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FREE books, a beach picnic and a Greek god’s lucky plant

Hello, All! Today, I have the latest fun news from my life in Greece. As always, I am linking up to my latest newsletter where you can check out a multitude of free books, plus a chick lit 99c deal from yours truly. You’ll also get a peek at my forthcoming publication!

March is coming, and that’s a much dreaded statement in my country, seeing that the Greeks regard this month as the most extreme in terms of bad weather. I never understood why it is in the spring, as opposed to winter, but I guess that’s one of the oddities of Greek life, LOL

Indeed. It’s not the spring until April, that’s for certain. Having said that… this year, Andy and I got a taste of the spring a little sooner. For the first time ever, we got to have a picnic in February. And, on the beach, at that!

Our first picnic went swimmingly. Excuse the pun. Especially since no actual swimming was involved haha. No way, as it was chilly under the shade as it was!

We picked to visit our favourite beach near home. We’d missed it so much since last October when we stopped swimming. A couple of the trees were chopped off, and one had been uprooted completely – we guessed from the extreme weather conditions of the previous months. It was especially sad to see the huge tree (willow or aspen, not sure) with the generous shade chopped off at the trunk. I couldn’t find my bearings for a few seconds without it there, it was odd. It’ll make many people sad this summer when they arrive at the beach to find its shade is no more. More than four different families could sit under it comfortably – its shade was that generous.

A couple people were swimming when we arrived in the morning, much to our surprise. I asked a lady in her 30s who’d just come out of the water if it was cold, and she nodded fervently with a laugh saying it was indeed freezing. It was her first swim since November, she said. She hopes to keep swimming from now on. Quite over-confident an intention, if you ask me, since March is fully ahead of us. She said it was pleasant as she stood in her bikini but, by the time we’d set up in our favourite spot, I saw her putting on jeans and a sweater in a hurry LOL.

For a while, it was very quiet on the beach, especially since the three swimmers left, but then, at lunchtime, families and quiet couples descended (probably from the taverna on the road) to sit in the sunshine. Such a lovely day. And it brought the summer closer, somehow. Bliss.

Since I’d never visited this beach during the winter before, I was pleasantly surprised to find these green plants with the long thick leaves you can see in the photos. They were strewn all over the ground, even under the trees. These are special plants to the Greeks! They hit the stores once a year – in the New Year – for good luck, believe it or not! People buy them and hang them outside their homes.

I have to admit. I never knew what they were really called until today! Writing this prompted me to actually check it out online and it only took a bit of searching for Greek New Year customs to identify it.

My parents have always referred to this plant simply as ‘Riza’, which is just the Greek word for ‘Root’. And my father described it occasionally as some kind of wild onion, because of the shape of the root. Well, his notion was bang on!

As my Internet search revealed, the plant is called Agriokremmydo (wild onion) or Skylokremmydo, or Askeletoura, or Agiovasilitsa. The latter refers to Agios Vasilis, the Greek Santa Claus – makes sense as the plant is used in the New Year, where Agios Vasilis makes His visit to the children, according to Greek custom.

The Latin name of the plant is Urginea. Apparently, it is the plant of Pan (the god of nature in ancient Greece). It was believed to offer fertility, good luck, and good fortune.

From what I learned online, the custom of hanging these roots outside homes in the new year is largely followed on the island of Crete. It seems to be followed in Athens too, though not by many. Although, as I stated earlier I see them in some stores in the new year, I don’t see them outside people’s houses that often.

Anyway, my family never had to buy one, since Urginea grows naturally all over the fields here every winter. Just before the new year, even now at 80 years of age, my father will go up the road to the first open field and dig up two of these plants, taking great care to remove the root whole and intact. He’ll deliver one plant to my husband and me, the big round root covered in aluminium foil. All I have to do then is tie a piece of string around its stem and hang it at the gate. Once it’s dried up a few days later, we just throw it away.

And now you know about this plant, I bet you can tell just how ‘lucky’ I felt as I sat drinking in the stunning sea view, while surrounded by such auspicious plant life haha

Visit Facebook to see all the photos from that awesome day!

In my latest newsletter, I am sharing a bunch of FREE kindle books to suit various tastes and the latest that’s fun from my life in Greece. It’s all bound to put a smile on your face! Check it out!

