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d_kakavouli

Active member
I love sesame biscottis! This is what you'll need: 3/4 cup tahini, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cardamom or cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup orange juice, 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds. Mix all of the dry ingredients then the wet ingredients separately. Then combine all of them together and bake at 375 until golden :) I like to coat mine in plenty of sesame seeds but that's optional

Sesami-Biskoti-720x480.jpg
 
These look delicious! I adore sesame seeds, I find they taste great in a cookie like this.
 

Did your family use beef or lamb in Greek dishes?

My family cooked according to what was available. So, it was mostly beef - even though I preferred lamb for the most part. This used to bother me, because I wondered if I had missed out on something essential in Greek cooking. Then I realized, the constant in Greek cooking is to use the freshest ingredients. Lamb that had to come to the United States from New Zealand wasn't always the best choice!

So, in retrospect, I don't mind it. I feel blessed I learned that essential lesson early. That Greek cooking is all about preserving the freshness of the food and adapting when you needed to. How about you? Did your family use beef, lamb, something else?

What traditional Greek foods do you still cook at home?

Lately I’ve been realizing how much my everyday cooking has drifted away from traditional Greek food. I still love it just as much, but instead of making it at home, I often end up going out to Greek restaurants for the dishes I really crave.

There are a few things I still make regularly, though. Spanakopita is one that never fully left my kitchen, and there are a handful of simple, familiar flavors I return to when I want something comforting. But many of the dishes I grew up loving — the ones that feel more involved or time-consuming — have slowly turned into “restaurant foods” for me instead of home foods.

It made me curious about how this plays out for other people. Which traditional Greek dishes do you still cook at home on a regular basis? Are there foods you love but mostly eat out now instead? And what determines whether something stays part of your home cooking versus becoming a special treat?

Good taverna dishes to cook at home?

I’m hoping to get some ideas from people who love Greek taverna food as much as I do. Every time I’m in Greece, I’m reminded how simple and satisfying taverna dishes can be, nothing fancy, just good ingredients cooked well. I’d love to start making more of those classic, everyday taverna-style dishes at home.

I’m especially interested in foods that translate well to a home kitchen and don’t require special equipment or hard-to-find ingredients. Think dishes you’d expect to see on a handwritten menu: things that are comforting, shareable, and full of flavor rather than overly complicated.

What are your go-to taverna dishes that you regularly cook at home? Are there any that surprised you by being easier than they look when ordered out? I’d also love tips on what makes home-cooked versions feel more “taverna-like”, whether it’s technique, ingredients, or even how you serve them.

New Greek Food Trends?

I’ve been curious lately about whether food trends show up in Greece the same way they do in the U.S. and other countries. Here, it feels like there’s always a new wave, fusion concepts, ingredient obsessions, reinterpretations of older dishes, or even whole eating styles that come and go.

When I think of Greece, I tend to picture the cuisine as more fixed and stable, rooted in tradition and everyday habits. But I’m starting to wonder if that’s an incomplete picture. Are there noticeable trends happening now, either in restaurants or home cooking? Things like lighter versions of classic dishes, new ingredient pairings, regional foods becoming more popular, or influences from travel and immigration?

I’d love to hear from people who live in Greece or visit often. Does food culture shift there over time, or does it resist trend cycles more than other places? And for those outside Greece, have you noticed changes in how Greek food is presented or cooked compared to earlier years?

Favorite Way to Make Giouvetsi?

Giouvetsi has always felt like one of those dishes that’s simple on paper but somehow deeply personal once you start talking about how it’s made. I’ve seen it done with beef, with lamb, even occasionally with chicken, and the seasoning seems to vary from house to house. Some people lean heavier on cinnamon and allspice, while others keep it more tomato-forward and savory.

I’m curious how others like to prepare it. Do you brown the meat first and then finish it in the oven with the kritharaki, or do you cook it more slowly on the stovetop? Do you add grated cheese at the end, and if so, which kind?

Is there a version that feels most “right” to you, or one you grew up with that you still prefer?
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