The Bottom Line
Worthwhile, especially for those who have already had their fill of Greek cookbooks concentrating on moussaka and souvlaki.
Pros
- Great photographs - not just "pretty" ones - show the spirit of the Greek islands.
- It's hard enough cooking in a regular kitchen - many of these recipes were tested on board a yacht
- This is more than just taverna food - this is what the Greeks actually cook and eat.
Cons
- Some text is in an old-fashioned "Primer"-style font, contrasting with the slick book design.
Description
- Filled with photographs from a yacht journey between the Greek islands.
- The selection of recipes includes some less-traditional ways of working with Greek ingredients.
- It's obvious that the author loves food, loves Greece, and loves sharing his experiences with both.
Guide Review - Book
Theodore Kyriakou's "A Culinary Voyage Around the Greek Islands" begins with making your own Greek-style yogurt and ends with how to devise a frozen ouzo mojito. In between are recipes from a dozen or more Greek islands, going far beyond the usual taverna board fare and into the way Greeks cook when they are not worrying about satisfying a tourist.
Some apparent Britishisms are untranslatable - I'm still not sure what to make of the chapter heading "Sugar and Honey Make the Storm Lantern in our Hearts" which deals with desserts. Continuing the cardiac concerns, he also mentions that watermelon "makes the sugar disappear from our hearts". And there are some cute asides with obvious personal meanings - an apology for "losing Freddie in the fields" - that can leave the reader feeling a bit left out without hearing the rest of the story. But overall, this is a curiously endearing book. It made me hungry, for more of Greece and for more Greek food.
Kyriakou, also known as "The Real Greek" after his former restaurant which revitalized Greek cooking in Britain, also wrote "The Real Greek Cookbook". Compare Prices: The Real Greek Cookbook.
