Kukla's Kouzina Greek Cooking and Food Blog

Greece: An Edible Revival~Wine

11/12/2018

Greece—Out of the Ashes

When we think of Greece, we have visions of breathtaking beaches and landscapes, awe-inspiring ruins, and, of course, food and classic wine! If necessity is the mother of invention, Greece has given birth (once again!) to some of the most innovative and perfected vintages of the country’s cherished wines that are sure to boost the country’s economy while tantalizing your palate! This week it’s all about what’s trending in wine from the homeland.

All of the items listed below are produced in Greece, by Greek people, with Greek culture, using Greek ingredients. It doesn’t get much more Greek, or delicious, than that.

Sip & Savor

Wine trending from Patras in the Peloponnese region has stepped into the spotlight this year. Following are my picks that are rooted in history but never archaic.

KARELA MAVRODAPHNE OF PATRAS is an exceptional sweet red Greek wine produced from 100 percent of the Mavrodaphne grape variety, when the legal requirement is just 50 percent. Grown within the specific geographic area of Patras (Patron), the wine falls in the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) category. Aged in oak, this wine is deep purple in color and closely resembles a tawny port with prominent notes of black currants, caramelized fruit, and a lingering honey-syrup finish (15 percent alcohol). mavrodaphne.gr

Taking this wine variety to an impressive level, an elegantly balanced MAVRODAPHNE PATRON RESERVE PARPAROUSSIS 2003 (below, left) is lightly sweet and mellow with depth and spirit due to aging. This rich and complex Mavrodaphne redefines the class of this beloved Greek wine (19 percent alcohol). Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled as an aperitif or dessert wine. parparoussis.com

Mavrodaphne Patron Reserve Parparoussis 2003

Muscat of Patras, Achaia Clauss Muscat 722

Loukatos Muscat of Patras

Muscat of Rio Patras Parparoussis 2006

Golden aromatic muscat wines are also a flavorful way to go Greek. Try the light and sweet MUSCAT OF PATRAS, ACHAIA CLAUSS MUSCAT 722, with notes of ripe apricots and juicy peach, followed by a citrus finish and a lingering taste of honey (15 percent alcohol). LOUKATOS MUSCAT OF PATRAS is less sweet with a full body and a hint of brandy (15 percent alcohol). MUSCAT OF RIO PATRAS PARPAROUSSIS 2006, the least sweet of this group, is nicely aged and full bodied (12 percent alcohol). parparoussis.com Serve muscats chilled as an aperitif or dessert wine.

OUZON (pronounced OO-zone) soda is an all-natural, non-alcoholic beverage based on the flavor of ouzo, the OPA! liqueur of Greece.

The unique syrup in Ouzon is handcrafted using pure cane sugar and is infused with organic star anise with its subtle notes of licorice, creating a drink that is refreshing, flavorful, and worthy of rubbing elbows with its high-octane cousin. Now kids and non-drinkers alike can enjoy a shot of Greek without feeling left out of the party crowd. opaoriginals.com

For more Greek wines, go to Omega Wines & Spirits.

Many Greek/Mediterranean liquor stores and some markets carry these products. If yours doesn’t, ask them if they can order them for you. Feel free to contact the companies through their websites for shopping info in your area. Some items are available online on Amazon, and titanfoods.net carries Ouzon and ships nationwide (call them if you don’t see what you want on their website). Oh, and Google works too!

I hope you enjoyed this installment of Greece: An Edible Revival. If it’s trending in Greece, we’ll cover it here! If you missed our posts on olives, honey, legumes & rice, and cooking staples, here’s your chance to catch up: Greece: An Edible Revival.

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 © 2018 Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!

Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos

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Greece: An Edible Revival~Honey

11/5/2018

0 Comments

Greece—Out of the Ashes

When we think of Greece, we have visions of breathtaking beaches and landscapes, awe-inspiring ruins, and, of course, food! If necessity is the mother of invention, Greece has given birth (once again!) to some of the most innovative and sumptuous foods that are sure to boost the country’s economy while tantalizing your taste buds! This week it’s all about what’s new in honey from the homeland.

All of the items listed below are produced in Greece, by Greek people, with Greek culture, using Greek ingredients. It doesn’t get much more Greek, or delicious, than that.

