Author: Despina Yeargin

  Every place we visit has that one traditional recipe. In Budapest, everyone I asked called out Chicken Paprikash without hesitation. It’s been the same here in Kalamata, the capital of Messinia. Everyone says gournopoula–slowly roasted pork on a spit. Typically it’s a whole suckling pig, but places that serve other roasted meats may only…

My theia/aunt Xakousti making coffee for us…at age 94! This Sparta update is actually from Kalamata, where we’ve been busy walking and eating. Imagine that! More on Kalamata later. In Sparta (or Sparti as it’s known in Greek) we traveled mostly by foot, which is a good thing, because the food was fantastic and we…

Tom Tallet. Friend, foodie, mixologist and home cook. In the previous post, we learned about Tom’s love of spiedies, the American-Italian marinated kebabs popular (very popular) in the Binghamton, New York area. A beloved food tradition since the 1920s and 30s when Italian immigrants began serving them in restaurants. Lisa’s steamed cabbage, island-style. It’s officially…

  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,…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…