Olive oil should always be virgin and unprocessed and preferably unblended. Of course I want you to use Cretan olive oil which is, I think, the best in the World, but you may not be able to buy it where you live. I do know a very nice man who will sell you some and ship it to you, but you need to buy 10kgs so that it can go in a metal container.
Herbs can be fresh or dried. I usually use fresh because they are better of course. If you do use dried herbs then be careful because they are a lot stronger in taste than fresh ones!
The rice we use in Greece is usually grown in Greece (you didn’t even know we grew rice did you?), and is a short grain type that goes sticky when cooked, this is better for stuffed vegetables because it holds together better when it is cooked.
Salt and pepper are essential in many dishes but by all means leave the salt out and leave up to the person eating it how much they put on. Some things like pastry and bread do not work without it!
Adjust the quantities you cook to suit yourself, you will notice that most of these recipes give you vast quantities of food, this is because most Cretan households have an extended family, all of whom may turn up without warning. It is therefore essential to be able to feed twice the number of people at a moment’s notice. (This is probably why Greek dining tables always seem to seat at least twelve people).
Having a problem getting an ingredient or some food that you have had in Greece? Depending on what it is I can probably get it for you and ship by mail. You will have to pay for it of course!
Need a specific recipe? Let me know and I will publish it for everyone else to try.
Egg and lemon sauce is quite commonly used in Cretan cooking. You make it by beating together, briskly two eggs and the juice from two lemons and pouring it into the saucepan with everything else right at the end. IT MUST BE DONE OVER A VERY LOW HEAT OTHER WISE YOU WILL END UP WITH LEMON FLAVOURED SCRAMBLED EGGS. The aim to to thicken the juice in the pan, and it give the dish ‘body’ not to form a demi-glace or make gravy!