 

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

FREE books, and fun news from a Greek author #asmsg #weekendreading #newsletter Share on X

 

Limited time offer! Get the awarded novella, “The Boy on the Bridge” for FREE, along with the short story collection, “Facets of Love” with your sign up to Effrosyni’s newsletter. Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu! For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

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FREE books, naughty cats and delicious fish cakes

Hello! I am thrilled today to share with you a load of book freebies, romance mostly, in time for Valentine’s Day! Also sharing below the latest antics of my naughty cats, Loulou and Sissi, and my homemade fish cakes that taste and smell absolutely delicious, thanks to the herbs and spices in the mix. Enjoy!

It’s been a while since I last shared news from Loulou and her daughter, Sissi, but I assure you not much has changed since last time.

Sissi still chases her mum around sometimes, though Loulou gets less often now bullied so no longer leaves the house for hours to find some peace of mind.

In this photo, you can see Loulou on the balcony, on top of the cots Andy and I made them for this winter using two cardboard boxes covered with t-shirts and woolly jumpers for extra warmth.

Nothing to see here. Just Loulou having pigeon for breakfast. Yes. You can imagine my horror when I saw this first thing in the morning as soon as I opened the front door. Could have been worse, I guess! A small mouse, perhaps. The cats are forever taunting small mice behind the closed door. One could very well run inside for cover if I were to open it at the time. That one hasn’t happened yet, I am pleased to say, though I have had a near miss twice.

I am so grateful Greek houses don’t have cat flaps. So, at least, the carnage is guaranteed to stay outside at all times, LOL

Sissi tends to hunt smaller birds and vermin than Loulou but she is one naughty little thing! She is still terribly inquisitive, and territorial too. The moment I put something new outside on the porch, she’ll claim it for her own. Just as it happened with this small table I took outside so I can sit with a coffee or my laptop. I thought that would guarantee I’d have a clean table to do that at all times, seeing that the cats have long claimed the big oblong table of the porch for their own.

But Sissi had other ideas.

The first time I left the table unguarded, yours truly forgot all about her big table (aka ‘king-size bed’) to try this new one for size.

The same story was repeated last week, when I left my umbrella at the porch. I had just returned to the house under a drizzle and as the sun came out soon after, I thought it would be wise to leave it outside to dry.

Bad choice. But, at least, this time I suspected it. So I left it outside and stood behind the window, camera at the ready. It wasn’t ten seconds later when my little devil, Sissi, came to inspect.

She smelled it, rubbed her head against it a few times, then ran up to it, from the other side, in an obvious attempt to stand or sit on it. Gravity took over, of course, and she wound up rolling with it. It was hilarious!

When her nails came out, I rushed outside to save the umbrella from her frustrated little paws. Thanks for the confirmation, Sissi. Nothing looking new, odd or flashy on the balcony. Check!

On the bright side, at least she doesn’t jump up any more to claw at my silk scarfs on the washing line!

My homemade fish cakes can be made with haddock, cod, or any other white fish. I call them ‘aromatic’ because their heavenly smell is part of the dining experience!

My recipe uses a few herbs and spices that make them utterly delicious. And there are health benefits too, seeing that I can’t make anything these days without including turmeric and ginger – for me, they are two of the most precious ‘medicine’ nature has to offer!

GET THE RECIPE!

It’s the season of love… Get the companion book of The Lady of the Pier trilogy for FREE!

It includes “An Old Promise”, a clean romance short read set in the alluring Cyclades. 

For a limited time, you can get book 1 in the trilogy, The Ebb, for only 99 cents. It can also be enjoyed as a standalone read. 

AN OLD PROMISE… Joanna boards a flight to visit the Greek island of Sifnos again after twenty years. All this time, despite the distance and her life’s circumstances, she’s been holding on to precious memories from an old summer love. Now, she’s determined to meet again the man she once left behind, hoping for a chance to prove she never forgot their old promise…

“The author writes from her heart and endears the reader to the story quickly. Her writing flows in a comfortable and easy manner making the reader feel right at home.” ~Janice Spina, author of An Angel Among Us

“The book is very well written and the added poetry was beautiful. The characters were so vividly portrayed you became totally caught up in their lives.” ~Helen Johnson Brumbaugh, Amazon reviewer

This FREE short read also contains ten love poems from the Lady of the Pier trilogy and an exclusive excerpt from book 1, The Ebb.

VISIT AMAZON

SEE BELOW FOR A LOAD OF FREE ROMANCE BOOKS TO ENJOY THIS VALENTINE’S DAY!

