Anastasia

Monday's Greek Recipe - Kritharaki me Kotopoulo - Orzo Pilaf with Chicken Fillet

Orzo,  the italian word for barley, is a kind of short-cut macaroni shaped like a large grain of rice. In Greek it's called kritharaki meaning "small barley". Orzo pilaf is a particularly popular dish throughout Greece and can be combined with small pieces of chicken fillet. It's also one of hubby's most favourite dishes, so I cook it quite often. This time I've used wholegrain orzo which eventually proved to be just as tasty. It's healthy, it's filling, it's very easy to make and worth giving it a try.

Orzo Pilaf with Chicken Fillet and Grated Halloumi Cheese

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup kritharaki (orzo)
• 1 cup ripe tomatoes, grated
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 500-600 gr chicken fillet
• 2 cups boiling water
• salt and pepper
• some grated halloumi

 

Wholegrain Orzo Pilaf

 

Directions

• Heat the olive oil and add the chicken fillet cut in medium-sized pieces. Fry gently and stir in the orzo.
• Add the grated tomatoes and pour in the boiling water. Stir continuously for 5 minutes.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Cover and simmer over low heat stirring occasionally till the broth has been absorbed.
• Switch off the heat and leave covered for 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle with grated halloumi and serve.

Fridays in June

I usually start classes early in the morning on Saturdays, so Fridays are almost like any other weekday. From September to May, they certainly don't herald the weekend as a time to relax or spend a wild night out, but, on the contrary, they invite me to go to bed quite early as I have to get up at six thirty on Saturdays. However, in June, Fridays are special because my Saturday classes finish end of May. What's normal for most people who work from Monday to Friday, Fridays in June are like a long weekend for me! This is why, I'm enjoying them as much as I can.

 

Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto 2

I read a lot. I've been reading Eliot's Waste Land for the upteenth time this week. And while I'm writing , I enjoy listening to Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto 2. Classical music relaxes me greatly just like blogging. I sometimes wish I had the time to blog more often or read more books or listen to more of my favourite music - not just at the weekend or on holidays but every single day of the week. And, of course, when I don't work, I also enjoy cooking. Naturally, I cook , almost every day, sometimes we order take-away and sometimes I only do pasta and / or salads. But on my days off work, I do my best to be more creative.

Have a great weekend ahead!

The Benefits of Healthy Eating

Many people believe that fatty foods are much tastier than their healthy version. But have they ever tried to adopt a healthier eating pattern  in their daily diets? I don't think so because if they had they would have acknowledged the great benefits of a daily healthy diet. Healthy eating has nothing to do with dieting, it's a lifestyle and in the long run you can enjoy it so much that you will never feel like going back to unhealthy eating habits , such as the consumption of too much red meat, fried or processed  foods, for example.

My Chicken Burgers

Grilled Vegetables with Low Fat Yogurt

Healthy eating can help you prevent and control many health problems such as high blood pressure, heart diseases and diabetes type 2. What's more, it will definitely help you get rid of stress since it will boost your energy. Alkis and I are great fans of healthy eating and we honestly think that chicken, fish or vegetables are much tastier when grilled. And , of course, we love salads with the mediterranean dressing: 1 tsp olive oil and a few drops of vinegar.  Eating as much fattening food as you want is the surest way to an early grave.

Greek Salad

My Favourite Green Salad

Green Beans in Tomato Sauce

Grilled Salmon with Brown Rice and Fresh Lemon Juice

Adopting a healthy eating pattern has helped me get rid of some extra kilos, but , most importantly, I've been able to keep a healthy weight and...stay there!  Dieters seem to spend most of their time turning their noses up at food. Most of them spend a lifetime fighting a losing battle against spreading hips, protruding tummies and double chins. I am very much against dieting, I tried it in the past and , unfortunately, I gained all the weight lost within weeks after having given up the dieting. 

Baked Aubergines Imam Baildi

Sticking to a daily healthy eating pattern allows you to enjoy your favourite comfort food occasionally. I love cheese fondu, pastitsio, souvlakia and pancakes and I do enjoy them once or twice a month. This is the greatest benefit of adopting a healthy eating pattern instead of going on a diet.

   

Time Out - Protaras - June 2013

After a hectic month at the school, I felt I needed a break before starting to mark final exam papers, writing final reports and doing some more extra lessons for my Cambridge ESOL students in June. As you may know, I am incurably in love with Protaras. It's like a magic spell I'm unable to resist to. This is where you can enjoy some of the best sunkissed sandy beaches in the Mediterranean Sea.  I've travelled a lot to Greece and to many other European countries but never have I come across more beautiful beaches or such crystal clear blue waters as in Protaras. Protaras has been my haven of peace and the ideal place to relax for the last 28 years.

