Welcome back for part 2 of our sip-while-you-eat series, the follow up to Greek Wine & Food Pairing, or as we like to call it, Drink Like a Greek, OPA!

Summertime is the perfect time to enjoy life…the Greek way! Kick off your shoes (or flip-flops) and pour yourself a glass of sweet indulgence or get “spiritual” with before-and-after dinner drink picks.

Our Greek wine and spirits experts Irene and Tony Gounaris, owners of Omega Wines & Spirits in Astoria, NY, once again helped us pair today’s cutting-edge dessert wines and spirits with a number of our Greek dessert options (all of which will be in our upcoming cookbook). Join us and find out what the sweetest buzz is all about!

If you missed part 1, Drink Like A Greek~OPA! 
(featuring meze-and-entrée wine pairing), you can 
easily catch up, just click on the title above—it’s 
also listed in the right column of our blog page 
under categories and in our archives.

Afternoon never tasted so good! The following spirits will add unparalleled flavor to a laidback intimate gathering or a pre-dinner meze party.

Following are three dessert categories covering the most popular Greek sweets, each paired with its ideal wine match.

I hope you enjoyed the sweet conclusion to our Greek food-and-wine pairing. Again, if you missed part 1 ~ Drink Like A Greek~OPA! ~ it’s not too late to check out our meze and entrée wine pairings! All our blogs are on the right in our archives and in categories. 

The wines and liquors featured in this 2-part series are just a sampling of the countless exceptional Greek wines and spirits available. As you embark on your fruitful tasting journey, may the bountiful Greek spirit continue to fill your sails of discovery.

If you have a different food you’d like to get a pairing for, leave us a comment below and we’ll get back to you with a wine match.

Can’t find these wines in your area? No worries! Omega Wines & Spirits will ship within the United States and you can order online or by phone, 718-726-0056…just tell them Kukla’s Kouzina sent you and you’ll get 10 percent off your wine selections. To order online, enter the coupon code KUKLA.

Thanks once more to Irene and Tony Gounaris at Omega Wines & Spirits for their help in putting together this delicious wine menu!

Omega Wines & Spirits is located at 23-18 31st Street in Astoria, NY. Check their website or call for information on in-store special events and wine tastings. Stop by for a visit next time you're in the area and revel in their amazing selections—they'll be happy to recommend a wine for your next occasion! 

Here's the link in case you missed part 1 of this series: Greek Wine & Food Pairing.

As we close this food-and-wine series, our glass is once again lifted to all of you in a traditional Greek toast ~ 
Stin iyia sou! To your health!

Sign up for our e-newsletter (if you haven’t already) and stay connected on social media for cooking tips and recipes, as well as for all Kukla's Kouzina updates and news.

Thanks for following us and we’ll see you next Monday!

Until then~
Kali orexi! Good appetite!

Kelly

Copyright © 2019 Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!    

Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos

For decades wine culture as been oversaturated with French and Italian 
wines so it’s high time Greece took its well-deserved place among these titans. 

We live in a time where attention spans are short and everyone’s always looking for the next best thing. 

This time Greek wine actually IS the next—best—thing!

Greek wine is beginning to explode worldwide (finally!) and for good reason. From its northern regions to its southern islands, Greece has been producing wine for thousands of years so they know what they're doing. 

Each wine-producing area throughout the country is diverse when it comes to prime winemaking soil and microclimate. The fresh Aegean breezes, warm sun and rich volcanic soil of Santorini…the mountain-lake terrain of Velvento with its clay sand, argillaceous clay and limestone…Drama’s dry climate and alkaline clay…the low-plain region of Attica with its gentle winds, low humidity, non-existent frosts, and the brightest sunlight in Greece—these are just a few examples of what makes Greece a formidable contender for, and winner of, numerous awards and nods in the wine industry today. 

Picture yourself sipping wine on a mountaintop in Olympus or at a hillside tavern overlooking the Aegean in Santorini—the Ageri (breeze) caresses your face, the warm sun kisses your shoulders, you hear the crunch of the dry soil beneath your sandals, and as you look up you sense the majesty of the sea surrounding you, and you know that you are blessed. You muse that this must be how the ripening grapes in their vineyards must feel too! As you allow yourself to be swept away in this Hellenic utopia, let the following menus, each paired with the perfect glass (or bottle) of Greek wine, take you even further in your quest for paradise. 