In my latest newsletter, I am sharing a bunch of FREE kindle books to suit various tastes and the latest that’s fun from my life in Greece. It’s all bound to put a smile on your face! Check it out!

 

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

FREE books, and fun news from a Greek author #greek #authorlife #freebies Share on X

 

Limited time offer! Get the awarded novella, “The Boy on the Bridge” for FREE, along with the short story collection, “Facets of Love” with your sign up to Effrosyni’s newsletter. Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu! For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

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Doggie trouble, FREE books, and a freaky snowstorm

Meet Gino, my mother’s beloved doggie that she’d adopted while holidaying in Limnos a few summers back when Gino was a tiny puppy. Dad has now inherited him from her, and I play Mummy for this canine darling. Living next door, makes it a pleasure to do. Dad walks Gino and gives him his main meals, and I pet him, play with him, and arrange for his trips to the vet. I also treat him daily to a handful of cat food, which I deliver same time every evening. His tail goes wagging like crazy as he sees me coming. The tiny cat food pellets are a delicacy he always devours in seconds!

A couple weeks ago, though, Gino’s happy life was disrupted by a terrible accident.

I was working on my computer when, suddenly, I heard harrowing howls of pain, clearly from a dog. I rushed outside like a madwoman, not knowing what to think. I had no idea it was Gino, but thought perhaps a dog outside had been attacked by other strays – as it occasionally happens in our semi-rural area.

To my shock, I found a Jeep parked in the middle of the street. Two strangers and my father were standing behind it, all looking down at Gino, who was crying. As it turned out, my father had left the gate open and the dog had rushed outside just as the Jeep was driving past the house. By sheer luck, it didn’t run him over and only hit his front paw.

The vet determined readily that the bone wasn’t broken, but it was cracked. She bandaged his paw and placed a cone around his neck to stop him from chewing it. A couple of jabs and a lot of reassuring petting later, he was ready to go back home and I was handed antibiotics and painkillers to administer in the next seven days.

Gino was grumpy in the first two days, growling at us as we tried to keep him comfortable and warm. Gino has always had a weird character, though he is better now than he used to be. In the past, he’s bitten my dad’s hand many times, for example, if he put his hand near his mouth while he was eating, or simply, if he wasn’t in the mood.

So I knew to leave him alone every time he began to growl these first two days when he was still in a lot of pain. From the third day onwards, he began to perk up and walk without limping, and we saw him lie down on the ground again for the first time since the accident. The first two days, he kept sitting on his back legs and looking at us forlornly, bless his little heart.

There is a silver lining to his unfortunate accident and misfortune, though, and that is the fact that as I nursed him back to good health we bonded like never before. He couldn’t drink from his bucket of water at all with the cone, for example, so I had to check with him a few times a day, offering him to drink from my hand, which he seemed to enjoy. And he didn’t bite, of course, LOL. Andy thought I was crazy, since he once nearly got bitten by him too, when he was close to him while he was eating. But I knew Gino wouldn’t bite me. He is a clever boy, despite his crankiness. He knew I was only trying to help.

I don’t know if Gino couldn’t eat from his bowl either, or if he thought it was more fun to have me around to feed him, but I wound up having to throw food on the ground for him to eat too. And, again, Dad thought I was nuts because as he ate the pellets, I kept pushing them towards his mouth because the cone made it hard for him to reach them. My fingers would brush against his lips, and he never did as much as growl, let alone bite me. Another silver lining – I think Gino is done minding company when he eats now, yippee!

It took Gino a while to work out he had to move around to get the pellets from the floor. At first, he’d look at them through the transparent plastic of the cone, and kept trying to get them through the plastic, LOL

On the 10th day, his mood improved drastically as soon I removed the cone. Boy, did he dance around or what! And he ate like he hadn’t eaten in days, eating and drinking like a mad thing.

And what surprise! He didn’t try to bite the bandage at all, and never did, until it was time to remove that too, five days later. That day, to be honest, he did growl at me as I used a small scissors to remove the sticky bandage. I insisted, despite him pointing his snout at my fingers and growling, and suddenly, he swirled around in a flash, then growled at me loudly, baring his teeth as he stared at me. Shocked, I told him off and he rushed into the dog house, a long strip of sticky bandage trailing behind him as it was still half-wrapped around his leg. I returned ten minutes later and he walked out of the dog house, tail wagging, as if nothing had happened.

I told you he’s weird, haha. Plus, his leg was bandage-free this time. He had chewed off the remnants. Phew! I can’t believe I survived being his nurse for two weeks without a single bite mark on my hands, LOL!