Sweet Dreams Are Made of These

776 DELUXE FOODS has elevated the bar when it comes to quality honey that is never heated or filtered so the full flavor remains. Their Honey & Hios Mastic is the most distinctively aromatic, made with raw honey harvested locally and a touch of mastiha oil extracted from the resin of the mastic tree that grows exclusively on the island of Hios, imparting earthy herbal-pine notes. Enjoy it by the spoonful or add it to lemonade or vinaigrette to wow your palate. Other foods from this brand worth noting are their authentic Greek pasta line, extra-virgin olive oil, and kalamata olives, all from the Olympia region in Greece. Available at igourmet.com. 776deluxe.com

ENTOPIA embraces tradition with ingredients and products that are simple, natural, and generous, like their fragrant Thyme Honey with Honeycomb that is gathered from the Peloponnese mountains. Also lovely is their Thyme & Fir Honey Bio, an organic nectar with the added scent of the forests of Greece.

Beyond honey, Entopia also offers aromatic herbs, extra-virgin olive oil, organic balsamic, glazes, marmalades, natural sauces, and spoon sweets. Greek gastronomy at its best! entopiagreece.com

KAYAK Greek Frozen Yogurt uses pure raw materials (like 100 percent real Greek strained yogurt) and is based on homemade recipes to create a product that is non-GMO, low fat, with no artificial colors or preservatives…Did I mention the killer taste? Greek yogurt and honey have been having a love affair for ages, so when your favorite new honey is ready to be paired up, drizzle it over frozen Greek yogurt for a swoon-worthy dessert. Eight exceptional flavors from Kayak will take your taste buds to new heights. My personal favorite? Mediterranean Orange and their exotic and engaging Mango & Jasmine. They also make ice cream, sorbet, and sweets! Kayak’s cafes are seriously popular in places like Mykonos and Glyfada, so it’s no surprise their chilled treats have made it to our shores. kayak.gr

Many Greek/Mediterranean markets carry these products. If yours doesn’t, ask them if they can order them for you. Feel free to contact the companies through their websites for shopping info in your area. Some items are available online on Amazon, and titanfoods.net and Mediterranean Foods carry all things Greek and ship nationwide (call them if you don’t see what you want on their websites). Oh, and Google works too!

I hope you enjoyed this installment of Greece: An Edible Revival. Join us again next week for what’s trending in Greek wine.

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 © 2018 Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!

Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos

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Greece: An Edible Revival~Cooking Staples

10/30/2017

4 Comments

Greece—Out of the Ashes

When we think of Greece, we have visions of breathtaking beaches and landscapes, awe-inspiring ruins, and, of course, food! If necessity is the mother of invention, Greece has just given birth (once again!) to some of the most innovative and sumptuous foods that are sure to boost the country’s economy while tantalizing your taste buds! This week it’s all about what’s trending in cooking staples from the homeland.

All of the items listed below are produced in Greece, by Greek people, with Greek culture, using Greek ingredients. It doesn’t get much more Greek, or delicious, than that.

Exceptional Essentials

Kyknos tomato products from the Peloponnese region embody a flavor that’s rich and straight from the vine! Certified non-GMO with no preservatives or artificial color—the way nature intended.

The 100-year-old family-owned company is one of the most recognized brands in Greece, producing tomato paste (in a fun triangular paper pack), whole, chopped, and crushed tomatoes, ketchup, as well as pizza and pasta sauces. kyknoscanning.com

Kontos—a brand that found its start in 1949 when Evripides Kontos developed the first phyllo-producing machine—offers the widest range of phyllo-sheet products from the thinnest and flakiest #4 to the thickest and most sturdy country-style #10, including #5 phyllo that is not commonly available from other phyllo brands. The #5 is a bit thicker than the #4, making it easier to handle, but still resulting in a flakey pastry. The flavor and texture of this phyllo are noticeably fresh, which translates to easy-to-work-with and a baked product that complements any filling. Also highly rated are their hand-stretched flatbread (pita) varieties. kontos.com

Nestos, located in Northern Greece’s Xanthi, produces Greek Gourmet Grape Leaves used to make the classic meze dolmadakia. Notably flavorful and fresh, the leaves are picked in the vineyards of Greece from mid-May to mid-June, when they’re young and tender, and jarred with just water, salt, and citric acid to perfectly preserve them until you’re ready to cook. Also available are fire-roasted vegetables like eggplant and peppers. nestos.com

Many Greek/Mediterranean markets carry these products. If yours doesn’t, ask them if they can order them for you. Feel free to contact the companies through their websites for shopping info in your area. Some items are available online on Amazon, and titanfoods.net carries all things Greek and ships nationwide (call them if you don’t see what you want on their website). Oh, and Google works too!

