What did you eat on Easter?

[toggleswitch]

Easter Sunday 23-Apr-2006

Yiaya Bubble's little shrine happens to show an icon of the ressurection on the left and Mother Mary on the right.

I personally don't like the silver and gold clad version of Saints, but the faces and hands are never covered as that would be like idolatry which is a big no-no. Icons are venrerated NOT worshipped, they serve to trigger a reminder of events and people. Period.

In the center is an electrified version of a hanging traditional oil-burning votive light/lamp.

 

[toggleswitch]

Easter Sunday 23-Apr-2006

Another little shrine in the house with an actual oil-burning candle

 

[toggleswitch]

Easter Sunday 23-Apr-2006

So now that I have set-up the scenario, let's get to what was for dinner.

Appetizers- Feta cheese.

I know, what a shock, what a surpise. A gourmet goat's milk cheese. What can I say? It comes with the territory

*LOL*

 

[toggleswitch]

Easter Sunday 23-Apr-2006

Caviar dip/spread

*Taramosalata*

http://www.eatgreektonight.com/recipe.cfm?TypeID=1&RecipeID=12

 

[toggleswitch]

Easter Sunday 23-April-2006

Eggplant dip
Melitzanosalata
(Baba Ganouj)

Hold the cumin [That is a spice ]

http://www.emerils.com/recipes/by_name/melitzanosalata_(eggplant_salad).html

 

[toggleswitch]

Easter Sunday 23- April-2006

Peas in tomato sauce, dill and onions

http://www.recipezaar.com/135254

 

[toggleswitch]

Easter Sunday 23-April-2006

Salad
Eggplant dip
Peas in tomato sauce and onions with dill.

 

[toggleswitch]

Easter Sunday 23-April-2006

Keftedakia- or cocktail/appetizer meatballs to you, sir

HA! Garlic; Get real.
The ouzo (anisette)is optional

MINT is *the bomb* and the magic/mystery ingredient.

http://www.globalgourmet.com/destinations/greece/keftedak.html

 

[toggleswitch]

Easter Sunday 23- April-2006

Tsoureki (sweet) holiday bread.
Mystery spices- masticha and mahlep(i). It's too involved. Look it up. *LOL*

Kasseri cheese
Calamata black olives (never EVER pitted or from a can!)
Over roasted potanoes.
Spanakopita(spinach-pie) This is one with home-made dough. (I have posted the recipe before, 2 versions IIRC).

 

[toggleswitch]

Easter Sunday 23-April-2006

and,of course, the obligatory roasted lamb. (This has some religious symbolism as well).

 

[polkanut]

Steve,

Although my heritage is Bohemian/Pommeranian, I absolutely love ouzo as an appetizer. I love the way it clouds when poured over the rocks.

 

[toggleswitch]

Easter Sunday 23-April-2006

Dessert.

Not shown~

Fresh fruit
Ice cream
various pies

Here are some -eyes roll- Greek cookies

Kourambiedes
Melamakarona
Finikia

http://www.recipesource.com/ethnic/europe/greek/kourambiedes1.html

 

[toggleswitch]

Easter Sunday 23-April-2006

Recipe for other cookies, as above.

http://www.explorecrete.com/traditions/christmas-recipes.htm

 

[toggleswitch]

Living well is the BEST revenge.

So thank you for allowing me to hijack this thread.

KALI OREKSI- Bon appetito

So is there anyone out there who has not tasted Toggle's treats and still wants to?

*LOL*

COOKING IS NOT A CHORE.
IT IS AN ART.

 

[toggleswitch]

Gratuitous appliance pics

Whirlpool DW cira 1992

Tub a la plastique.
Mechanical timer.
Wash tower.

 

[toggleswitch]

Gratuitous appliance pics

WP DW

 

[toggleswitch]

Gratuitous appliance pics

and in the basement *SHHHHHH* be vewwy quiet we gotta catch the wabbit.... we have a 1985 24 inch (60cm) Direct-Drive Kenmore. Never been repaired. (knock on wood).

