Category Archives: Easter

Greek Life at Omega Foods

Omega Foods now stocks Greek Life

This little church named Aghios Stylianos sits adjacent to the main entrance of Omega Foods at Hindmarsh, South Australia.

Not only can you get all your baking ingredients, specialty foods, wine and kitchen needs, you can also find copies of Greek Life.

More stock in store in time for Easter!

Recipes for these traditional recipes and the best roast lamb you’ll ever taste, can be found in my book Greek (family | culture | food).

You can get your hard cover copies here or from a stockist nearest you, and eBook for various devices, and the specially released softcover for global customers.

Kalo Pascha // Happy Easter

GL xx

Koulourakia Time

The Canadian Cousin Koulourakia Crew kneading, twisting and coiling their Easter biscuits using the recipe from my book Greek Life. I just had to share this beautiful photo!!❤❤❤

Koulourakia are prepared for the Easter celebrations and baking occurs during Holy Week, but not on Good Friday.

The dough is formed into a variety of shapes, including plaits, twists, coils, braids, figure eights and loose circles with overlapping ends. The orange and vanilla fill the air with the most mouth watering aroma.

Recipes for these traditional recipes and the best roast lamb you’ll ever taste, can be found in my book Greek (family | culture | food). You can get your hard cover copies here or from a stockist nearest you, and eBook for various devices, and the specially released softcover for global customers.

Kalo Pascha // Happy Easter

GL xx

Greek Easter Celebrations

In the Northern Hemisphere, Easter falls during the spring, and this is representative of renewal and rebirth. Much preparation and symbolism surrounds Easter from the celebration of Apokries (saying goodbye to meat), Clean Monday that is specifically observed with baking a traditional lagana (unleavened) bread, that hails the beginning of lent, and Holy Week when preparations for Easter begin.

On Thursday, I’ll be making my koulourakia (butter biscuits), and on Saturday it will be time to prepare red dyed eggs, using our home grown and laid, free-range of course, followed by baking my Tsoureki, the delightful sweet, buttery and aromatic bread that is made especially at this time of the year. Tsoureki is infused with mahlepi (ground wild cherry) and Masticha (aromatic gum), permeating our home and fill the senses with anticipation of mouthwatering enjoyment.

Wishing you a safe an happy Easter xoxo

Celebrating Easter the Orthodox Way

The meaningful celebration of an Orthodox Easter

From time to time I am approached and invited to be a guest contributor to Vanilla Magazine in Melbourne. It’s an opportunity I thoroughly enjoy as I get to share with readers my experiences on various topics, be it my beautiful home city of Adelaide, the tradition of the dowry, or the celebration of an Orthodox Easter.

You can find my article on celebrating Easter the Orthodox way in the Autumn issue of Vanilla Magazine, on pages 12 and 13.

Vanilla Magazine do a wonderful job of showcasing some amazing talent, sharing interviews with people who ‘are doing if for themselves’, and opening up a world of inspiration and dedication. I think you’ll love this magazine as much as I do!

You can find all that you need to know about how to celebrate Easter the Orthodox Way in my book Greek Life, available from my stockists here in Australia, as an eBook from the links on my website, or as a soft cover at Amazon.

GL xx

Greek Life Stockists

Support Those Who Support Me

What you need to know NOW about Greek Life

Greek Life – available from my amazing stockists nationally

Greek Life (family, culture, food) has been embraced by the community at large, but this wouldn’t have happened without the support of my AMAZING stockists.

Discovering the meaning behind Greek traditions and the food prepared at certain times of the year or throughout one’s life, is the gift that Greek Life has given to those for whom Greek culture means something. It is unique, inspiring, a keepsake, a reference book, a cookbook, and a book that sits proudly in homes around the world.

Need convincing? Read the heartfelt reviews from my customers.

Within Australia, the hardcover collectors edition is available from my amazing, supportive and encouraging stockists. Greek Life has enjoyed pride of place in these select business, and I’m proud that my book has been so well received by them, and by you, the readers who are enjoying the journey, and who have joined the celebration that is Greek Life.

Please support those who support me. Remember, buy local. It’s the new black!

CANBERRA

Dymocks Bookshop, Canberra Centre

NEW SOUTH WALES

Glee Books, Glebe
Greek Bilingual Bookshop, Dulwich Hill
Reader’s Companion Bookshop, Armidale

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Booked, North Adelaide Village
Dillons Bookshop, Norwood
Dymocks, Burnside Village
Dymocks, Glenelg
Dymocks, Rundle Mall
Foodland, Frewville
Foodland, Pasadena
Globe Importers, Magill
Mostly Books, Torrens Park
Omega Foods, Hindmarsh

VICTORIA

Avenue Bookstore, Albert Park
Avenue Bookstore, Elsternwick
Caras Greek Music, Lonsdale Street
Caras Greek Music, Oakleigh
Dymocks, Collins Street
Hill of Content, Bourke Street

I’ll have a copy of Greek Life with that!