The Swimming Pool at the Golden Coast Beach Hotel

The Sunrise as seen through my lenses at 6:28 yesterday.

Protaras

Protaras Fishing Refuge

The Golden Coast Beach Hotel

The Golden Coast Beach Hotel

Protaras

Since 1985, I've always stayed at the Golden Coast Beach Hotel - actually since it was built!  And I'll certainly never change it for any other hotel in the area. Alkis and I had a lovely time there despite the fact that Alkis had to attend an important meeting at work on Saturday morning. On Friday evening, we had dinner at Koi Restaurant. I love sushi and sashimi, so I had an assortment of sashimi together with nigiri, maki and temaki sushi - 16 pieces in all. Alkis, who is allergic to fish, had a chicken curry which he said was just as delicious.

On Saturday night, we went to a traditional local taverna in Paralimni - Ttappis Tavern - which serves excellent local meze. We were unable to finish all the dishes but we tried a little bit of everything and loved the homemade red wine.

Ttappis Tavern - Paralimni

Ttappis Tavern - Paralimni

 

Protaras is a magical resort, a pole of attraction for many tourists who come to spend a holiday there from all over Europe. For me it's simply my favourite haven of peace and an ideal resort to spend a weekend away at about 61 km from home. 

Sunsets

Today marks the end of classes for the school year 2012-2013 but the school year hasn't come to an end yet. Next week, all classes will have to take final exams which are compulsory and free of charge. So, as you may realise, it's been a hectic week at work. I had to prepare the final exam papers, teach in the afternoon and do office work in the morning.. Then in June, I have some extra classes for the students who have enrolled to Cambridge ESOL Examinations in addition to marking exam papers, issuing results and completing the Final Reports which will be sent to my students by the end of June. 

Sunset in Larnaca

Alkis also has a lot of work these days and we hardly see each other during the day. But after a long day at work, we often go for a walk at the beach and contemplate the sunset. The sunset in Larnaca takes my breath away. It helps me relax and look forward to yet another new day - it's the promise of the dawn.  I guess sunsets are magical regardless of where you live.  They are inspiring and can reduce stress to a great extent. Sunrises can be just as inspiring and relaxing if you can get up at the crack of dawn! 

 

Eurovision Song Contest 2013 - Malmö, Sweden - The Grand Final

The 58th Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest  was held last night at the Malmö, Arena  Sweden and was broadcast  live. More than 125 million people from all over the world watched the planet's biggest song contest. Beautiful 20-year-old Emmelie de Forest from Denmark won the contest with her song "Only Teardrops" scoring 281 points. That was one of my favourite songs. Emmelie, singing barefoot and sitting on the floor sang her heart out on stage and deeply touched Europe. She definitely deserved the first prize.

 

Although I had predicted that Greece would be in the top ten, I was pleasantly surprised to see that  Agathonas and Koza Mostra scored 152 points and came sixth!

 

On the other hand, I was very disappointed to see that Bonnie Tyler came 19th although she did better than Engelbert Humperdinck last year. She gave a brilliant performance and her song "Believe in Me" was a magical rock ballad. I wonder...what went wrong? The final result was decided by a fifty-fifty split between professional juries and televoting from all 39 participants regardless of whether they had  qualified for the Grand Final or not.

 

Bonnie Tyler sings Believe in Me for the UK

Photo Credit

Emmelie de Forest - The Winner

Photo Credit

The Malmo Arena

Photo Credit

The Greek Entry - Agathonas and Koza Mostra

Photo Credit

 

Here's how Europe voted:

1. Denmark: Emmelie de Forest, Only Teardrops - 281 points
2. Azerbaijan: Farid Mammadov, Hold Me - 234 points
3. Ukraine: Zlata Ognevich, Gravity - 214 points
4. Norway: Margaret Berger, I Feed You My Love - 191 points
5. Russia: Dina Garipova, What If - 174 points
6. Greece: Koza Mostra feat. Agathon Iakovidis, Alcohol Is Free - 152 points
7. Italy: Marco Mengoni, L'Essenziale - 126 points
8. Malta: Gianluca, Tomorrow - 120 points
9. Netherlands: Anouk, Birds - 114 points
10. Hungary: ByeAlex, Kedvesem - 84 points
11. Moldova: Aliona Moon, O mie - 71 points
12. Belgium: Roberto Bellarosa, Love Kills - 71 points
13. Romania: Cezar, It's My Life - 65 points
14. Sweden: Robin Stjernberg, You - 62 points
15. Georgia: Nodi Tatishvili and Sophie Gelovani, Waterfall - 50 points
16. Belarus: Alyona Lanskaya, Solayoh - 48 points
17. Iceland: Eythor Ingi, Eg a lif - 47 points
18. Armenia: Dorians, Lonely Planet - 41 points
19. UK: Bonnie Tyler, Believe In Me - 23 points
20. Estonia: Birgit, Et uus saaks alguse - 19 points
21. Germany: Cascada, Glorious - 18 points
22. Lithuania: Andrius Pojavis, Something - 17 points
23. France: Amandine Bourgeois, L'enfer et moi - 14 points
24. Finland: Krista Siegfrids, Marry Me - 13 points
25. Spain: ESDM, Contigo hasta el final - 8 points
26. Ireland: Ryan Dolan, Only Love Survives - 5 points

