​Warm breezes and good times aren’t complete without a summer cocktail that initiates the kefi in all of us.

​We created three thirst-quenching libations featuring mastiha, ouzo, and brandy spirits with non-alcoholic substitutions to satisfy everyone in your party. Stin iyia sou! To your health!

Mediterranean Spirit
We call this a mastiha citrus-ade because it captures the true spirit of Greek kefi. Skinos provides the mastiha essence while fresh lemon and orange juices elevate this libation into a refreshing summer cocktail.
 
Servings: 1 cocktail
 
2 lemon wedges
6 fresh mint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish
1 tablespoon simple syrup
Crushed ice
3 tablespoons Skinos Mastiha Spirit (or 1 teaspoon mastiha spoon sweet)
1/2 cup fresh orange juice, chilled
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, chilled
Club soda, chilled
 
In a tall glass, mash together the lemon wedges and mint leaves with the simple syrup. Add 1/4 cup crushed ice, then stir in the mastiha and juices (if using mastiha spoon sweet, dissolve in a tablespoon of water before adding). Top with club soda and crushed ice. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Lavender-Anise Spritzer
Ouzo’s black-licorice essence flavors this bubbly cocktail while lavender syrup deliciously complements it. Ouzon is alcohol free, so it’s the perfect substitute.
 
Servings: 1 cocktail
 
1/2 lemon, cut into thin slices, 1 slice reserved for garnish
6 fresh mint or basil leaves, plus a sprig for garnish
3 tablespoons ouzo (or Ouzon ouzo-flavored soda)
1 1/2 tablespoons Lavender Simple Syrup (recipe follows)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup club soda, chilled
Turbinado sugar, for glass rim
Crushed ice
Fresh lavender sprig, for garnish
 
1. In a shaker, place the lemon slices and mint leaves; mash with a pestle. Add the ouzo, syrup, and juice. Stir well and strain twice. Stir in the soda.
 
2. To rim the glass, place the turbinado sugar in a shallow plate. Dip the top of a highball glass into the simple syrup, and dip the glass edge in the sugar. Carefully pour the cocktail into the rimmed glass, add crushed ice, and garnish with a lemon slice and sprigs of fresh mint and lavender.
 
Lavender Simple Syrup
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fresh or dried lavender blossoms
 
1. Combine the water, sugar, and lavender blossoms in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let syrup steep about 30 minutes.
 
2. Pour the syrup into a sterilized glass jar through a mesh strainer to remove the blossoms; let cool. (Can be refrigerated in a sealed glass jar up to 1 month or frozen up to 3 months.

Brandied Watermelon
This beverage is the epitome of refreshing with summer’s favorite fruit paired with Greek brandy and mastiha essence.
 
Servings: 1 cocktail
 
Ice cubes
3 tablespoons Metaxa brandy (or fresh orange juice)
1 tablespoon Skinos Mastiha Spirit (or 1 teaspoon mastiha spoon sweet)
1/2 cup watermelon juice, chilled
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice, chilled
1 tablespoon agave syrup
1/4 cup coconut water, chilled
 
GARNISH
Watermelon cube
Thinly-sliced lime
 
Place 3 to 4 ice cubes in a tall glass. Add the brandy, mastiha (if using mastiha spoon sweet, dissolve in a tablespoon of water before adding), juices, agave, and coconut water; stir to combine. Garnish with a lime slice and watermelon cube.

Recipes by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos
Copyright © Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style

I hope you enjoyed this kick-off to summer! For more info on the spirits used in these recipes, check out our Get Into the Greek Spirit~Opa 2! post.

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

Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos

We’ve enhanced this flaky classic with a liqueur-laced syrup. For a holiday-spice essence, add Tentura. For a pine flavoring, add Mastiha. Make sure you plan ahead to thaw the phyllo as directed.
 
