Apokoronas Our Home

  The best bread in Crete, in my opinion, is that from the old wood fired bakery in Georgioupolis. I happened to call by as they were firing up for a fresh batch of bread I bought a hot loaf just out of the oven. The Georgioupolis bread is famous all over Greece and is taken to Athens. It has very good keeping qualities. Greek people from all over the island come to get bread here and is is expected for locals to take a few loaves if they are visiting other areas. Some paximadi too ( twice baked hard rusk)   Andonis mopping out the hot oven with a damp cloth.

  Traditionally on Good Friday the women and children of the village would go around with a large sheet, gathering offerings of flowers from all the village households. They would then take them back up to the church and decorate the “bier” ready for the church service that evening.  In Normal times the service would take place in the church with a parade around the village, stopping at the stations of the cross and then up to the churchyard and stop to bless all the graves. Villagers would have been cleaning and tidying the graves all day. Yes I have made my saffron buns and you can find the recipe at http://apokoronasourhome.com/AOH/Recipes/Recipes.html

  Today is the traditional day for   colouring the eggs and making the Tsoureki ( Easter bread)   Here is where the fusion comes in. I coloured the eggs - without leaving the kitchen looking like a massacre had taken place - but did not make the tsoureki. Firstly I will not be making Tsoureki - a sweet Greek bread, I will be making saffron buns ( Yeasted and fruited buns from Cornwall) and a different fruit bread which is a little like panettone - but more “Bready”.  I will make them tomorrow “Good Friday”. Here in Greece that would not be usual, but I remember my grandmother making them on that day so there you go! Recipes tomorrow. Today was the day for buying the meat ready for Sunday and liver for making the Magiritsa - the soup eaten to break the fast after the resurrection. www.apokoronasourhome.com Instagram: cretan_cornucopia

  Traditionally Holy Wednesday is the day that the housewives finish the housework before the holiday. This is not to say that they rest! There is a lot of prep to do before Easter Sunday. Thursday is for making the Tsoureki and the red eggs - more of that tomorrow. Friday is a day of rest and of preparing the "Epitafios" and then Saturday is making cheese pies, Magiritsa and other goodies before the Easter feast. This year May Day falls on Easter Saturday so there will be garlands of flowers to be made for the front door and the car                                       Last year's wreath Apart from household chores we went out to buy the fresh fruit and veg we will need over the long weekend and we checked the shopping list for the baking to come. There was also work to do in the garden in readiness for planting. Lunch was Green Beans in tomato sauce. Many of the tavernas and cafeterias are busy preparing to open next week.

  Today is the day for making the Easter biscuits "Koulourakia" There are the biscuits given to all visitors over this time. They are flavoured with orange and are quite crispy.  If you want to give it a try, here is a recipe: Ingredients 3½- 4 cups all purpose flour  (3½ + ½ cup separated) 1½ teaspoons baking powder 3/4 cup granulated sugar  zest of 1 orange 1/2 cup butter, cubed, room temperature 2 large eggs room temperature 1 large egg yolk room temperature 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract  1/4 cup orange juice freshly squeezed 1/4 cup milk room temperature 1 teaspoon ouzo (optional) Egg wash: 1 egg yolk 1 teaspoon water 2 tablespoons sesame seeds  Instructions Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place rack in the centre of oven. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Sift together 3½ cups flour and baking powder and set aside. The other 1/2 cup of flour is reserved in case we need to add extra flour. In a bowl of a mixer using the paddle attachment, mix

When one lives in another country for a long time and embraces its culture there comes a point when, not wanting to lose your own traditions, there is a point of fusion. This week being Holy Week for the Orthodox church, and with the hope of the lockdown being eased next week, it seems a good time to start my blog again after a long hiatus. (Got up, did housework, did gardening, read book, is only interesting for so long in lockdown) This first  week of the blog will look at some of the fusion of Greek traditions and recipes fused with traditions from my part of the world - Cornwall in England. So here we go and the first “proper” blog will begin tomorrow which is the traditional day for Greek housewives to make Koulouraki. (Easter biscuits) www.apokoronasourhome.com http://apokoronasourhome.blogspot.com Instagram: cretan_cornucopia