Last silver lining here – Dad has learned his lesson, because he had been quite naughty all this time. Being a typical, stubborn Greek elderly man, he never listened to reason (or yours truly!). I kept advising him to keep the gate closed at all times and to only walk the dog with the lead. He ignored me on both counts. Now, he swears “Never again!”. He does use the lead now every time he takes Gino out.

Bad, bad Dad!!!! But Gino is such a sweetheart, despite his nasty mood swings! I bet he has forgiven him already.

Last week, Athens was hit by a snowstorm that its people won’t forget any time soon! Snow covered every street and every corner, and the government had to declare the two days that followed official days off work for the whole of Attica. Which was a good idea, seeing that we were all stuck inside our homes, unwilling and unable to walk outside anywhere, let alone drive. Cars had been half-buried under snow in all the side roads all over the place, and many were abandoned, even on the highways, their drivers walking home for kilometres.

Undoubtedly, the snowstorm affected people the worst in the private highway of Attiki Odos, where 5,000 drivers  got stranded for hours in the cold on the first day of the snowstorm from midday onwards until the army came to the rescue in the wee hours of the morning! According to witnesses, by the time darkness came, even the men were desperate inside their cars, convinced they would not survive the night. The first person who sued the highway company for compensation is an elderly man with a heart problem who got stranded in a taxi for 20 hours without food, water or his meds. Many more are expected to follow suit…

Read more about the snowstorm in my latest newsletter. You’ll find many FREE kindle books in there too! ENJOY!

 

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

FREE books, and fun news from the life of a Greek author! #freebooks #freebies #authorlife Share on X

 

Limited time offer! Get the awarded novella, “The Boy on the Bridge” for FREE, along with the short story collection, “Facets of Love” with your sign up to Effrosyni’s newsletter. Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu! For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

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FREE books, Greek lentil soup and a charming little chapel

Eating heavy, meaty and fatty foods during the holidays can be taxing for the body. Once Christmas Day was over, I already knew it was time to go all vegetarian for a while. Until the New Year, at least. So I had the loveliest light meal on Boxing Day, which I thought I’d share with you. When my father sat at the table he dug straight into the raw onion squares which he enjoys enormously. He never has lentils of any kind without a side dish of raw onion and taught my British husband to ask this Greek wife to do the same in our home too. Not that I complain! The benefits of onion are well known and many.

Andy made sausage rolls for Christmas (he calls them ‘pigs in blankets’) and drizzled them with honey. You can see in the photo some of the leftovers. I didn’t care for them and it was interesting to see my family trying them. My father was like me and turned up his nose, but my sister and her family, being big meat eaters, honoured the side dish enormously. Still, Andy got to eat most of them. It’s a British thing, apparently. I wouldn’t know, LOL! Luckily, he won’t be making them again till next Christmas, phew! Not that I mind what he eats, but if he cooks those again and it’s just the two of us, he’ll be eating the lot on his own, LOL!

Back to the lentil meal – I added some rice in it (just a tablespoon) to add goodness. The combination of lentils and cereal of any kind gives the body complete protein, and is therefore great for providing the body with energy. Herbs and spices gave the meal plenty of aroma.

GET THE RECIPE HERE!

This chapel is a lovely new addition to our beautiful seafront in my little town of Nea Peramos. It was sanctified by a priest shortly after its installation and its name is–what else?–St. Nicholas. What could be more apt than the name of the protector of seamen when the church is situated at a marina, right? It’s so charming and I’m looking forward to a chance to visit it inside. The only problem is it was placed at the worst spot ever, as you can see here, which showed the moment it rained heavily. I’ve seen the seafront’s many ducks gather right there to drink when it rains – LOL!

Earlier photo at the spot where the chapel was placed

But, hey! I hear the council is busy taking remedial action. Let’s hope! St Nicholas deserves to be visited by people with dry feet 😛 Go below to read my newsletter. You’ll find in there more photos from the seafront that I took that day. Enjoy 🙂

In my latest newsletter, I am sharing a bunch of FREE kindle books to suit various tastes and the latest that’s fun from my life in Greece. It’s all bound to put a smile on your face! Check it out here: https://madmimi.com/p/c780631/preview

 

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

FREE books, and fun news from Greece! #funnews #freebiefriday #Greece Share on X

 

