So happy that Christmas is around the corner!  We have already decorated our tree and now we are waiting.  I love everything about this holiday.  The decorations, the festivities, Santa himself :)  and of course all the food that comes with it!  We as Greeks have our own type of celebrations for Christmas and of course our own type of desserts.  One of the desserts that is famous this time of the year is the Melomakarona (Μελομακάρονα).  It is a type of cookie made with olive oil and walnuts, baked and then soaked lightly in this syrup made from sugar, water and lots of honey!  It is a fasting type of dessert since the month before Christmas is a fasting month and to tell you the truth it is sad that we only eat this during Christmas.  We should be eating them the whole year round! :)  They come in small pieces and usually you can eat one or two at a time - kind alike a treat - and it's all it takes to leave this fine sweet taste in your mouth.  The aroma of cinnamon, cloves, and cognac combined with the taste of honey is all it takes to warm your soul in the cold winter months.  Try making them and you won't regret it!
Kali Oreksi!
​Dia, Kostas and Tony

Ingredients for about 40 pieces:

• 130g walnuts
  
• 160g sugar
• 320g good quality olive oil
• 75g cognac
• 180g orange juice
• orange peel form one medium orange
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  
• 700g flour

for the syrup:

• 275g water
  
• 255g sugar
• 375g honey
  
• couple drops of lemon juice
  

350 - 400g walnuts for sprinkling

for more information on how to make Melomakarona please click here

Hello everyone and so so sorry for taking so long to write!  A lot has happened but all in good time we will share with you all the details.  Just as a summary though we made a trip to Africa where we visited Ethiopia.  We were welcomed by people there and we left with the best memories.  We are planning to go again.  Till then...let's focus on cooking.  
We are going through the last month of 2015 and I can't believe that the year is almost over...so fast!  As we get older I think time flies even faster.  It's like we are entering a different dimension of time :)  December is one month that is all about the cooking.  Christmas dinner, desserts, baking, and in general all the different aromas that are coming from the kitchen are just delicious!  Today is a special celebration.  St Barbara is being celebrated Greece.  There is a tradition in northern Greece where they cook this dessert type called barbara (βαρβάρα).  It is made of boiled wheat, raisins, dried figs, sugar, and roasted flour to thicken the mixture.  It is served warm with sprinkled walnuts, roasted almonds, and cinnamon and it is usually eaten in the morning since it is kinda heavy.  Lots of calories but in a cold December morning I can't imagine a better breakfast!  Here in UAE, we put the AC down a little and we ate it despite being warm outside :)  Try it and you won't regret it!
Kali Oreksi and happy names day to all the Barbaras out there!
Dia, Kostas and Tony 

Ingredients for 6 people:

• 250g whole wheat
• 150g sugar
• 150g golden raisins
• 180g dried figs
• 20g flour
• 2+1/2 lt water

For garnish:

• almonds
• walnuts
• cinammon