Kitchen Conundrum

  • Home
  • About
  • Eat
    • Appetizers
    • Bread
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Desserts
    • Fish
    • Meats
    • Pasta
    • Poultry
    • Side Dishes
    • Sauces, Dressings and Condiments
    • Soup and Stews
    • Vegetables
  • Drink
    • Beer
    • Cocktails
    • Wine
  • Recipe Index
  • Travel
    • NYC/Metro
    • Cambodia
    • England
    • France
    • Greece
    • Italy
    • Spain
    • Vietnam
  • Kitchen Sink
    • Classes
    • Contests
    • Cookbooks
    • Cook The Book Fridays- My Paris Kitchen
    • French Fridays with Dorie
    • Kitchen Gear & Gadgets

Breads, Blossoms and More with Kea Artisanal

June 30, 2011 by Renee

The next class at Kea Artisanal was one that featured one of my favorite vegetables- garlic! We made a garlic spread called Skordalia. It’s made by combining mashed potatoes, blanched almonds, garlic and yogurt together with olive oil and lemons. It’s a traditional dip used with fried vegetables or as a spread on breads. It’s smooth, garlicky, lemony, tangy and simply delicious. It may be my new favorite condiment. I could easily see this being used instead of horseradish or tartar sauce on fish or meats.

Using the leftover tomato salad from the previous day’s lunch, Aglaia made a type of flat bread based on the traditional Laganes (flat bread) she normally makes. The salad was pureed in the blender and added to the dough instead of water or other liquids. Then, it was topped with cheese, fresh tomatoes and baked. It was very similar to a Ciabatta or Focaccia but was much more dense and crusty.

We also made three other types of Laganes, one with local sausages and cheese and one that was striped with sesame seeds, poppy seeds and red pepper and mahlep and one that was had Za’atar with red pepper flakes.

We then made a delicate batter to coat pieces of vegetables and stuffed beautiful zucchini blossoms with a piece of feta cheese and a sprig of mint to be gently fried and promptly devoured.

Even with all the breads and fried vegetables, it was surprisingly a light lunch, but quite filling!

Of course, the wine was flowing and a nap was definitely in order for the afternoon!  This is a lifestyle I could get used to for certain! Traditionally, Greeks eat their largest meal midday then go home to sleep in the afternoon only to awake and have a light dinner at 10pm. The tavernas don’t fill up until nearly 11pm each night and the kids are just going to clubs at 12 or 1am. It’s a great country for night owls.

In the afternoon, after returning to our hotel for our naps, we were picked up for a hike to the archeological site at Karthaea on the southeast coast of the island.  The scenery was absolutely stunning and the mountain we climbed down to the sea was actually rather steep.

Normally I would say that one climbs up first then down, but our hike was in reverse and we ended the hike with a challenging uphill climb. I confess that I am embarrassingly and woefully out of shape and without the good graciousness of our guide, Costas, I would still be on the beach at the bottom of the mountain. He carried my bag back up, gave me a walking stick and motivated me all the way with encouraging words.  I huffed and puffed all the way up and remarked that when I told Ari I might not return from Greece, I didn’t think it would be because I had died of a heart attack along the way. At the top, I drank nearly a half liter of water in one swallow while Costas was asking who wanted wine! So glad I made it back up that hill!

Then he presented us with a lovely package of what was to be mezze but was really enough to be a full dinner. Legs shaking and catching my breath, I ate heartily a marinated octopus salad, breads we had made earlier and a delicious salad.

The next morning, we were taken to through the Hora, or main town, of Ioulida. Costas guided us through the Archaeological Museum showing us pieces from excavations from around the island, sites such as ancient Karthaea and the prehistoric settlement of Agia Irini were featured.  We then walked up to the ancient “smiling lion” that is resting on a hillside just outside of town. No one seems to know who placed it there or how long it’s actually been there (there are some that say it’s as old as 600 B.C.) and it’s been a source of folklore throughout the island for centuries.