Limited time offer! Get The Boy on the Bridge for FREE, along with the short story collection, Facets of Love, with your sign up to Effrosyni’s newsletter. Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu! For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

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Vasilopita, the Greek New Year cake with the hidden coin

Greek custom dictates that every family cut a Vasilopita on New Year’s Eve, which is a traditional cake with a hidden coin inside. The person who finds the coin in their piece will have good luck all year! The word ‘Vasilopita’ originates from Agios Vasileios (St Basil). It literally means ‘Basil pie’. The Greek Santa is Agios Vasileios, not St Nick. The legend of him bringing gifts started like this…

When Agios Vasileios was the bishop of Caesarea in Asia Minor, a ruthless tyrant and his army threatened all people of Caesaria to hand over their gold or perish. St Basil was forced to ask the poor city folk to bring to him their meagre gold possessions. According to legend, a miracle rid the city of the tyrant in the end so the gold was never handed over to him. When St Basil was presented with the task to return all the gold to the people, he decided to send to every household a little bread, each of which contained one golden coin or item of jewellery picked randomly. This is how the custom of the Vasilopita started!

Traditionally, the father or the mother of the house cuts the cake, naming names as they cut… First, they cut a piece for Christ, a second one for the Virgin Mary, another for the house, which they set aside. And only then do they start naming each person of the household as they cut. This way, if the coin is found during cutting, they know who it belongs to. If the coin is found in one of the first three pieces, it is placed in the corner of the house where the family keeps their icons, for good luck. In Greek homes, this corner is often found in the parents’ (or the couple’s) bedroom.

In my humble opinion, everyone who participates in this custom is a winner… There’s plenty of laughter to be had and a strange excitement blossoms in every home during this process, as if the coin is real – a coveted piece of gold…

Why don’t you have a go to see who wins the coin in your home this year? There’s plenty of time still! In Greece, Vasilopita cakes are baked and cut for good luck all the way till the end of January.

Here’s my recipe. Enjoy!

 

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

Vasilopita, the Greek New Year cake with the hidden coin! #holidayseason #desserts #Greece Share on X

Limited time offer! Get The Boy on the Bridge for FREE, along with the short story collection, Facets of Love, with your sign up to Effrosyni’s newsletter. Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu! For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

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Delicious Greek Christmas desserts

Hi, All! Today, I am sharing about the Greek traditional desserts for Christmas, the New Year cake with the hidden coin, and some delightful cookies too! These change shape in the oven and are the perfect fun thing to do with kids this holiday season. Enjoy, and happy holidays!

I love the Greek Christmas desserts you can see here but they present a problem for me each year. I can’t help myself and start eating them from very early in the month of December. By the time Christmas arrives, I have to look for trousers one size bigger to wear haha

But, looking at this picture from my local bakery, can you really blame me? Especially if you’ve tasted Greek Christmas desserts and know just how yummy they are.

Here they are, in more detail:

KOURABIES (Plural: KOURABIEDES)

These tiny round cakes have a solid dough that’s rich in almond chunks, and they are dusted heavily with icing sugar. They can also be found in the shape of a crescent. A classic festive prank in Greece is to offer someone a kourabies and dare them to say ‘Thothoros’ as they chew. This is just the Greek name for Theodore. It’s not the meaning, but the making of the sound that matters here. The result is always the same! A sprinkle of icing sugar emitted from the person’s mouth to dirty their own clothes. Not recommended in the times of covid – but it has to end sometime, doesn’t it? So keep in mind for later, if you’re a prankster. Trust me. It’s priceless.

MELOMAKARONO (Plural: MELOMAKARONA)

These golden delights can easily become a favorite, especially as in the recent years bakers and sweet shop owners have gone a step further to coat them with milk chocolate or dark chocolate! Personally, I never go for those, as I find them sickly sweet. The classic melomakarona of this picture are more than adequately sweet on their own. The taste is all in the honey syrup and the heavenly woody spices (cinnamon and cloves). Melomakarona come in soft and harder varieties. The softer the better, in my humble opinion.

DIPLA (Plural: DIPLES)

These pastries are fried, then sprinkled with chopped walnuts and drizzled with honey or syrup. The ones my mother used to make looked like short ribbons with serrated edges, and sometimes she’d fold them in thirds. The classic shape one can find in the shop, though, is the rolled up one you see in the picture. After all, the name Dipla is derived from the word Diplono, which means “To fold”. I have to admit that diples, being fried, are not the healthiest option, but they are definitely my favourite of the three, with melomarona following closely behind. Diples are crunchy and fluffy – a temptation I personally find impossible to resist!

