Greekish

This is a well written Greek cookbook which includes history, culture, and delicious foods. The recipes are easy to follow. They are well labeled for vegan, vegetarian, gluten free. Everything in this book looks delicious!

I am already a lover of Georgina Hayden recipes. I own and cook from "Taverna" and "Nistisima" often. The latter is dedicated to recipes that are traditionally eaten during lent when meat, eggs, and dairy are not allowed. Although I am not a vegetarian, my older son and his partner are vegan, and "Nistisima" has provided a number of wonderful additions to our home meals, both when the vegans are visiting and when they are not..

Now, Hayden is focusing on a wider selection of Greek/Cypriot food and what treat this new book is. I have so many digital sticky notes in my ebook that I think I am going to have to pre-order a hard copy the minute it comes out. Hayden cooks the way that I want to eat, with the Mediterranean emphasis on fresh vegetables, eggs, pulses, and grains, goats’ milk and cheeses, with meat and fish often reserved for special dishes.

It is often the small touches that take a Hayden dish from good to great. For example, the addition of paprika and garlic make her burnt butter eggs with goat’s cheese absolutely sing. And although I live in Spain half the year and so am well acquainted with the glory of toast with olive oil, tomatoes and oregano for breakfast, Hayden adds red onions and pomegranate syrup to add further depth to an already delicious combination for her Ladenia Smash: tomato, onion, and oregano toast.

Other winners: The two-ingredient yoghurt flatbread is one of those back-pocket, quick-to-the-table recipes that I will use again and again (and I expect that it will replace my tried-and-true naan recipe that takes over an hour longer). I can report that the crispy cauliflower and lentils with green olive dressing makes the perfect lunch.

On my list: Hayden offers a number of really exciting vegetable and meat dishes to add to the TBC (to be cooked) list. A few somewhat random examples from many: I expect to turn to the filo wrapped feta with spiced honey at my next party. From reading the recipe, I already know that the charred cabbage lemon and rice soup is going to become a real staple in my house. I plan to make the Green Gigantes: carmelized onion, leek and butter beans dish as it looks like a nice green change from beans with tomato sauce. I am also intrigued by the sticky honey prawns, which introduces a new taste combination and the Hayden's mashup of spanakopita and risotto to create something fantastic sounding that she calls spanakorisotto.

I am also eager to try Hayden’s take on two usually extremely time-intensive recipes: her slightly simplified Kreatopitas meat pies, which mix several ground meats with leeks, onions, garlic, and parsley, and her pastitsio which looks like a particularly clever weeknight version of the classic dish.

The desserts section is quite exciting. Hayden creates fun versions of the Eton mess, which she calls Cretan messes, using whipped cream and meringue (two items she says that she avoids individually but loves in combination): one a gorgeous rose and strawberry mess and the other an apple and orange blossom mess. I am eager to try both. I am also drawn to her wine-poached nectarines with anise.

As you can see, I am a fan. This is one that will certainly be added to my cookbook shelf.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an opportunity to read and try recipes from this upcoming book. My views here are my own and I could not be more pleased to recommend this wonderful cookbook.

Greekish is a beautiful cookbook, from the cover to the inside photographs. Not just beautiful to look at, the recipes are doable with accessable ingredients and clear instructions.
The whole chapter on Baklava made me want to have a go at all of it and I am planning to make the Afternoon Chamomile and Honey Cake for my family today!
This will definitely be a welcome addition to my cookbook shelf and I look forward to cooking some Greekish meals this summer!

The photos are stunning! The layout of each recipe looks so clean and is easy to read. I love that at the top of each recipe, it also indicates whether it's vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, etc. Also, the recipes themselves seem yummy and authentically Greek! I look forward to testing out a lot of these!