After our excursion, we enjoyed a lunch of mezzes and a flavorful fish soup filled with potatoes, carrots and zucchini at a taverna called Magazes in the main port of Korissia. Aglaia has worked with the owners and chefs at this restaurant to ensure that all the ingredients are fresh and never prepackaged. Everything from stocks to sauces and spreads are made on site and you can tell the quality of the dishes is very high. We really enjoyed our meal there.

We spent a little time afterward shopping in the port town and then making our way back to our hotel.  I had some time before being picked up again so I went to a church and excavation site at Ayia Irini. The church was locked, but I was able to see a bit of the site and rooms that were being dug.

In the afternoon, we were picked up from our hotels and brought back to Aglaia’s kitchen to make Amygdalota, the traditional flour-less almond cookie of the Cyclades.  This delightful cookie has a slight crunch on the outside and is chewy in the middle with the flavor of a macaroon and the texture of an oatmeal cookie. They are addictive and I would suggest making a double recipe!


Our dinner consisted of breads, salads, and vegetables but the highlight of the evening was an olive oil tasting, a cheese tasting, and a red wine tasting! We tasted some everyday olive oils and some oils flavored with lemons and oranges and then some extra virgin oils. Each one was very distinctive in flavor and I loved the Biolea Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil as well as Aglaia’s and Costas’ own pressing.

Greece produces an incredible variety of cheese types and each part of the country has its own recipes and secrets that make their cheese unique and often times, the cheese is made seasonally in small batches for local consumption only.  Surprisingly, Greeks currently have the highest per capita consumption of cheese in the world, estimated at 22 kilos per person annually, edging out even the French.

We were excited to try over 15 different types of cheese beginning with some mild varieties and fetas and moving to heavily flavored cheeses.  Some of my favorites included Graviera that was aged only 1 year from Naxos and a Kaseri, a creamy, mild, mostly sheep’s milk, semi-hard cheese not too unlike a sharp cheddar. Another one I enjoyed was a Nigella seed studded cheese also from Naxos that was dry and crumbly but had a very floral flavor. There were ones that I didn’t particularly like such as a Manoura Sifno Gylomeni, a full fat sheep’s milk hard cheese aged in wine sediments (Lees) from the island of Sifnos that really had an overpowering pungent flavor. There was also a Melipasto, a sea-washed cheese made on the island of Limnos that had been soaked in honey. The sweetness of the honey didn’t even tame the peppery flavor of this hard cheese.  It was really too hot and spicy for my tastes.  Artisanal cheeses aside, one of my favorites was the regular packaged feta cheese that we enjoyed every day, Plataion brand, which can be found in the grocery store. It’s mild, not too salty and perfect for just eating with just about everything.

While we were trying cheeses, the red wine was flowing and some lovely varieties passed through our lips. I especially enjoyed the Paros Moraitis and the Estate Theodorakakos Mavroudi wines. I hope that I will be able to find them here in NYC.

Needless to say, I slept very well that night.

Filed Under: Travel, Kitchen Sink, Featured Posts, Classes, Greece Tagged With: Almonds, Cheese, Cookies, Culinary Vacation, Cyclades, Greece, Kea, Kea Artisanal, Olive Oil, Travel, Wine, Zucchini Blossoms, cooking