The host country, Sweden, went out of their way to offer the world  a glamorous show and great entertainment. I would like to congratulate Sweden and the city of Malmö on this impeccable evening which started with an Olympic style flag march where the artists entered the Arena to the anthem We Write The Story, written by ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus.The latest IT technology was used to give the show that ultimate touch of perfection.

Eurovision Song Contest 2013 - Malmö, Sweden - The Second Semi-Final

The second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 took place last night and was aired live from Malmö, Sweden. The last 10 countries to go through to tomorrow's Grand Final are:

 

The Butterfly of the Swedish TV for Eurovision 2013 summarises the Eurovision spirit nicely. We are one in Europe.

 

- Hungary

- Azerbaijan

- Georgia

- Romania

- Norway

- Armenia

- Iceland

- Finland

- Malta

- Greece

Oh yes! I am so glad Greece made it through. It's an amazing song which I loved so much and deep down I knew it would qualify for the Final. Albania, Bulgaria, FYR Macedonia, Israel, San Marino and Switzerland all failed to make it through to the Final. Just like yesterday, my vote will go to Greece tomorrow but I also liked some other songs like the songs from Denmark, UK and Bonnie Tyler, Estonia and Malta. UK along with Germany, Italy, France, Spain and host nation Sweden automatically qualify for the Grand Final on Saturday, May 18 2013. And may the best be the winner.

 

Bonnie Tyler represents the UK with the song "Believe in Me" Isn't she ageless and divine?

Eurovision Song Contest 2013 - Malmö, Sweden - The First Semi-Final

Being a Eurovision fan, I watched the first semi-final on Tuesday night. I wasn't surprised Cyprus did not make it to the Grand Final on Saturday. I hated both the song and the singer's poor performance. Despina Olympiou was simply miserable despite her effort to ...sing! The countries that got the ticket to the Grand Final are:

Estonia

Denmark

Russia

Ukraine

The Netherlands

Belgium

Belarus

Moldova

Ireland

Lithuania

 

In less than half-hour tonight, there's the second semi-final and I hope that Greece gets through because the Greek song is a hit! I love it! Good luck Agathona and Koza Mostra!

 

My Mother

My mother and I don't always get along very well. More often than not, it seems that one of us is saying the wrong thing, presses the wrong buttons and, as a result, our conversations tend to be quite explosive! Yet, in our heart of hearts, we know that we love each other dearly. I always felt, though, that my dad could understand me more than any other person in the world - this is probably why I'll never get over his sudden death 10  years ago.

With my mum - Nicosia, September 1958

I've often had a rather strained relationship with my mother. She'd criticise almost everything - my hair, my clothes, my friends, my behaviour or attitude, my opinion on various issues, the way I decorate my flat, my flat in general - the list is endless! I strongly felt being under scrutiny and, as a result, I avoided sharing my secrets or troubles with her. On the other hand, I admit to my flaws. I'm kind of blunt and always speak my mind because I'd rather say something to somebody's face than behind their back. In other words, I'm not diplomatic! Our relationship improved a lot when I decided to see things from her point of view.

My mum - Christmas Eve 2004

I felt I could understand her better and eventually realised how much she cared and how wrong I was to pick on her. By appreciating the positive side of her character, I was able to connect with her and communicate much better. For example, she never meddled in my life, never made any comments whatsoever. On the contrary, she was a pattern of discretion. My mum is the sweetest and kindest person I've ever known. Despite her occasional criticisms, she's always been there for me offering her support in times of hardship and sharing my happiness in times of joy. Now I know that she's done an excellent job and I'll be forever thankful for all the sacrifices she's made for me and my brother.

On a summer holiday with my mother - August 2005

At 76 , my mum is an independent person, who lives on her own and has many hobbies and interests in her life such as going on day trips, cooking, reading, writing, charity, decorating to mention only a few. She's also the kindest person I've ever known. She always has a good word for everyone and when she can she helps others very willingly. I feel I owe her a lot - most importantly I owe her my life.