I hope you enjoyed this fourth installment of our coverage on what’s new in food products from Greece. Join us again next week for what’s trending in Greek wine. If you missed our posts on olives, honey, and legumes & rice, here’s your chance to catch up: Greece: An Edible Revival~Olives, Greece: An Edible Revival~Honey, Greece: An Edible Revival~Legumes & Rice.

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 © 2017 Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!

Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos

4 Comments

Greece: An Edible Revival~Legumes & Rice

10/23/2017

2 Comments

Greece—Out of the Ashes

When we think of Greece, we have visions of breathtaking beaches and landscapes, awe-inspiring ruins, and, of course, food! If necessity is the mother of invention, Greece has given birth (once again!) to some of the most innovative and sumptuous foods that are sure to boost the country’s economy while tantalizing your taste buds! This week it’s all about what’s trending in legumes and rice from the homeland.

All of the items listed below are produced in Greece, by Greek people, with Greek culture, using Greek ingredients. It doesn’t get much more Greek, or delicious, than that.

Delicious Made Fast & Easy

Greek Mama Cooks Best from legume and rice producer Arosis puts authentic homemade taste in a jar with Greek Giant Baked Beans (Gigantes) in tomato sauce, Greek Small Lentils (faki) with Honey and Balsamic Vinegar, and gourmet Greek legume pates in Fava Salad with Capers, Small Lentils and Green Olives Pate, and Humus Salad. Let this Greek mama cook for you! arosis.gr

Mediterranean Snacks Tapaz 2 Go hummus in three flavors—classic, roasted pepper, and roasted garlic, with lentil crackers—is non-GMO, all natural, packed with 7 grams of protein, and requires no refrigeration, so eating on the run is easy, yummy, and healthy! Plus each serving has 250 calories or less.

Also try their gluten-free BeanStalks for a straw-shaped, crunchy snack made the ancient Greek way, with today’s superfood, legumes. Mediterranean Snacks Tapaz 2 Go

Agrino Bistro risotto line is gourmet in a bag that cooks up in just 10 minutes and is available in flavors that will jump off your dinner menu, including Greek Red Saffron, Truffle, Four Cheeses, and Arrabiata. Perfect for serving as a side dish or enhancing with meat or fish to take this creamy rice dish to main-course status.

Why cook for hours when Agrino Bistro can do it for you? Make sure you hide the package and no one will ever know (we won’t say a word!). agrino.com

Many Greek/Mediterranean markets carry these products. If yours doesn’t, ask them if they can order them for you. Feel free to contact the companies through their websites for shopping info in your area. Some items are available online on Amazon, and titanfoods.net carries all things Greek and ships nationwide (call them if you don’t see what you want on their website). Oh, and Google works too!

I hope you enjoyed this third installment of our coverage on what’s new in food products from Greece. Join us again next week for what’s trending in Greek cooking staples. If you missed our posts on olives and honey, here’s your chance to catch up: Greece: An Edible Revival~Olives, Greece: An Edible Revival~Honey.

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

2 Comments

Greece~An Edible Revival~Olives

10/9/2017

0 Comments

Greece—Out of the Ashes

When we think of Greece, we have visions of breathtaking beaches and landscapes, awe-inspiring ruins, and, of course, food!

If necessity is the mother of invention, Greece has given birth (once again!) to some of the most innovative and sumptuous foods that continue to boost the country’s economy while tantalizing your taste buds! This week it’s all about what’s new and trending in olives and olive oil.

All of the items listed below are produced in Greece, by Greek people, with Greek culture, using Greek ingredients. It doesn’t get much more Greek, or delicious, than that.

