How it all started
But, guests started questioning about the nice smells coming out of the kitchen, and that gave our mother the inspiration, that maybe she could do something more for them like have a special dish of the day, since she was cooking for the family anyway.This, in the following years, grew into today’s small restaurant, where our loyal staff cooks Mother’s recipes and more. We always buy everything ourselves, like we do for the family, we never order for example, fruits and vegetables as most restaurants do, as we have to go and hand pick them ourselves. We always buy meat and poultry and certain fish fresh, and this is also our job as we have to check their freshness and quality.
When I was growing up, cooking was my grandmother’s job and later my mother’s. I never thought about it, but I now understand that I grew up in a home with two of the best cooks I’ll ever meet.
Helen’s Story
When I was growing up, cooking was my grandmother’s job and later my mother’s. I never thought about it, but I now understand that I grew up in a home with two of the best cooks I’ll ever meet.
When I got married, if we ate at home, I usually ‘cooked’ some toast or an omelette, otherwise my mother brought the food or we ate at her house.
One day I decided that I would like to invite friends for dinner at my house! I also wanted to cook something myself, without any help from my mother and I started doing different dishes, from recipes given to me by friends and of course family.
You see, I never liked cook books, I always had the feeling, and I still do, that there is always something missing from them, and the dish never comes out as you imagine.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
I became his helper on those weekends of cooking, and through him I understood that you do not cook in order to make something to eat out of necessity, but you cook for the love of seeing your friends enjoy the food you make.
I started to cook, and the more I did, the more I understood that cooking is a form of art and great joy. I never went to any cookery school, I do not think you need schools to be good at this, our mothers and grandmothers never did, and they are the best cooks ever. All you need is love for what you do and imagination.
HELEN’S RECIPES
The recipes below are just a selection of our favourites. Helen has been working hard to make sure all our team are able to cook these dishes, so all our guests get to enjoy them during their stay.
Ingredients
- 1kg ground beef
- 2 big onions, finely chopped
- 1 can of peeled tomatoes
- 4tbs olive oil
- 2 packs of pasta (macaroni)
- 5litres of milk
- 2 eggs
- 6tbs flour
- 100 grams of Lurpak butter unsalted
- 500 grams of gouda cheese grounded
- 500 graphs Regato cheese grounded
- Salt and Pepper
Method
- Put 4 tbs of olive oil, chopped onions and the ground beef in a frying pan to be sautéed. Stir from time to time. When done, add the peeled tomatoes (chopped) and three cups of water.
- Let it boil at a low temperature until it absorbs the liquids.
- Boil the pasta in salted water and drain.
- Put the milk with one teaspoon of salt in a pan on a low temperature. Bring to a lukewarm temperature.
- Add the flour and stir continuously with a batter so that the flour and the milk become a creamy substance.
- Add the butter and continue stirring until it thickens up. Take off the heat. Batter the two eggs and add them to the cream slowly while stirring.
- Take a square or round baking pan and put in the macaroni. Add the meat and the cheeses and stir until the cheese and sauce are mixed with the macaroni.
- Cover it with the cream sauce and bake in the oven in 180/200ºC until the top gets brownish.
Then it is ready. Do enjoy it with your family and friends and remember your holidays in Crete!
Ingredients
- 1 kg ground beef
- 2 big onions, finely chopped
- 1 can of peeled tomatoes, chopped
- 4 tbs olive oil
- 2 packs of pasta (macaroni – thick round long pasta)
- 5 litres of milk
- 2 eggs
- 6 tbs flour
- 100 grams Lurpak butter unsalted
- 500 grams of gouda cheese grounded
- 500 grams Regato cheese grounded
- Salt and pepper
Method
- Put 4 tbs of olive oil, chopped onions and the ground beef in a frying pan to be sautéed. Stir from time to time. When done, add the peeled tomatoes (chopped) and three cups of water.
- Let it boil in low temperature until it absorbs the liquids.
- Boil the pasta in salted water and drain.
- Put the milk with one teaspoon of salt in a pan on a low temperature. Bring to a lukewarm temperature.
- Add the flour and stir continuously with a batter so that the flour and the milk become a creamy substance.
- Add the butter and continue stirring until it thickens up. Take out of the fire. Batter the two eggs and add them to the cream slowly while stirring.
- Take a square or round baking pan and put in the macaroni. Add the meat and the cheeses and stir until the cheese and sauce are mixed with the macaroni.
- Cover it with the cream sauce and bake in the oven in 180/200ºC until the top gets brownish.
Then it is ready!
Ingredients
- 1 cup of olive oil
- 2 cups of wheat flour
- 3 cups of sugar
- 4 cups of water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- Lemon peel
- 1 cup of chopped walnuts
- 1 cup white raisins
Method
- Put the water, sugar, cinnamon sticks and lemon peel in a pan and onto the heat. Stir until the sugar melts and let it boil until you see big bubbles forming. Take off the heat.
- Put the olive oil in another pan and heat. Add wheat flour and stir continuously until wheat flour takes a honey colour. Add walnuts and raisins and take it off the heat.
- Stir in the syrup slowly while they are both hot but be careful not to burn your hands while stirring.
- Put back on the fire in low temperature for about one minute.
- Take away from the fire, cover with a clean towel and put the lid on top of the pot. Let it stay for about five or ten minutes.
Then it is ready to serve. You can sprinkle it with some ground cinnamon when served. Enjoy your dessert from Greece!
