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axariotisxy

Active member
I have been working on keeping an indoor oregano plant alive because I love the flavor of the fresh herb. Other herbs I like to cook with include parsley, chives, mint, and dill. Do these all grow well indoors?

I have a nice, large windowsill near my kitchen and I have room for about 3 or 4 more herbs. I am trying to figure out which plants to grow. The window gets moderate sun and has a heating vent near it.
 
I would definitely do oregano, chives, parsley, and mint. I am not sure about dill - I have personally had trouble growing it indoors. Keep some seed packets handy because as you're trying to get them to grow, you may need to add more seeds. None of these need a lot of water, but you should check the plants every few days and water as needed. Rotate them a quarter turn once a week so they can get even sunlight.
 
Your setup sounds promising for most of those herbs. I manage similar herbs in small pots and recently added a few new ones from house plants to expand my collection indoors. The quality and care guides there made choosing easy. For your mint, consider a separate container to control spreading, and keep rotating those pots for even light.
 

What Greek Foods Do You Start Craving in the Fall?

I've been thinking more about seasonal eating lately, especially from a Greek perspective. Summer Greek food feels so naturally tied to the season with tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, fresh herbs, grilled foods, and plenty of fruit. But once the weather starts cooling down, I find myself wondering what traditional Greek foods really feel like fall.

Are there certain dishes you start making as soon as September or October arrives? I'm thinking of foods like fasolada, giouvetsi, trahana soup, baked dishes, savory pies, and recipes using apples, grapes, walnuts, chestnuts, pumpkin, or other fall ingredients.

I'd especially love to hear about foods that were seasonal in your family rather than dishes you ate year-round. Were there certain meals your yiayia or parents always started making when the weather changed?

What Greek foods make you think, "Okay, fall is officially here"?

Vegetarian Pastitsio Options?

I’ve been thinking about making a vegetarian version of pastitsio, but I’m not sure what would work best in place of the traditional meat sauce. I’d still like it to taste rich and satisfying and keep some of the character of the original dish rather than turning it into a completely different casserole.

Has anyone here made vegetarian pastitsio before? I was thinking lentils might work well because they would give the sauce some substance, especially with tomato, onion, cinnamon, and the other usual seasonings. Mushrooms also seem like they could add a nice savory flavor, either on their own or mixed with lentils. I’ve even seen versions using eggplant or zucchini.

I’d definitely keep the pasta and béchamel the same. What filling have you had the most success with? I’d especially love ideas that still taste traditionally Greek rather than just being a generic vegetarian pasta bake.

Favorite Greek dishes from childhood?

What are some of your favorite Greek dishes from childhood? I always find it interesting how certain foods can bring back such specific memories of family, holidays, Sunday dinners, or time spent with grandparents.

For some people, it might be something comforting like avgolemono soup, pastitsio, or moussaka. For others, it could be something much simpler, like bread with feta, horta, fasolakia, or a particular pie that someone in the family always made.

I’d especially love to hear about dishes that were common in your household but maybe aren’t as well known outside your family or region of Greece. Were there foods you didn’t appreciate much as a child but love now? Or dishes you still make exactly the way your mother or grandmother did?

What Greek foods immediately take you back to childhood, and what memories do you associate with them? Are there any family recipes you’ve made sure to keep alive?

Do you put potatoes in your moussaka?

My family has never made moussaka with potatoes, so I always grew up thinking of it as layers of eggplant, meat sauce, and béchamel. Recently, though, I had moussaka at a restaurant that included a layer of potatoes, and I absolutely loved it.

The potatoes gave it a little more substance and seemed to soak up some of the flavors from the meat sauce. It made the whole dish feel even more comforting without taking away from the eggplant.

Now I’m curious about how common this is in Greece and in Greek families. Is adding potatoes considered traditional in certain regions, or is it simply one of those variations that depends on the household?

If you make moussaka at home, do you include potatoes? And if you do, do you use them along with eggplant or in place of some of it?

What is your favorite meat to cook on the grill Greek-style?

What is your favorite meat to cook on the grill Greek-style? I always think Greek grilling is at its best when the seasoning is fairly simple and the flavor of the meat still comes through.

Lamb is probably the first thing that comes to mind, especially chops seasoned with olive oil, lemon, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pork souvlaki is another favorite, and chicken can be excellent when it has had enough time to marinate. I also really enjoy biftekia on the grill, especially when they are seasoned with herbs and served with lemon potatoes, salad, or grilled pita.

I’d love to hear what everyone else prefers. Do you usually grill lamb, pork, chicken, sausages, or something else? Are there any particular marinades, seasonings, or family techniques you always use? And what sides do you normally serve with a Greek-style grilled meal?
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