PREP TIME: 1 hour, plus thawing and standing
BAKING TIME: 50 minutes
SERVINGS: 30 pieces
 
1 cup unsalted butter or olive oil
1 pound chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, or a combination)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (16 ounce) package #4 or #5 14-by18-inch phyllo sheets, thawed and brought to room temperature according to package directions
*
SYRUP
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Distillery Pilavas Tentura or Mastiha
*
Whole cloves, for garnish
 
1. Heat oven to 325°F. Butter/oil the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
 
2. In a medium bowl, toss the nuts with the cinnamon. Set aside.
 
3. Unroll the phyllo dough and cut the entire stack in half to fit the prepared pan. Cover the phyllo with a clean damp kitchen towel to keep it from drying while you work. Place 1 sheet of phyllo in the pan (lining the bottom), brush the entire sheet with butter/oil. Repeat with phyllo and butter/oil until you have a total of 6 sheets in the bottom of pan. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Cover with 2 sheets of phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter/oil, and follow with nuts. Repeat until all the nuts are used. The top phyllo layer is made up of about 6 sheets, each sheet brushed with butter/oil, making sure the top sheet is brushed well.
 
4. Using a sharp knife cut the baklava into diamond shapes (cut 4 long rows, then cut diagonally) all the way to the bottom of the pan. Insert a clove into the center of each piece, if desired. Bake about 50 minutes, until the baklava is completely golden brown.
 
5. Meanwhile make syrup: While the baklava is baking, in a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the honey and lemon juice. Reduce heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the liqueur; set aside. (The syrup should be warm and the baklava hot when adding the syrup.)
 
5. Once the baklava has been removed from the oven, immediately ladle the syrup over the top, making sure to cover the edges. Adding the warm syrup while the baklava is hot will ensure the syrup is well absorbed and the phyllo remains crisp. Let cool completely at room temperature for at least 4 hours or overnight. (Can be made up to 1 day ahead. Let stand, uncovered, at room temperature. Covering the top will make it soggy.)
 
Recipe copyright © Kukla’s Kouzina 

About Distillery Pilavas
Products: ouzo, brandies, Tentura, Mastiha, and other liqueur varieties
Tentura, Patra’s traditional liqueur for over a hundred years and three generations, combines the aromas of carnation, cinnamon, and nutmeg with extracts of Mavrodafni (the region’s renowned sweet red wine) and has a flavor profile that invokes the essence of baklava.
 
Mastiha liqueur contains genuine mastiha tears from the mastic tree indigenous and exclusive to one island, Chios, providing this libation with a vibrant flavor that ignites the senses.

Enjoy these liqueurs as digestifs following a meal, as cocktail mixers, or straight up in a shot glass. Feel free to add a dash to your dessert recipes to give them a flavorful kick.
For stores, contact importer: Esteson Co., San Jose California, 800.682.4705; they’re also available online.

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

​The fabulous new Greek/Mediterranean foods that debuted at the summer Fancy Food Show in New York made such an impression that we had to share. Whether you’re craving anything from a meze to a libation—think trendy za’atar snack, innovative flatbread, vegan cheese, marinated feta, flavorful glazes, finishing sea salt and olive oil, and finely-crafted liqueurs—you’ll discover the latest and our most impressive finds right here. Most of the items listed below are either produced in Greece or inspired by the homeland’s iconic ingredients. Links to recipes included!

Products: Zesty Z Condiment, Seasoning, Mediterranean Popcorn, and more

Now that the widely popular za’atar condiment Savory Zesty Z is a huge success, what do owners Alex and Lorraine do next? They kick up the flavor punch with the first ever Mediterranean Popcorn line with Feta & Za’atar, Savory Za’atar, and Spicy Za’atar flavors. Movie night just got a whole lot more, well, Zesty!
Get recipes!
​

Products: Crepes (Traditional and Savory flavors), Gordita (soft flatbread taco shell)