We’ll tell you a little about the food in each category and everything you need to know about its perfect pair. These wines are a natural choice with Greek food (but they also play well with other kinds of cuisines)!

NOTE: Though our focus for this blog is not on beer, we'd like to give an honorable mention to Mythos (Μύθος)—a bright straw-colored lager import from Mythos Brewery in Thessaloniki—which is the most popular beer in Greece and is widely distributed here in the States. Mythos is crisp and slightly bitter, with a refreshing citrus taste that makes it a winner on a hot summer day!

I hope you enjoyed part 1 of our Greek food-and-wine-pairing adventure. Join us next Monday when we’ll complete this 2-parter with the perfect finish~Greek Spirits, Dessert Wines & Sweets Pairing!

If you have a different food you’d like to get a pairing for, leave us a comment below and we’ll get back to you with a wine match.

Thanks to Irene and Tony Gounaris at Omega Wines & Spirits for their help in putting together this delicious wine menu!    

Omega Wines & Spirits is located at 23-18 31st Street in Astoria, NY. Check their website or call for information on in-store special events and wine tastings. Stop by for a visit next time you're in the area and revel in their amazing selections—they'll be happy to recommend a wine for your next occasion!   

Copyright © 2019 Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!

Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos

​As we pop the cork on six years of blogging, as well as for recently publishing two cookbooks, we thought we’d share a Greek dessert recipe, Pasta Flora (Frola), typically made for name days, birthdays, and anniversaries. Step into our kouzina and lets bake up a party!

Throughout Greece, when it’s time to celebrate a special occasion such as a name day, anniversary, or birthday, this is the go-to dessert that can easily be found in village bakeries. The crust is cookie-like, making it two desserts in one. Apricot and strawberry filings are favorites but you can use whichever flavor you prefer. We like marmalade or jam sweetened by the fruit, not by added sugar or syrup, for the freshest natural flavor. Baking in a tart pan with a removable bottom makes cutting the tart easier but if you’re using a one-piece dish or pie plate, there’s no need to line the outside with foil.
 
Prep time: 30 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 8 to 12
 
TART SHELL
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon brandy
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
*
1 1/2 cups (about 17 oz) jarred marmalade or jam, at room temperature
*
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
 
1. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F. Grease a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and wrap the outside with foil.
 
2. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
 
3. In a mixer bowl, beat the butter until creamed. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until combined well. Beat in the brandy, extract, and peels.
 
4. Using your hands or a wooden spoon, work in the flour mixture just until smooth and a dough is formed. Do not over-kneed the dough as this would make the crust tough.
 
5. Divide the dough into two pieces, one half the size of the other. Place the larger piece in the tart pan and, using fingertips, evenly press to the edges and up the sides, extending the dough 2 inches beyond the pan rim (you can also roll this out on a lightly floured surface). Fill the tart with the marmalade, spreading evenly to the edges.
 
6. On a lightly floured surface using a floured rolling pin, roll out the remaining dough to 1/4-inch thickness and cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips. Weave the strips in a lattice pattern over the tart (if needed, trim the strips so they do not extend beyond the rim of the pan). Fold over the bottom crust overhang over the edge of the lattice strips, crimping to secure. Bake about 30 minutes, until the top is lightly golden. (Can be made ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.) Slip off the pan’s outer ring and transfer the tart to a platter. Lightly dust the edges or the entire tart with confectioners’ sugar before serving.
 
Recipe by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos
Copyright © 2019 Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style

Thanks for celebrating our website’s 6-Year Anniversary and for supporting us along the way. You’re an important part of our journey! I’ll be sharing more fun recipes in upcoming blogs so check back to see what’s cooking at Kukla’s. For more about our Kukla’s Kouzina journey, visit our Coming Full Circle blog. For photos of our foods, Kukla, us, and our next generation, visit our Gallery page.

Sign up for our e-newsletter (if you haven’t already) and stay connected on social media for cooking tips and recipes, as well as for all Kukla's Kouzina updates and news.
 
Thanks for following us and we’ll see you next Monday!
 
Until then~
Kali orexi! Good appetite!
 
Kelly

​Copyright © 2019 Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!    
 
Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos