginning with island-by-island food profiles, the book then offers sections on meze, the famed small-dish appetizers; pitas and pies; entrees; seasonal salads; bread; and desserts. Welcome attention is also given to beans, rice, bulgur, and pastas, and dishes such as White Bean Soup with Wild Celery and Lemon, Bulgur with Chicken Liver and Currants, and Penne with Olive Oil and Toasted Cheese should become everyday and special-occasion household favorites. Bread and dessert recipes are equally satisfying: Kremezi's Olive and Mint Bread and Saffron, Allspice, and Pepper Biscuits, among others, will please bakers amateur and pro, while the sweets, based on honey, fruits, nuts, and cheese, are similarly tempting. Illustrated with color photos, and with a comprehensive ingredient glossary, the book is a window on cooking few of us could enjoy until its much appreciated arrival. --Arthur Boehm

From Publishers Weekly
The Julia Child Award-winning author of The Foods of Greece returns with an equally engaging, personal take on the foods of Greece's many islandsDeach very different from the othersDstretching from Turkey to the Ionian Sea. Like Marcella Hazan, Kremezi has an informed and authentic voice that is gentle enough for beginners, and though her anecdotes and folklore add an inviting context and charm to this cookbook, it's the enticing recipes themselves that make it so winning. Lemons and legumes feature prominently in Greek-island cooking, as does seafood. Among the array of "uncomplicated" yet "sophisticated" dishes Kremezi features are Terrine of Fish with Leeks, Orange and Lemon and Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Herbs, Walnuts and Pomegranates. One might expect Baked Chickpea and Lamb Stew from Greece, but Pork with Cabbage made with tomatoes, red wine, and cinnamon clearly reflects a multicultural influence. An entire chapter on savory pies could almost stand alone with such tempting offerings as Finger-Sized Fried Green Pies, and another on breads includes Savory Cheese and Mint Muffins. Desserts that make excellent use of fresh fruit include Baked Apples with Dried Figs and Almonds in Sweet Wine Syrup and Cherry Spoon-Sweet Preserves. Kremezi consulted on the menu for New York's premier Greek restaurant, Molyvos, and a dozen or so of the restaurant's recipes are included in this standout volume. (Nov.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Reader Reviews
I got this book as a Christmas present, and I was very pleasantly surprised. Aglaia Kremezi has always had the reputation of a gourmet cook, so I felt intimidated to try any of her recipes, because I thought they would be quite complicated and easy to fail for a home cook. Quite the contrary!! This is an excellent book, with very detailed descriptions and insightful information on original Greek dishes (as a Greek who just moved to the US from Greece, I can say that this is the REAL thing, very far from anything touristy or artificial). All the dishes I have tried until now have been a success, and two are the main reasons: 1. The recipes have been adapted to the modern way of cooking 2. The ingredients have also been adapted so that one can find them outside of Greece without compromising in taste or authenticity. There is also a very helpful list of US sources for original Greek products. I definitely recommend this book! It's one of the best cookbooks I own -- and trust me, I own many...