Categories

Archives

kitchconundrum

Smoked a pork shoulder and a beef planche this wee Smoked a pork shoulder and a beef planche this weekend. Served with an apple slaw and baked beans. It’s not pretty but it’s good BBQ. #smokedmeat #tragergrills #meat #pork #pulledpork #porkshoulder #beef #bakedbeans #appleslaw
Of the four out of five suitcases that arrived hom Of the four out of five suitcases that arrived home from France with us, I am so happy the one with the butter and cheese made it! The fifth suitcase took a few extra days. A little cheese in the afternoon to celebrate. From @fromageriedulouvre #tommedesfleurs #comte  #ossauiraty #cheese #paris #france #frenchcheese #frenchbutter #lucky #luggagewoes #airfrance
Croque Monsieur with Rosé after a stop to City Ph Croque Monsieur with Rosé after a stop to City Pharma to stock up on French beauty products. All that shopping makes one hungry.  #croquemonsieur #rosé #wine #vin #summer #citypharma #paris #france #beauty #deuxmagots
I spy… the obligatory Eiffel Tower photo. Are yo I spy… the obligatory Eiffel Tower photo. Are you really even in Paris without one? #Paris #France #driveby #quickshot
Oh hello, Paris. Nice to see you again. #parisfr Oh hello, Paris. Nice to see you again. 

#parisfrance #paris #france #drivinginparis
Last night as part of dinner we made one of my fav Last night as part of dinner we made one of my favorite summer salads- a peach, mozzarella di bufala, and tomato salad. Normally it’s the bits of cheese and tomatoes that are the treat, but the peaches were incredible-so sweet.  By the end we were just picking the peaches out. Good thing I bought several just to eat too- peaches from Spain and France, white, pink and orange. #peaches #salad #summer #summereats #mozzarella #buffalomozzarella #mozzarelladibufala #summersalad #stonefruit #yum #goodeats #spain #france #peche
Moules frites. With rosé, as you do. #normandy #f Moules frites. With rosé, as you do. #normandy #france #lunch #youjusthaveto #mussels #moulesfrites #yum #goodeats #seafood #beachlife #coastalliving #summer
Today we went to the beach and tonight we had the Today we went to the beach and tonight we had the traditional English roast for dinner at The Presbytere. Do you see the size of that Yorkshire Pudding? Incredible! And it was filled with the most luscious and velvety gravy. Again, every course was perfect.  For dessert we had the same as last night- zucchini cake and a white chocolate cream over crumbles and gooseberries. I really need to get these recipes! They had live music as well and we enjoyed the outside garden once again.  #normandie #normandy #normandietourisme #dinner #englishroast
Not to be missed! Had such a terrific dinner at Th Not to be missed! Had such a terrific dinner at The Presbytere last night, the new restaurant by Chef Edward Delling-Williams. The beautifully converted building is situated near the estuary of the Sienne where some ingredients are foraged. We sat outside in the breezy sea air and it couldn’t have been a more perfect evening. We drank Spritz’s and Pimm’s while we perused the menu. Though described as a gastro pub, the food is truly on another level, where fresh, local ingredients are highlighted. We shared starters of pork rillettes with a lightly smoked onion powder, a thick slice of house made lamb terrine served with a tangy walnut, English pickle and prune catsup, and a plate of simply marinated red peppers, all served with a generous basket of perfectly crusty bread with a soft, chewy center. For our mains, we debated over the whole fish and wished we had more people with us for the leg of lamb to share but in the end we chose the veal, thin slices served rare over fresh green beans with a deeply developed reduction sauce, as well as a plate of green and yellow zucchini served with a house made ricotta, apricot purée, chervil and a hint of mint. Each bite was better than the one before. We shared a bottle of Petit Chablis and the delightful, friendly sommelier confirmed that we couldn’t go wrong with our choice.  She was right! Fruity, light and delicious. Dessert is always my favorite part of any meal and the courgette cake (zucchini) was divine. A dreamy, light cream cheese frosting adorned this soaked, dense, sweet cake filled with bits of zucchini and carrots. I make zucchini cake (bread/muffins) often and nothing I’ve ever made even compares to this one. We also shared the white chocolate cream over a sweet crumble. It was such a pretty and light dessert. The staff made us feel so welcome and right at home from start to finish, an experience not to be missed and we can’t wait to see what else Chef has in the works. P.S. We are headed back tonight for the traditional English Sunday roast with the kids. Stay tuned!! #normandy #france #manche #bassenormandie #normandietourisme #restaurant #dinner #goodeats #edwarddellingwilliams
What a great way to wake up! Les demoiselles. Very What a great way to wake up! Les demoiselles. Very lite pastry with custard inside. #notadougnut #france #normandy #boulangerie #breakfastinbed #cafe #coffee #weekendvibes #sotired
The factory store was not open. Which is actually The factory store was not open. Which is actually a good thing for my wallet- for now. 😂 A quick trip to the lovely village of Villedieu Les Poeles to meet the train from Paris and lunch of galettes. #normandy #copper #copperpots #want #france #manche  #manchetourisme #gallettes #lunch
Today, we had an amazing lunch near to Granville. Today, we had an amazing lunch near to Granville. While we awaited stores to reopen we explored a little and found this gem of a place! What a beautiful setting and fabulous menu! The restaurant is part of a farm, La ferme de la Chèvre Rit. We sat outside in the sunshine and shared a demi bottle of clairet and a planche  with some of their homemade chèvre and terrines and meats. Then we had a salad with the most delicious pain d’épices topped with a lightly grilled chèvre and balsamic. We also had the basil risotto which was delicious and had just the perfect amount of cheese. Dessert was a delightfully light but rich chocolate molten cake with sweet cream and caramel and a crème brûlée. We wish we could have stayed for the whole afternoon. We will definitely have to go back again. #lestablesgranville #granville #lunch #normandy #bassenormandie #bassenormandietourisme #salad #risotto #chocolate #cremebrulee #thankyougooglemaps
First breakfast in France. It’s good to be back First breakfast in France. It’s good to be back here. #normandy #france #painauchocolat #chocolatecroissant #homeawayfromhome
It’s a two cocktail kind of night. Mojito and G& It’s a two cocktail kind of night. Mojito and G&T. #rum #sevenupmojito #hendricks #gin #cocktail #adultbeverage #roevwade #womensrights #voteblue
Britakakku. A Finnish summer cake made with layers Britakakku. A Finnish summer cake made with layers of cake, meringue, a whipped yogurt cream and fresh berries. It may look a mess but it’s quite tasty! Only two layers here but I’ve seen them quite tall! #britakakku #finnish #finnishfood #pastry #berries #summerfruit #summerdessert #dessert #summer #cake
Did someone want falafel for lunch? We may have a Did someone want falafel for lunch? We may have a few extras to share. Three pounds of chickpeas and a triple recipe. The best! 

