Despidoodle

the digital alias of Despina Panagakos Yeargin

  • Update From Athens Greece

    Update From Athens Greece

      An authentic Greek breakfast There is no brunch in Greece. No mimosas and poached eggs Benedict. No true Western-style breakfast–just whatever is on hand even in the most remote parts of Greece. This (photo above) was my hotel breakfast in Athens most mornings. A sesame-coated koulouri, original to Thessaloniki, but popular all over Greece,…

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  • Jamaican Italian

    Jamaican Italian

    Jamaican-Italian. Is that a thing? Well, yes and no. It’s actually my neighbor Tom, who is an Italian spiedie aficionado and a Jamaican Jerk chicken fan. Two different cuisines. Both delicious. Both full of flavor. Both on repeat at Tom’s house, and if you’re lucky enough, you’re invited to share in the meal, be it…

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  • Return of the #norecipe Recipe

    Return of the #norecipe Recipe

    Yes, no recipe. Just ingredients and a little guidance. Concerned? Doubtful? Not sure that you can accomplish a delicious dish in just minutes…without a recipe?  You can do it. Really. Follow along. Here’s my guidance in printable format. Today, we–you–are going to create a delicious salad for one person…or for two. Are you ready? Off…

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  • Greek Chickpea Salad

    Greek Chickpea Salad

    Grilling and picnicking weather is here for most of us. It’s a time to plan ahead and have those fabulous salads and sides that pair so well with sandwiches, fried chicken and all manner of grilled meats. My favorites hold up well, they’re easy to prepare and they are packed with nutritional diversity. I’m thinking…

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  • Beauty and Brainpower–Mushroom Power

    Beauty and Brainpower–Mushroom Power

    Lion’s Mane and more. It’s the new trend in vegan and vegetarian cooking, but there’s so much more to this mushroom than headlining trendy restaurant dishes for a while. Lion’s mane along with its cousins oyster and shiitake, are remarkable, especially as nutraceuticals. Huh?  The balerina-like pink oyster mushroom loaded with antioxidants. Nutraceuticals are not…

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  • Hamming It Up

    Hamming It Up

    Hamming it up, as in elevating ham leftovers. Let’s be honest, after you’ve cooked a ham, enjoyed it as a family lunch with potato salad, green beans and macaroni and cheese, you’ve done what you can do with that ham. Next, you remove the meat from the bone. You can freeze the bone to use…

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  • Gorgia Wine Country Hospitality

    Gorgia Wine Country Hospitality

    Everyone knows about the state of Georgia. Savannah. Atlanta. We also know about the mountains for quaint southern towns, for apple-eating in the fall and for the wonderful array of outdoor activities–hiking, boating, backpacking and camping. Now, raise your hand if you’ve ever called the North Georgia mountains “wine country.” Lamb porterhouse at Blueberry Hill…

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  • Bitter Better Beautiful

    Bitter Better Beautiful

    Bitter greens are not loved universally. Most Mediterranean countries use bitter greens (which aren’t always green) as a family dinner table staple. In Greece, we love dandelion greens and a type of wild chicory. Italians are more colorful, adding all kinds of purple lettuces/greens from the chicory family. My radicchio salad has purples and greens.…

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  • A Connecticut Yankee Cooks in the modern South

    A Connecticut Yankee Cooks in the modern South

    Our wonderful son-in-law Dan is a Connecticut Yankee living in the modern South. Transplanted to a warmer climate about ten years ago, he married my stepdaughter Emme, and is now fully adapted to the easier weather of the South Carolina coast. He also cooks and eats his share of grits and collards. Dan even saw…

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  • The Seven Days of Christmas – Day Seven

    The Seven Days of Christmas – Day Seven

    You did great! You planned ahead, set a lovely table, made the cocktail offering ahead of time, you wiped down the counters and you got it done! Bravo! You’ve finished dinner. Everyone is feeling happy and full. You want to enjoy the rest of the evening without having to worry about dessert. This is how…

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