BACK TO SCHOOL AND VILLAGE

When I was child, I considered myself to be terribly unlucky to come from Greece, famous for its beaches and islands but born and lived my childhood so far from the sea. This may be surprise for many people since it is widely believed that Greece is only islands and Athens. Over the years I have appreciated more my village. Nowdays, when I have enough time, I visit my little village which has only some  dozen residents where I enjoy the beautiful forest its serenity, the sounds of birds and the smell of the earth. The calmness that it provides is priceless. On my return to city I always carry with me a lot of local products such as fruits, vegetables, greek yogurt, pies, eggs, cheese and goat milk.  The last time I went to my village I returned with 4 storage boxes full of very juicy and sweet plums. After I gave some to my friends, I decided to make a jam and a plum cake with nuts and chocolate. Plum cake is energizing and delicious and ideal for snack or breakfast for the children  (since schools have opened again!) Give it a try and you won't regret it!!

Ingredients

For cake

1 ½ cup green plums chopped at small pieces
1 cup mixture of nuts
1 tablespoon of baking soda
2 eggs
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup vegetable butter
½ cup milk
1 cup brown sugar
1 ½ cups self-rising flour
1 cup hot water
A pinch of salt
A pinch of cinammon

For chocolate icing

225 gr. bitter chocolate¼ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon brandy (optionally)


Directions

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Butter a regular cake pan. Chop the mixture of nuts in a food processor. Put the chopped plums in hot water and wait till the temperature of water gets room temperature. Strain the plums for a while. Dissolve the baking soda in lemon juice. Beat the eggs slightly. Pour the sugar, the flour, the cinnamon and the pinch of salt in a bowl and combine them together till mixed well. Add dissolved soda to the mixture. Add the mixture of nuts and process using a mixer. Add butter, plums and milk and process some minutes more. 

Spread the mixture in the cake pan and bake for 50 minutes or test it using a toothpick. (Poke the toothpick in the middle of the cake and if they toothpick is dry it means that it is ready.) 

Melt chocolate in a bain-marie at low heat. Add butter, cream and brandy and mix well using a wooden spatula till your mixture becomes smooth. When cake and chocolate icing cool, spread chocolate icing over cake.

GREEK SALAD

(OR AS WE SAY IN GREEGE…VILLAGE SALAD)
Okay, let’s start with the basics! Greek salad is the most common summer salad in Greece. I don’t know even one Greek tavern or restaurant that doesn’t serve it. If you wonder why, take a look at the recipe below… It’s really simple, quick, delicious and the ingredients are easy to find (at least in Greece).



Ingredients 

4 Servings 

3 tomatoes
2 peppers
1 cucumber
½ red onion
3 ½ oz (100 grams) Feta cheese
4 tablespoons olive oil
A pinch of salt
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Some olives (green or black)

Steps

1. Cut the tomatoes into wedges.
2. Cut the peppers into rings.
3. Pill the cucumber and cut into small pieces.
4. Slice onion into rings.
5. Cut the Feta into cubes.
6. Put all the ingredients into a bowl.
7. Add the salt, the dried oregano, the olive oil and the olives.
8. Toss everything together.

Ready!!!

DO!!

• Don’t stick to the vegetables proportion. It doesn’t matter if you use 3-4 tomatoes it is a matter of taste nobody will understand the difference. 
• Try to find biologic vegetables, I know they are more expensive but the smell and taste will be much better. 
• Soak the onions rings into a bowl of water for a quarter. The water will reduce the burning when you eat them (As far for the smell of your breath after eating them sorry I don’t know any tips…) 
• Use low fat feta if you are keeping a low fat diet.

 DON’T!!!

Use the following ingredients: vinegar, lemon, mustard, mint, garlic, pepper, lettuce and basil! Just DON’T! Maybe some of them look really good choices but these aren’t used in Greek salad.

TIP

Combine the salad with fresh, bread and don’t be shy to soak your bread to the bowl!! It may be a rude eating habit but the olive oil with the juices of the vegetables and the bread are so delicious!