WriterCooksGreek: December 2013

Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all the people around the world.

May the sun shine on a Peaceful, Prosperous, Gentle World.

Enjoy!

Maria

Friday, December 27, 2013

There's nothing like a fresh, local egg that has been produced by chickens you have actually met. I grew up on these kinds of eggs as a child in Cyprus. But, ever since I came to New York I had relied on store-bought eggs.

Until I met Nina! For the past six years or so I have been buying Nina's eggs, laid by her "girls"! Nina lives on the other side of town and has been keeping two sets of chickens, in two chicken coops. One in the lower part of her property and the other at the top. Hence "uptown girls".

When I need eggs I simply drive over to Nina's Red Barn Farm and walk inside the barn. The freshly laid eggs are set in a fridge and you buy them with the old fashioned honor system. The price is posted, you get your eggs, leave the money in the box and off you go to make an omelet!

I always go around the side and visit with the girls who are busy pecking away either inside the coop or outside in the fenced off yard. There are red feathered girls and, my favorite, the araucana chickens who have a black and white plume and lay light blue or light green eggs. The rooster is of course forever chasing the girls doing his part to make those eggs.

You have seen Nina's eggs in many of my posts and there they are frying up sunny side up. The yolks are bright yellow, firm and large. The whites are clear and firm. These are the tastiest eggs ever!

When you have a choice, always go for local, homegrown eggs. And don't forget to say hello to the girls!

Enjoy!

Maria

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Titan Foods, Astoria, The Greek Store

When I go to Astoria to visit my parents, I never fail to stop by Titan www.titanfoods.net, the Greek Food Superstore. There's everything a Greek heart(stomach) desires and more. It's a one-stop-shop for your cheeses, olives, olive oils, phyllo, pita breads, beans, stuffed vine leaves, oregano and thyme and much more. They also have the prepared spinach pies and cheese pies (the best!)that you can pick up with a cup of coffee for a quick but substantial snack. The pastries cannot be beat for taste and freshness. Recently they've added a hot foods station and I hear they have an excellent new chef, recently arrived from Greece. And did I mention the tsoureki, a Greek sweet bread like Challah bread? I buy it for French toast the next morning(if it lasts until then). If I sound like a fan club it's because I love this place and am really grateful they are around so we can get our Greek fix.