The Olive and the Caper: Adventures in Greek Cooking

1029 Pages·2004·13.86 MB·English

by  Susanna Hoffman

… THAT HUNGER
MAY HATE YOU, AND
VENERABLE DEMETER,
RICHLY CROWNED,
MAY LOVE YOU AND
FILL YOUR BARN
WITH FOOD …
—HESIOD, CA. 700 B.C.E.
ADVENTURES IN GREEK COOKING
The Olive and the Caper
SUSANNA HOFFMAN
IN COLLABORATION WITH VICTORIA WISE
WORKMAN PUBLISHING • NEW YORK
TO VICTORIA WITHOUT WHOM I WOULD NEVER HAVE PLUCKED
THIS BOOK FROM THE EMBERS, WITH LOVE AND ENDLESS THANKS
AND TO THE ELEVEN OTHERS OF THE OPTIMISTS CLUB WHO
HELPED ONE ANOTHER RISE AGAIN
ARLEEN, CLARA, CAROL, ELLIE, INJA, JOAN, JUDITH, KATHY,
MARILYN, ROBBIE, SANDY

acknowledgments
I HAVE NOT COUNTED WHETHER THIS BOOK DEMANDED
EXACTLY TWELVE MOMENTOUS LABORS, BUT IT ENTAILED MANY,
AND, CONSIDERING ITS TWOFOLD HISTORY, COULD SURELY BE
CALLED A HERCULEAN EFFORT. (THE GREEKS WOULD SAY
ERAKLEAN.) I DID NOT ACCOMPLISH IT ALONE. AT MY SIDE WERE
MANY HEROES, AND MY GRATITUDE GOES TO THEM ALL.
Tryfon Tzifas kept my Greek alive, joyously discussed with me the curiosities
that arose, and helped me untangle enigmatic words and translate passages. John
Pardales must be Dionysos’s agent with his impeccable knowledge of Greek
wine. Jan Brukman, friend and fellow, while lending his ear to the anthropology,
kept his eye directed to the food. Bob DeBarge helped me trim a love of history
and detail that would have turned many of the chapters’ tales into tomes. Martha
Casselman, my wonderful agent, had the patience of Hestia while letting the
book bake and rebake.
Suzanne Rafer, divine editor, metamorphosed the work into a whole with a
goddess’s touch and the Olympian help of Ann Ffolliott and Kathie Ness.
Thanks, too, to Paul Hanson and Lisa Hollander for a beautiful cover and
interior design, Leora Kahn for finding photos that perfectly capture the food
and spirit of Greece, and photographer Susan Goldman, food stylist Victoria
Granof, and prop stylist Sarah Abalon for making the dishes in the color section
so luscious. My diadem is also off to Kate Tyler and Katie Workman, who
wonderously sport the winged sandals of message-bearing Hermes, along with
all the other miracle-makers in Workman’s publicity, sales, and marketing
departments. Above all, a special bow to the Zeus of this whole pantheon, Peter
Workman.
Over the long and double history of this book, a Greek chorus of supporters
include Cielo Arango de Luzarraga, Sandy Ashton, Deborah and Levi Bendele,
Suzanne Bohning, Larry Bolder, Jim Botsakos, Craig Brock and David Ramirez,
Dawn Bryan, Argene Klonaris Carter, Bill Chambers, Joe Cooley, Richard
Cowan and Kathy Collins, Rena Down, Gale Hayman, Marida Hollos, Gordon
Jacobs, Michelle Kodis, Karin and Tim Knowles, Aglaia Kremezi, Gail and
Stuart Lake, Jake Linzinmeir, Robert Mandel, Susan Mitchell, Paula Moss, Alan
Petraske, Lisa Rich and Robbie Greenberg, Susanna Smith, Bernie Weintraub,
Marshall Whiting, Deborah Wolf, Paula Wolfert, Mary Woods, and a true legion
of Greek village and city friends, especially Markella Damigos, her daughter,
Maria, and her sisters, Paraskevi and (in memoriam) Koko; Tousa Damigos and
her parents, Markos and Theodosia; Markos M. Damigos; Eirini Kafouros;
Stelios Vougioucalos, and my many friends at the Greek Fulbright Foundation.
My deepest gratitude also goes to my many compassionate colleagues at the
1991 Symposium on The Foods and Wine of Greece who succored me when
calamity struck. Though many people helped me recover, and I am grateful to
you all, two steadfast Titans especially carried me through: Karen Joffee and
above all, Stephen Hettenbach. The Gaia of this travail was and is, of course,
Victoria Wise, who not only helped me recover, but helped recover this book.
My son, Jesse Aratow, my ever valiant champion, remains a constant source
of strength. Like an Artemis with arrows of clean writ, my daughter, Gabriella
Aratow, put tremendous time, effort, and talent into polishing the work. Heracles
means “Hera’s Glory.” Gabriella is mine.
contents
INTRODUCTION: The Olive, the Caper, and the Legacy of Greek Food
PART ONE
HONORED DRINKS, SMALL DISHES, AND SAVORY PIES
from water to wine
Of utmost importance in Greece, each drink is special, from glasses of
crystal clear water and fruitade to anise-flavored ouzo and piney retsina;
from cups of rich, freshly ground coffee to fragrant tea
WATER
WINE
OUZO
TSIKOUDIA
BRANDY AND SWEET LIQUEURS
BEER
COFFEE
TEA
FRUITADES AND OTHER DRINKS
meze
THE GRAND ARRAY
A lavish gallery of little foods to go with drinks, mezedes appear at all times
of the day as well as at the start of the meal. They can be as simple as a
piece of cheese or a few olives, or more complex—tasty meatballs, Russian
salad, marinated shrimp, stuffed grape leaves, taramasalata, and houmus.
All tease and appease the appetite
THE SIMPLEST MEZEDES
The Glorious Cheeses of Greece
The Many and Varied Greek Olives
THE SALADS AND SPREADS
The Eggplant Urbanization of Miltiades
The Cyclades and the Scent of Lemon
TWO FAMOUS VEGETABLE MEZEDES
INVITING MEAT MEZEDES
Zeus, King of the Gods
MEZEDES FROM THE SEA
TART AND TANTALIZING PICKLES
The People, Provinces, and Culinary Specialties of Greece
savory pies
FROM FILO PASTRY
Flaky, fragrant, filled savory filo-crusted pies are served both as mezedes
and as main courses throughout Greece. It is easy to re-create the big filo
pies baked in square or round pans, as well as the little pies shaped like
cigars or snails
Filo Finesse
The Shapes of Filo Pies and Pastries
The Trail of the Olive
Opulent Byzantium