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greek_ggirl

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This is for all of the users that have a green thumb.... I've always wanted to grow olives in my backyard, but part of me thinks that they will never taste as good as the ones that I get from Greece. Is it even worth trying? For a little bit of context, I live in Montreal where the summers are warm but the winters are pretty cold and snowy. Has anyone tried this out themselves?
 
This is for all of the users that have a green thumb.... I've always wanted to grow olives in my backyard, but part of me thinks that they will never taste as good as the ones that I get from Greece. Is it even worth trying? For a little bit of context, I live in Montreal where the summers are warm but the winters are pretty cold and snowy. Has anyone tried this out themselves?
I didn't think olives grew well in climates like that? They wouldn't survive the winter - but maybe if you had the tree indoors or in a greenhouse?
 
I didn't think olives grew well in climates like that? They wouldn't survive the winter - but maybe if you had the tree indoors or in a greenhouse?
I live in New Jersey and we leave our olive tree out starting in May until October. Then bring in to basement with grow lights. Get lots of olives. Good luck.
 
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I live in New Jersey and we leave our olive tree out starting in May until October. Then bring in to basement with grow lights. Get lots of olives. Good luck.
Wow this is an amazing idea. Does it take a lot of work to keep the plants from dying when you bring them inside? I would love to get started on this project
 
Wow this is an amazing idea. Does it take a lot of work to keep the plants from dying when you bring them inside? I would love to get started on this project
Not at all. We have it in a large pot and wheel it in. We have grow lights on a timer and maybe water it every 3-4 weeks during the winter.
 
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You’ll probably get decent fruit for a while, but long term mulberries want space. I keep mine smaller by pruning after fruiting, works better than trying to cage the roots. Funny thing, I got into indoor plants at the same time, and they’ve taught me a lot about controlling size with pots and pruning.
 
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How Much Garlic in a Batch of Tzatziki?

How much garlic do you usually put in a batch of tzatziki? I think I may be using a little too much. I usually make mine with about 2 cups of Greek yogurt and 4 cloves of garlic, along with cucumber, olive oil, and the other usual ingredients.

It tastes great when I first make it, but we usually take about three days to finish the batch. By the second or third day, the garlic flavor and smell become really strong. Some people in my household love that and don’t mind it at all, but others think it becomes a bit overpowering. I’m starting to agree that four cloves might be too much, especially since the garlic seems to get stronger as it sits.

What do you all do? How many cloves would you use for about 2 cups of Greek yogurt?

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.

How does your family season dolmades?

I’ve been thinking about how much dolmades can vary from one family to another, especially when it comes to seasoning. Even when the basic ingredients are similar, the flavor can be completely different depending on which herbs and spices are used.

How does your family season dolmades? Do you use mostly dill and parsley, or do you add mint as well? I’ve also seen recipes that include green onions, oregano, or even a little cinnamon, especially when meat is part of the filling.

I’m curious whether you season the rice mixture pretty heavily before rolling the grape leaves or keep it simple and let the lemon and olive oil provide most of the flavor. Does your family add lemon juice directly to the filling, or only during cooking and serving?

I’d especially love to hear about any regional or family traditions. What gives your dolmades their distinctive flavor?

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.

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?
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