I'm getting mom a new machine and taking this one with her blessings.

 

[toggleswitch]

Gratuitous appliance pics

console...

and no gossip about the schmootz. She is 66 y.o. and can't see it anymore. Literally.

 

[toggleswitch]

Gratuitous appliance pics

My what a big opening.

Did you notice the 4 foot wide (120 cm)double porcelain sink? Left side is a deep laundry tub. Right side is a shallower dish sink. There sere standard-issue and required in NYC for decades.

Good thing is........ out it comes and sink and DW replce it perfectly.

 

[toggleswitch]

Gratuitous appliance pics

Y finalmente tenemos la secadora...

Maytag 1992 gas.

Brown console. Thermostatic auto-dry. Two temps. Sorry no console pic :-(

 

[toggleswitch]

Thanks to all for indulging me and allowing me to spew my non-sense forth.

STICK A FORK IN ME I'M (OVER) DONE.

*HUGS*

 

[sudsmaster]

I like that porcelain dual laundry sink. Very nice.

 

[urarachu]

Toggle looks like you had one delicious day!

 

[brettsomers]

omg

those food pictures just blew my mind! my mouth is WATERING right now!

 

[petek]

Wow what a spread and as usual I'm insanely jealous of all those flowering shrubs and tree's, mine are barely in bud. That's the same dw my mom has though hers is white.

 

[tlee618]

Hi Steve, Thanks so much for sharing your Easter with us!! The food all looked great. I bet that leg of lamb was out of this world. Would also love to have the recipe for the Tsoureki, the sweet bread I believe. I can tell all of you that cooking with Steve is not a chore but a pure labor of love!! Terry

 

[toggleswitch]

Here is my source..LOL

Terry,
Cooking with you is the greatest pleasure!

(The Greek lettering says "HELLINIKON ZACHAROPLASTEION"
HELLINIKON=> The HELLENES or GREEKS
ZACHARY=> SACCHARIDES => SUGAR
PLASTEION=> PLASTEIN Root of plastic/ plaster *to mold*
or sugar-molders, sugar-formers=> Greek Sweet-shop/bakery

-Steve

http://www.eatgreektonight.com/recipes/desserts/tsoureki.html

 

[toggleswitch]

Did you notice in the list of ingredients:

All are pronouncable.

No fillers, poly-, mono- or di-glycerides, no artifical flavors or perservatices, etc.

*SIGH*

 

[toggleswitch]

Easter Sunday 23-April-2006

Bread Machine Recipe- (2 lb. machine)
Toggle's Sweet Tsoureki Bread.

4 cups bread flour
3/4 cups milk
1/3 cups water
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter (4 Tablespoons)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 Tsp. Masticha (Pellets) ground to powder
1/4 Tsp. Mahlepi (Seeds) ground to powder
1 Tsp. yeast
2 Tablespoons orange juice.

Use the "Sweet" or "Dessert" bread cycle if possible.

Terry: I will get you the spices and send, PLEASE remind me. My mind is long gone. Your soon-to-be new neighborhood will have these in the future!

ENJOY!

 

[rayjay]

Hi Steve, It looks like you had such a GREAT EASTER. Great looking family,and wonderful looking food. My mouth is watering here. And yes......this is a "Taureans delight" LOL.
It is do nice that these traditions are still being kept. I have learned at lot from mom and grandma, and try to keep these traditions myself. However, this year we were at my godmother's who does not keep a lot of these Polish traditions. However, my mom did carve a lamb out of butter for the Easter table, and my brother made the traditional 'BABKA, Easter bread. We ususally, have ham, kielbasi, fresh horseradish, sometimes lamb also, plus a variety of veggies, dyed Easter eggs, and a cheese that is made from milk and eggs and is sort of sweet.