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toniiv

Active member
I love experimenting with Greek desserts at home. I also love ouzo, and it got me wondering—are there any traditional Greek desserts that incorporate ouzo?

I know ouzo is usually enjoyed as a drink, but I’ve heard it can sometimes be used in baking or syrups. Maybe in cakes, pastries, or even spoon sweets? I’d love to try making something unique that has that signature anise flavor.

Has anyone tried or made a Greek dessert with ouzo? Maybe an ouzo-infused syrup for baklava or a cake that uses it in the batter? I’m open to all suggestions—baked, fried, creamy, or anything in between!

Would love to hear your ideas or recipes. Thanks in advance!
 
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I love experimenting with Greek desserts at home. I also love ouzo, and it got me wondering—are there any traditional Greek desserts that incorporate ouzo?

I know ouzo is usually enjoyed as a drink, but I’ve heard it can sometimes be used in baking or syrups. Maybe in cakes, pastries, or even spoon sweets? I’d love to try making something unique that has that signature anise flavor.

Has anyone tried or made a Greek dessert with ouzo? Maybe an ouzo-infused syrup for baklava or a cake that uses it in the batter? I’m open to all suggestions—baked, fried, creamy, or anything in between!

Would love to hear your ideas or recipes. Thanks in advance!
I have a chocolate cake on my blog that has ouzo - it's really good! Check it out here and let me know what you think. ?
 
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Yes! Ouzo can definitely be used in Greek desserts, and it adds a wonderful anise flavor. One classic way to incorporate it is in ouzo-infused syrup—this works beautifully for baklava, revani (semolina cake), or diples (fried pastry strips). Just add a splash of ouzo to your honey syrup after removing it from heat so the aroma stays intact.

For baked treats, try ouzo koulourakia (Greek butter cookies with ouzo). The ouzo gives them a light, fragrant flavor that pairs well with orange zest. Another great option is ouzo-spiked loukoumades (Greek honey puffs)—a bit of ouzo in the batter enhances their taste.

If you're feeling adventurous, you can also add ouzo to panna cotta-style Greek yogurt mousse or even make ouzo-infused spoon sweets like fig or cherry.

Hope you enjoy experimenting—let us know what you try!
 
I always add ouzo to my honey syrup after taking it off the heat - the anise flavor really shines through that way.
 

What is the secret to making really good Greek lemon potatoes?

I've been making Greek lemon potatoes for years, and it's one of those dishes I make completely by feel. I don't measure anything, and I never really thought about how I make them because it's all second nature to me.

Recently, I tried teaching someone how to make them. Everything seemed straightforward while we were cooking together, but when they went home and tried making them on their own, all kinds of things went wrong! The potatoes weren't cooking evenly, the texture wasn't quite right, and the lemon flavor didn't come through the way it should.

It made me realize how much I rely on instinct when cooking traditional Greek food. I rarely write down recipes, so explaining every little detail is harder than I expected!

For those who make Greek lemon potatoes regularly, what tips would you give someone who's just learning?

Favorite Greek Cheeses Beyond Feta

Feta gets most of the attention when people talk about Greek cheese, but there are so many other varieties worth trying. I’m curious which Greek cheeses everyone enjoys most beyond feta.

Graviera is one of my favorites because it works so well on a cheese plate, grated over dishes, or just eaten with bread. Kasseri is another one I really like, especially melted. I’ve also been interested in trying more regional cheeses like metsovone, manouri, kefalotyri, and formaela.

Some Greek cheeses seem to be much easier to find outside Greece than others, so I’d also love to know which ones people regularly buy and where they usually find them.

What Greek cheeses do you keep coming back to? Are there certain ones you associate with a particular region, dish, or family tradition? And if someone has mostly eaten feta, which Greek cheese would you recommend they try next?

Do you put potatoes in your briam?

I've noticed that there are quite a few variations of briam, especially when it comes to which vegetables people include. One ingredient I'm particularly curious about is potatoes. Do you always put potatoes in your briam, or do you prefer making it without them?

I usually think of briam as a combination of zucchini, eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and plenty of olive oil. I love how the potatoes absorb all those wonderful flavors as everything slowly roasts together in the oven.

However, I've seen recipes that leave the potatoes out entirely and focus more on the summer vegetables. I imagine that makes the dish a little lighter.

I'm also curious whether there are regional differences in how briam is prepared throughout Greece. Does your family have a particular way of making it? And what vegetables do you consider absolutely essential?

What Is the Best Way to Serve Taramosalata?

I absolutely love taramosalata and have it pretty regularly at home, but I’m having some people over soon and was wondering about the best way to serve it when entertaining.

Normally I just eat it with some bread or pita, so I don’t really put much thought into presentation. For guests, though, I’d like to make it part of a nice Greek-style spread with a few other things on the table. I was thinking warm pita triangles, crusty bread, maybe some cucumber and other vegetables for dipping, but I’m curious what everyone else usually serves with it.

Do you drizzle a little olive oil over the top or add any kind of garnish? And are there particular meze that you think pair especially well with taramosalata?

I’d love some ideas for making it look a little more special while still keeping everything traditional and simple.

Do You Put Cinnamon in Your Keftedes?

I’m curious how everyone here makes keftedes, especially when it comes to cinnamon. I know some Greek families add a little cinnamon to the meat mixture, while others would never think of putting it in.

In my experience, even a small amount can change the flavor quite a bit. It gives the keftedes a warmer, slightly sweeter spice in the background, but I can also see how it might not be for everyone. I’ve had versions that lean more heavily on oregano, mint, parsley, garlic, and onion instead.

Do you put cinnamon in your keftedes? If you do, how much do you usually use, and was that something your family always did? I’d also be curious to know if it varies depending on what part of Greece your family comes from.

Would love to hear how everyone seasons theirs and what you consider essential for really good keftedes.
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