Food Connects Us
Someone asked me recently what was one thing I remember about living in the Middle East and Cyprus. I told him it was food.
Recent Posts
Butternut Squash, Coconut and Chilli Soup
It’s dreich in Edinburgh today. That means it’s grey, drizzly and overcast. When it’s like this, my mood usually matches the weather – not much energy. But, what do we expect, it’s only June! Seriously though, in Scotland we are used to constant variations in the […]
Scones
For years, I struggled to make the perfect scone. They were either too flat, too heavy, too moist or too dry. They never turned out the way I wanted them to.
Then I decided I needed more focus rather than my usual hit and miss approach. I read books and recipes, watched TV cookery programmes, delved into the science of baking and baked and baked again.My research paid off and I’m glad to say I have come up with my idea of the perfect scone.
Hector’s Waldorf Salad
Hector’s Waldorf Salad is a combination of fresh raw apples, celery slices, broken walnuts and sultanas, mixed with good quality mayonnaise. I like it because it’s quick and easy to prepare, tastes fresh and crunchy and is a change from the quick sandwich I usually have […]
Afelia – Pork Cooked with Red Wine and Coriander Seeds
The colour was washed-out purple, like clothes that had accidentally been dyed in the washing machine. It looked nothing like the traditional Cypriot dish I had eaten in the local taverna the night before. However, the owner assured me that this was the genuine recipe.
Creamy Vegetable Mash
A winter dish in May? Surely, that can’t be right. It can if you live in Scotland. Our weather is bizarre and unpredictable most of the time.
I used to complain about the heat when I lived in Saudi Arabia and Cyprus. Today, I would love to be sitting on a balcony in Paphos, looking out over the Mediterranean. As I offer my face to the sun, I’m sipping a cold KEO beer and nibbling mezedhes.
Strapatsada and Greek Omelette
This very colourful omelette was served to me in Cyprus as the Greek dish strapatsada. Not knowing any better, I cooked it and called it by that name for years until I discovered that the only ingredients they both have in common are tomatoes, eggs and olive oil.
In The Organic Box This Week
Vibrant, crisp ruby chard, bright green courgettes, 2 firm red peppers, a few chestnut mushrooms and a small red cabbage. Plus the usual potatoes, carrots and onions.
Black-Eyed Beans with Spring Greens and Smoked Mackerel
I first came across these nutritious little beans in Paphos when I first went to live there in the early 1980’s. I thought they were like any dried bean, so I bought some from the grocer, took them home, soaked them overnight and next day put them in a large saucepan and left them to cook – for a long time.
It was the smell of burning I noticed first.
Spicy Nutty Rice with Prawns In Coriander and Garlic
I often make this dish on a Sunday evening when the weekend is winding down and I don’t want to spend more than about half an hour in the kitchen cooking. It’s also easy to prepare because the ingredients are ones I usually have in the cupboard, apart from the prawns, but I usually have a […]