An Olive Renaissance

ELISTI olives from Stylis Olive Producers Cooperatives are an olive revolution. The brand, founded in 1949, is located in Central Greece’s Maliakos Gulf and offers organic green, black, and kalamata olives, black natural and Kalamon olives, and deliciously stuffed Konservolia olives with lemon peel, orange peel, jalapeno, garlic, almond, and natural red Florina pepper varieties. Taking their products beyond the whole fruit, Elisti’s black, Kalamon, and green olive pastes fit the bill nicely. stylidacoop.gr

MAMA MATA’S Green Olives stuffed with Greek Peppers (pepperoncini-stuffed olives) from Mediterranean Olive House/Mitrosilis in Nafplio are one-of-a-kind delicious. Each jumbo-size olive is individually stuffed by hand with a green pepper, fusing classic Mediterranean flavors that make this specialty ideal for meze (appetizer), tossing into pasta, or enhancing a salad (popping them from the jar into your mouth is another good option). Also available are a variety of olives (including organic), as well as olive oil. medolivehouse.gr

MENTIS ESTATE was born as a direct result of the recent economic crisis in Greece. Established as a brand in 2013 by Anastassios Mentis and his deep-seated need to help revitalize the country’s economy, third-generation Anastassios carries out the tradition started by the paternal grandfather he was named after to produce and now export the most exquisite olive oil under the family name. Mentis Estate harvests just one olive variety, the renowned Athenolia, creating a pure, unblended extra-virgin olive oil with an acidity of less than 0.5%. How does this translate into taste? Well-balanced aromatic characteristics described as pine, floral, nutty, fruity, buttery, and pungent, with a hint of artichoke. Drizzle, dip, enjoy! Also available from Mentis, Laconia hand-harvested fleur de sel “flower of salt”—delicate sea-salt flakes rich in minerals, making this the perfect finishing salt. mentisestate.com

ENTOPIA embraces tradition with ingredients and products that are simple, natural, and generous, especially when it comes to olive oil. The creation of their pure organic extra-virgin olive oil is attributed to the Greek soil, a perfect climate, and the country’s ancient institution of olive agriculture. The oil is obtained from the exclusive olive variety Koroneiki by cold extraction, the best method to bring out the flavor and preserve the high nutritional value of the olive. The oil is further enhanced by the sculptured bottle which is a work of art in itself, safely packed in a custom made box. A custom lid, unique to each box, is made of olive wood and can be used as a serving stand for the bottle. Beyond olive oil, Entopia also offers honey, herbs, natural sauces. spoon sweets, marmalades, and more. entopiagreece.com

Many Greek/Mediterranean markets carry these products. If yours doesn’t, ask them if they can order them for you. Feel free to contact the companies through their websites for shopping info in your area. Some items are available online on Amazon, and recipiada.com, titanfoods.net, and mediterraneanfoodsny.com carry all things Greek and ship nationwide (call them if you don’t see what you want on their website). Oh, and Google works too!

I hope you enjoyed this first installment of Greece: An Edible Revival. Join us again next week for what’s trending in Greek honey.

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

0 Comments

Greece: An Edible Revival~Wine

Greece—Out of the Ashes

Sip & Savor

Greece: An Edible Revival~Honey

Greece—Out of the Ashes

Sweet Dreams Are Made of These

Greece: An Edible Revival~Cooking Staples

Greece—Out of the Ashes

Exceptional Essentials

Greece: An Edible Revival~Legumes & Rice

Greece—Out of the Ashes

Delicious Made Fast & Easy

Greece~An Edible Revival~Olives

Greece—Out of the Ashes

An Olive Renaissance

about

visit & follow

olive oil kouzina

author
Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos

categories

archives

foodie links
Kontos Foods
Sahadi's
Mediterranean Foods
Titan Foods
'Anama Concept
Recipiada
Grubstreet
Eater

Greece: An Edible Revival~Wine

Greece—Out of the Ashes

Sip & Savor

Greece: An Edible Revival~Honey

Greece—Out of the Ashes

Sweet Dreams Are Made of These

Greece: An Edible Revival~Cooking Staples

Greece—Out of the Ashes

Exceptional Essentials

Greece: An Edible Revival~Legumes & Rice

Greece—Out of the Ashes

Delicious Made Fast & Easy

Greece~An Edible Revival~Olives

Greece—Out of the Ashes

An Olive Renaissance

about

visit & follow

olive oil kouzina

author Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos

categories

archives

foodie linksKontos FoodsSahadi's​Mediterranean FoodsTitan Foods'Anama ConceptRecipiadaGrubstreetEater

author
Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos

foodie links
Kontos Foods
Sahadi's
Mediterranean Foods
Titan Foods
'Anama Concept
Recipiada
Grubstreet
Eater