Secrets from the Greek kitchen: cooking, skill, and everyday life on an Aegean island

257 Pages·2015·1.761 MB·English

by  Sutton, David E

Secrets from the
Greek Kitchen
Cooking, Skill, and Everyday Life
on an Aegean Island
David E. Sutton
university of california press
Secrets from the Greek Kitchen
california studies in food and culture
Darra Goldstein, Editor
Secrets from the
Greek Kitchen
Cooking, Skill, and Everyday Life
on an Aegean Island
David E. Sutton
university of california press
The publisher gratefully acknowledges
the generous support of the General Endowment Fund
of the University of California Press Foundation.
University of California Press, one of the most
distinguished university presses in the United States,
enriches lives around the world by advancing scholarship
in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Its
activities are supported by the UC Press Foundation and
by philanthropic contributions from individuals and
institutions. For more information, visit www.ucpress.edu.
University of California Press
Oakland, California
© 2014 by The Regents of the University of California
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Sutton, David E., 1963–
Secrets from the Greek kitchen : cooking, skill, and
everyday life on an Aegean island / David E. Sutton.
pages cm—(California studies in food and
culture; 52)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn 978-0-520-28054-0 (cloth : alk. paper)—
isbn 978-0-520-28055-7 (pbk. alk. paper)
isbn 978-0-520-95930-9 (e-book)
1. Cooking, Greek. I. Title.
tx723.5.g8s88 2014
641.59495—dc23
2014006567
Manufactured in the United States of America
23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
In keeping with a commitment to support
environmentally responsible and sustainable printing
practices, UC Press has printed this book on Natures
Natural, a fi ber that contains 30% post-consumer waste
and meets the minimum requirements of ansi/niso
z39.48–1992 (r 1997) (Permanence of Paper).
Contents
List of Illustrations vii
List of Video Examples viii
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction: Why Does Greek Food Taste So Good? 1
1. Emplacing Cooking 25
2. Tools and Their Users 48
3. Nina and Irini: Passing the Torch? 76
4. M others, Daughters, and Others: Learning, Transmission,
Negotiation 103
5. H orizontal Transmission: Cooking Shows, Friends, and
Other Sources of Knowledge 127
6. Through the Kitchen Window 152
Conclusion: So, What Is Cooking? 182
Epilogue: Cooking (and Eating) in Times of Financial Crisis 198
Notes 205
References 221
Author Index 233
Keyword Index 237
This page intentionally left blank
Illustrations
1. Aleka and Evdokia Passa cooking lentils in their home kitchen / 45
2. Dimitra Kampouri rolling dough on a sofra / 60
3. Katerina Kardoulia and Katina Miha stuffi ng the Easter lamb / 68
4. Nikolas Mihas preparing the outdoor oven / 68
5. Nikolas feeding the oven while his mother-in-law, Katerina, looks
on / 69
6. Nikolas bricking up the oven, while his friend gives advice / 69
7. Manolis Papamihail eating garlic bread in the kitchen of his
downtown home / 78
8. Irini Psaromati and Manolis Papamihail in the kitchen of their
summer home with family friends / 87
9. Irini in her favorite spot / 91
10. Nina Papamihail enjoying a cup of coffee at her kitchen table / 95
11. Nina cooking “American-style” baked beans with sausages / 99
12. Katina Miha preparing coffee in her kitchen / 114
13. Angeliki Roditi in her kitchen / 159
14. Manolis Papamihail demonstrating the secret to making the best
Greek coffee / 179
15. Katerina Miha making coffee for her mother and father / 185
vii
Video Examples
The video examples discussed in this book are available at www.ucpress.
edu/go/greekkitchen. All videos were shot by David Sutton unless other-
wise noted. Interested readers who want to go further in exploring
Kalymnian cooking may fi nd these and additional videos on YouTube at
www.youtube.com/channel/UCZhvwUWSdxHSHM0Frx3J17Q/videos.
1. “Cutting Medley” (2005). Katerina Kardoulia cutting potatoes
for a stew, Nina Papamihail cutting an onion for a salad, and
Katerina’s granddaughter, called Little Katerina Miha, cutting
zucchini for an omelet.
2. “Polykseni Cutting Eggplant” (2008). Polykseni Miha slicing
eggplant.
3. “Polykseni Making Mushroom Pies” (2008). Polykseni Miha and
the author rolling phyllo dough.
4. “Evdokia Rolling Dough” (2011). Evdokia Passa rolling dough in
her restaurant kitchen.
5. “Georgia Rolling Dough” (2001). Georgia Vourneli rolling dough
for a leek pie. Video by Michael Hernandez.
6. “Katerina and the Can Opener” (2006). Katerina Kardoulia
opening a can of tomato paste.
7. “Nina Making Octopus Stew” (2005). Nina Papamihail
preparing an octopus dish in the kitchen of her summer
home.
viii
Video Examples | ix
8. “Kitchen Choreography” (2006). Katerina Kardoulia and her
daughter, Katina Miha, preparing several dishes for a Lenten
meal while negotiating the limited space of Katerina’s kitchen.
9. “Little Katerina Learning Cooking” (2006). Little Katerina Miha
preparing a zucchini omelet for the fi rst time, under the direction
of her mother, Katina.
10. “Little Katerina Making a Salad” (2008). Little Katerina Miha
making a salad for her father in her grandmother’s kitchen.
11. “Little Katerina Describing a New Dish” (2012). Little Katerina
Miha describing how she started making her own béchamel sauce
instead of buying it from the store, and also how she prepares a
dish with rice and vegetables.