The producer of the freshest phyllo and pita products we’ve worked with knows no boundaries when it comes to creating food items to enhance the cooking experience with a vast array of pita/flatbread varieties. We especially love their preservative-free Crepes (Traditional and Savory flavors), Gordita (soft flatbread taco shell), Nan, and Toasted Pita Tidbits. An amazing heat-in-bag flatbread (in za’atar, sesame, and plain) that we sampled (and fell in love with) at the show is currently in testing…and we hope available soon. This is as close to homemade as it gets…more details when it’s ready for prime time!
​Get recipes!
​

​Products: Vegan dairy-free feta, kasseri; traditional feta PDO/organic, manouri, kasseri, kefalograviera; Greek yogurt; Labneh (cream cheese)

Whether you’re fasting or allergic to dairy, this brand’s Vegan line of cheeses work beautifully in recipes or on a cheese platter with a rich flavor that comes from coconut oil. This is the first time we’ve been impressed enough by a vegan cheese to include it on one of our reviews. Available in blocks, grated, and sliced packages.
​
Also available: ​when not looking for a dairy-free option, their traditional line is exceptional as well

More recipes!
​

​Products: Organic Cheese (sheep’s & goat’s-milk) with Tomato & Oregano block; Organic Feta Bites with Sundried Tomato & Oregano 

These organic ready-to-serve zesty mezedes will have everyone asking for more, so get a few to add a garden-variety statement to your gathering!
​
Also available: organic and classic Greek cheeses and yogurt
Get recipes!

Products: Glazes in Orange, Fig, and Honey

Entopia embraces a simply delicious tradition once again. No preservatives, additives, sulfites, caramel, or colors taint these extraordinary delicious glazes. Their sweetness comes from the natural ingredients in the incredibly tasty range of flavors. Perfect for salads, broiled or grilled vegetables, seafood, poultry, meat, and desserts.
​
Also available: honey varieties, marmalades, spreads, herbs, organic vinegars and extra-virgin olive oil, and so much more
Recipe ideas!

​Product: Fleur de Sel “flower of salt” sea salt

Mentis premium, medium-grain Fleur de Sel is 100% hand-harvested using artisanal methods to produce the finest quality sea salt with its full compliment of minerals and the delicate taste of the Mediterranean Sea. Its nuanced and delicate flavor with a flakey, subtle crunch sets this above regular sea salt. It is also excellent as a finishing condiment over salads, vegetables, and any type of meat or fish. And, yes, it beautifully finishes a dessert (especially chocolate). Locally harvested salt is a unique way to experience the rare and complex flavor of a region and the essence of a country.
​
Also available: a pure, unblended extra-virgin olive oil harvested from just one olive variety, the renowned Athenolia, with an acidity of less than 0.5%. Well-balanced aromatic characteristics described as pine, floral, nutty, fruity, buttery, and pungent, with a hint of artichoke.
​

Products: Tentura (cinnamon, spices), Mastiha

Tentura, Patra’s traditional liqueur for over a hundred years and three generations, combines the aromas of carnation, cinnamon, and nutmeg with extracts of Mavrodafni (the region’s renowned sweet red wine) and has a flavor profile that invokes the essence of baklava.
 
Mastiha liqueur contains genuine mastiha tears from the mastic tree indigenous and exclusive to one island, Chios, providing this libation with a vibrant flavor that ignites the senses.

Enjoy these liqueurs as digestifs following a meal, as cocktail mixers, or straight up in a shot glass. Feel free to add a dash to your dessert recipes to make them shine.

Also available: ouzo, brandies, other liqueur varieties
For stores, contact importer: Esteson Co., San Jose California, 800.682.4705. They’re also available online.
​

Greek/Mediterranean markets carry many of these products but 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 (Google it). Mediterranean Foods and Titan Foods carry all things Greek and ship nationwide (call them if you don’t see what you want on their website). 

Enjoy tasting and cooking with these trending new foods!
 
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 © 2019-2021 Kukla's Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style / The Naked Truth About...Greek Cooking!    
 
Web design by Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos

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