Pick up a copy of Greek Life with your groceries!

You can find Greek Life sitting proudly at many high quality stockists in Australia including the award winning Frewville and Pasadena Foodland stores here in South Australia.

Greek Life – now available in store at Frewville and Pasadena Foodland stores.

For the second consecutive year these fine supermarkets have been recognised and awarded the much coveted title of International Retailer of the Year. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Nick Chapley and his team.

I’m proud to have my book Greek Life stocked at these iconic stores, and whether you’re buying Greek Life for yourself or as a gift, you will find them especially gift-wrapped to keep your copies safe when shopping.

Greek Life is a celebration of family, culture and food, and at the core are the principles of the highly regarded Mediterranean Diet, or as I like to call it, the Mediterranean Lifestyle. Unique and inspiring, Greek Life commences with the story of family and continues with thought inspiring philosophy, beautiful full colour photography, and authentic family recipes that are prepared when observing cultural traditions.

Greek Life is the perfect gift for Easter, so when you stock up on your chocolate Easter eggs, let the staff know that you’ll like Greek Life with that!

GL xx

Interview with Ali Clarke on ABC891

INTERVIEW WITH ALI CLARKE ON ABC 891 ADELAIDE

I had the absolute pleasure of being interviewed live in the studio on ABC 891 Adelaide Radio with the lovely Ali Clarke on the morning program explaining the traditions around Greek Easter, the story of how I came about to write Greek Life and more.

For those who are interested here’s the interview…..:)

GL x

Easter Biscuits – Koulourakia

Welcome to Greek Lifestyle!

As we approach Easter Sunday, now is the time to dust off your cookbooks and prepare to make the all time favourite Easter biscuits known as koulourakia. Traditionally these are baked on Easter Thursday or Easter Saturday. Here’s one of my favourite recipes:

Koulourakia

Ingredients

½ block of unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup caster sugar

3½ cups plain flour

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla essence

1/3 cup milk or orange juice

Grated orange rind (optional)

Egg glaze

2 egg yolks

2 tablespoons milk

Place the egg glaze ingredients into a small bowl and whisk together with a fork. Using a small pastry brush, glaze the koulourakia before baking.

Method

Preheat oven to 190 degrees.

Warm the butter and add to the sifted ingredients.

Knead until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Add the beaten egg, vanilla and continue kneading.

Add milk and extra flour if required, and knead until smooth.

Break off pieces the size of small walnuts and roll out using your hands. Create traditional patterns of twists and coils.

Glaze koulourakia with the egg yolk mixture before baking.

Bake in a moderate oven for 15-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Happy Baking!!!

GL xx

Palm Sunday

Welcome to Greek Lifestyle!

Today we celebrate Palm Sunday which commemorates the entry of Jesus into Jereusalem. The church is decorated with palm fronds and daphne, and at the end of the service the priest hands out cuttings of daphne and intricately woven crosses made from palm fronds for the faithful to take home.

Although Palm Sunday which is a Feast Day falls during lent, it is permissible to eat fish. Traditionally Greeks celebrate with a lunch consisting of bakalarios (cod) and skordalia (garlic and potato puree) to celebrate this important day.

The official greeting is now Kali Anastasi, which translates to a good resurrection.

I will be preparing Koulourakia on Thursday and Tsoureki and Red Dyed Eggs on Saturday.

Good luck with your Easter preparations this week. I would love for you to share your special Greek recipes and traditions.

May we all have a happy Easter!

GL xx

Apokreas – Carnivale – Masquerade

Welcome to Greek Lifestyle!

In preparation for Easter, I’m including the list of important dates to help with our spiritual growth during this time.

Apokreas literally translates to saying ‘goodbye to meat’. Celebrations will occur in the week preceding Clean Monday as families and friends gather for a final feast before observing the Great Lent.

Fish may be eaten on the 25th of March being the Annunciation of Theotokos and again on Palm Sunday which falls on 13 April.

Because we all live busy lives, some people choose to observe the fasting period during Holy week, or just on Good Friday. It matters not, as health, wellbeing and work situations need to be also considered. It is a personal choice.

Please share your experiences and or fasting recipes with us here at Greek Lifestyle.

Kales Apokeas!

GL x