Recipe from the cookbook, Israeli Soul by Michael Solomonov. We also made some sides (salatim) to go with. Roasted eggplant and garlic, Israeli salad of tomato, cucumbers, lemon and parsley. Grape leaves with herbed rice and tahini. 

So, so good. 

@mikesolomonov @soomfoods #kingswaypita #brooklyn #nyc #goldiefalafel #philly #israeli #israelifood #falafel #salatim #tahini #lunch #dinner #pita #sogood #yum
After two long years, The Long Island Greek Festiv After two long years, The Long Island Greek Festival is BACK! Gyros and lamb with orzo and lemon potatoes, Greek pastries (including the best, hot and crispy, light and airy loukamades!), carnival rides, games, and local artisans. So fun and a perfect evening weather wise. We will be back. Can’t resist all the good food! #greek #carnival #greekfestival #greekfood #loukamades #baklava #galaktoboureko #longisland #ny #nyc #greece #ligreekfestival #ligreekfest
Today’s Office. The iconic, Chrysler Building. A Today’s Office. The iconic, Chrysler Building. Art Deco at its finest. It’s simply gorgeous inside. I wish I had taken more photos- especially of the lobby and it’s ceiling but I snapped the elevator and it’s ceiling. Just stunning! Also a couple views on my walk to Penn Station. #librarywaynyc #nyc #chryslerbuilding #artdeco #nypl #bigqpple
Load More... Follow on Instagram

© Copyright 2017 Kitchen Conundrum · Privacy Policy & Disclosures · All Rights Reserved ·