Easter With The Family in Greece

Spending Easter with Alkis' family in Greece has always been a wonderful holiday to look forward to and a great family get-together. On Thursday, May 2, we flew to Thessaloniki feeling excited about meeting family and friends who we hadn't seen for a year. Thanasis, Alkis' youngest brother, picked us up at Macedonia Airport and drove us to Serres, Alkis' hometown, which lies at about 83 km from Thessaloniki. In about an hour, we arrived in Serres and checked in at Philippos Xenia Hotel - our favourite hotel in Serres. Soon after check-in, which was amazingly fast and efficient, we realised that we were starving as we only had a snack on the plane. Late lunch at Ouzomagies was very rewarding! I fast during the Holy Week and was pleasantly surprised to see the variety of lenten dishes available at the tavern. There's one thing I regret, though. I was so hungry that I forgot to take photos of all the great food we had there. Later in the evening we had dinner at the hotel's splendid roof garden restaurant with Zoe - Thanasis' daughter - her husband Stratos and their beautiful daughters - six-year-old Maria who's already been to Primary School and can read very well and four-year-old Alkistis, our goddaughter.

The Tower in Thessaloniki

This is what we woke to the following morning.

Serres

Serres

Serres

At Philippos Xenia Hotel, we had a beautiful, spacious room overlooking the back yard. This was only a small part of the evergreen city of Serres. We rented a car and soon after breakfast we explored the surrounding countryside. Serres boasts the most beautiful countryside in Northern Greece, off the beaten track. The park at Eleftherias Square in the city centre matches the beauty of the country. We enjoyed coffee and bougatsa there and just before lunch an ouzomeze   

Serres

Alkis in his hometown Serres

Serres - City Centre

The Archaeological Museum in Serres

Ai Yiannis - Serres

Ai Yiannis - Serres

On Easter Day, May 5, we had the perfect traditional Greek Easter lunch at Gazoros - a small village at about 25 km from the city of Serres.  Thanasis proved to be a master at making the traditional ovelias- lamb on the spit. Alkis was just a ...sous-chef (under-chef) and was only trying to help! The result was simply delicious!

Thanasis, my brother-in-law, cooking ovelias - lamb on the spit

Ovelias and Thanasis

Thanasis - Just Perfect..or not?

Some more ...cooking

what a feast!

The Lamb!

Alkis as a sous-chef was only trying to help!

The two brothers have finally agreed that the Easter Lamb is...just perfect!

Alkis and his nephew, Konstantinos

The Family

On Easter Monday, we left Serres for beautiful Thessaloniki - also known as the nymph of Thermaikos. We stayed at Macedonia Palace Hotel which we didn't really like and  regretted not booking Electra Palace, but we got better prices at Macedonia Palace. We got a double room for €100 a day vs €170 at Electra but it wasn't good value for money, anyway.  However, this did not spoil our holiday.  We'll simply not go back again!

Macedonia Palace

Alkis and I walked along Nikis Avenue to Aristotelous Square and had a great dinner just the two of us at Roumeli Tavern by Athonos Square. Walking back to the hotel was an invigorating experience after all the great food we had there. 

A Stroll in Thessaloniki

Dinner at Roumeli Tavern

Roumeli Taverna - Athonos- Thessaloniki

On Easter Tuesday, we were invited for lunch by our great friends Irini and Stelios at Scholari - situated at about 25km from Thessaloniki . This is where I met Aspa - a wonderful person who I consider to be a wonderful friend now, even though I've only known her for a few hours!

Stelios, Irini, Me, Aspa and Asterios

Stelios, Alkis, Asterios

 We had  such a great time there and enjoyed it  so much.  Irini proved to be a top chef but we also loved the men's cooking,... like the baby goat on the spit. I know Stelios contributed a lot but my congratulations go to Asterios! Believe it or not, we had a huge dinner at Anestis Tavern in Perea, Thessaloniki. We were invited by Antonis - Alkis' cousin - and his wife Irini. And we still had a lot to eat and drink.

Macedonia Palace

Wednesday morning was shopping day. Thessaloniki made me reconsider shopping in Athens! In the evening, we had another great dinner at Roumeli Tavern with Antonis and  Irini.

Alkis in Thessaloniki

A few years ago, I was quite reluctant to spend Easter with Alkis's family in Greece. I thought I'd feel a stranger being from Cyprus. But his wonderful family made me feel I'm part of them. I would like to thank everyone for their wonderful hospitality and for making me feel at home.