We had a small Greek themed meal the other night, and it was only fitting to have Moussaka as the main dish. As is tradition, we had many courses and a variety of tasty experiences to go with various Greek wines brought in for the occasion. Part of me is happy that the secret of Greek wines is unknown in our country, but part of me is saddened that the experience is relatively new or absent even among the most cultivated.
Nothing says home for the holidays like homemade ‘egg nog’. There is something very ‘American’ about this favorite beverage. President Washington had his own recipe and — to me — it makes it all the more intriguing and special. George Washington combined rye whiskey, Jamaican rum, brandy (I use Armagnac) and sherry; however, he was vague about anything beyond the additions of milk and cream… so I had to improvise a bit.
Now, as for flavorings, I added about a teaspoon and a half of the following mixture to the egg yolks during preparation: nutmeg (4 parts), cloves (1 part), ginger (2 parts), allspice (1 part), mace ( 1 part) and cinnamon ( 1 part).
Here we are in the middle of baking season and midst all the holidays and the question arises, “what should we be baking now?” Personally, I think the answer is,”whatever you want!” However, most home chefs don’t want to spoil their major plans by preparing things that will only reappear at the major family and social gatherings… so I suggest making desserts you enjoy that normally don’t make their appearance during this time of year.
Doing something sweet and unexpected will always raise a smile… especially a Key Lime Pie made with cream and a Meringue that really holds together! As a reminder… here is how I like it!
My favorite memories of people, places, things and events are often the subtle accents of those occasions and the right food always made it perfect. Whether we had resources or not, like Bob Cratchit, we would make the best meal we could with what we had… and the extra effort often made the difference. The Favorite foods of people around the world continue to fascinate me and when I learned of a pie made on one of the Greek Islands, I just had to learn all about it.
The simple Honey Pie made on the Island of Siphnos is called ‘Melopita.’ It is made with the by product of making cheese … referred to as whey. The cheese Myzithra is made from sheep or goat whey and is said — and I concur — to resemble the taste of Ricotta ( one of my favorite whey cheeses). Using this humble cheese, a pie is made with sugar , eggs and honey and a sprinkling of cinnamon on the top after the pie is baked. Traditionally, this is a dessert served during Easter, but I hear tell that you can find it almost all year round on the island now-a-days.
There are many variations of this pie. Some make it with lemon and dub it ‘Siphnopitta’ , others add a dash of brandy and some add raisins and almonds. You will find recipes that include baking powder and butter. Although I do not make it this way, I do like the recipes that use raisins soaked in brandy (like mybread pudding ). Nevertheless, regardless of the variation you choose to make, I can’t imagine making it with anything other than soft and sweet Greek Myzithra cheese.
Pictures from the Greek Islands. Siphnos in the upper left and located on the map. Laura is swimming on the Island Of Hydra.
The basic traditional recipe from the island of Siphos has the following proportions:
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39 ounces of Myzithra cheese
1 cup of sugar ( they refer to a ‘glass’ of sugar which is 200ml or roughly 1 cup)
6 eggs
3/4 cup of honey
cinnamon for powdering the pie after baking
Mix and pour into a precooked pie shell
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Basically, they instruct you to bake the pie for roughly50 minutes at 200 Celsius (392 F.)… however, I would bake it more in steps like a cheesecake with an initial higher temperature that is significantly reduced.
Although my pie is a bit different, it doesn’t vary too much from the essentials and I will post it around Christmas time.
Make some memories with your holiday cuisine… everyone will love you for it!
I am sure you know many people who don’t like what some refer to as ‘smelly cheese’. The issue is to never use said cheese in it’s undiluted form… most recipes blend strongly flavored cheeses with milder varieties to find something acceptable to most people. ( As previously discussed in another post, such is the case with blending Feta cheese with Ricotta — a whey cheese — in Greek cheese turnovers.) As a ‘super taster’, I enjoy a flavorful cuisine; however, I prefer not to be hit over the head with a wheel of Limburger! Compare your recipes… you’ll like it better if it isn’t too strong to start.
Roquefort and Blue cheese dressings that are creamy with the right amount of tang are preferred. Although some may disagree, I use a blender to smooth out the Roquefort dressing and minimized the experience of finding a large chunk in ones salad! By the way, did you know that Roquefort is made from Sheep’s milk?
Here’s how I like it:
(3 servings)
3.5 oz. of Roquefort Cheese
1/3 cup of sour cream
1/3 cup of heavy cream
salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste ( about 3/4 tablespoon total)
1/2 teaspoon wine vinegar ( I have a favorite Italian I use)
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon Worcester sauce
Blend with a hand mixer until desired consistency ( very small pieces of cheese are visible). I usually chill the dressing a few hours before serving.