Note: This is not a recipe post, as you can see, mainly owed to the fact that I’ve never tried my hand at making any of the main three Christmas desserts. It’s hassle-free at the bakery, if you ask me LOL! But, if you’re feeling eager to try, just google the name of the dessert with ‘Akis’ next to it, and it should take you to the site of famous Greek chef Akis Petretzikis. All his recipes are awesome! This is the one for melomakarona, for example!

 

Ok, so these are neither Greek nor Christmas cookies either, but I love to bake them on new year’s eve, then put them on a platter with chocolate coins for good luck. They look fantastic and the added bonus is they are not as punishing to your waistline as you’d think! There is no trace of chocolate or butter in them – instead, they contain cocoa powder and sunflower oil, but taste fluffy and chocolatey as if they were the real thing. I call them Magic Snowballs because when you put them in the oven they look like little white balls and then something whimsical happens! They start to change shape right before your eyes…

GO HERE TO GET THE RECIPE. THEY ARE PERFECT TO BAKE WITH KIDS. ENJOY!

 

Last but not least, this is the Greek New Year Cake with the hidden coin inside. It is called ‘Vassilopita’ and is baked on new year’s eve in honour of St Basil (the Greek version of Santa Claus). Check out my recipe here!

 

 

OOPPAAA! SIGN UP TO MY BIMONTHLY NEWSLETTER AND GET 3 BOOKS FROM ME AS A WELCOME GIFT! SEE BELOW FOR THIS OFFER!

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

Greek Christmas desserts are amazing! #Greek #desserts #christmas Share on X

 

Get Effrosyni’s FREE books with your signup to her bimonthly newsletter! Fun news from her life in Greece and a load of FREE kindle books in every issue! http://bit.ly/2yA74No

NEW! A historical paranormal romance box set. This is the timeless love story that will stay with you forever. Set in Moraitika, Corfu and Brighton, England. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3HEvMPG
Clean romance short read, FREE with Kindle Unlimited. It’ll transport you straight to Corfu to experience summer in an idyllic Greek seaside village. Visit Amazon: https://bit.ly/3pAP3rf

 

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon

Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Effrosyni’s debut romance, The Ebb, has received an award from Amazon! Check it out here

Beach fun and sweet romance mixed with magic spells and bird shifters… The Raven Witch of Corfu is an original story that will rivet you with its unrelenting suspense. The final twist will blow your mind!
Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
 
Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to south Corfu!

 

For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

 

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Happy December! Here’s an early Christmas gift from me

Happy December to all! I am thrilled today to share with you all a FREE copy of my latest book, The Boy on the Bridge. I have made it available as a free book on Story Origin (mobi, epub or PDF) for those willing to try my bimonthly newsletter.

Also, I’d like to do something else today that I don’t do often – and that’s to ask for your help. That is, just a few seconds of your time. You see, The Boy on the Bridge has been shortlisted in the annual awards of Readfree.ly, so I would greatly appreciate it if you could give it a quick vote to support me. I would be forever grateful to you!

VISIT READFREE.LY TO VOTE FOR THE BOOK. IT IS LISTED IN THE ROMANCE CATEGORY. THANK YOU!

VISIT STORY ORIGIN TO GRAB THE BOOK FOR FREE!

 

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

A FREE romance that is shortlisted for the readfree.ly awards! #PNR #freebie #freebook Share on X

 

 
A young man determined to protect his girl… A teenage boy offering prophecies… and a series of unexplained events. Check it out on Amazon: https://bit.ly/3ke2O9U

   Want The Boy on the Bridge for FREE? Grab it here!

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Check it out here

370 pages of Corfu summer bliss! This beach romance will make you fall in love… Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
To grab “Facets of Love” for FREE, go here! Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to Corfu! For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

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Cooking crabs from a Greek island… and offering FREE books!

Scroll all the way down to gain access to my latest newsletter that lists a plethora of FREE books right in time for Black Friday weekend!

My elderly father made me jealous all the time last summer while holidaying on the island of Limnos. In the tiny village where he was raised there’s a quiet beach that has a lot of treasures in store for those who know where to look. Often, my father and I would talk in the evenings on the phone and he’d tell me he’d caught a crab or two that afternoon (and once, even a small stingray!) using nothing but his hands or a small stick during his walks on the beach with his dog. Many a time he’d made me envious, just to think he’d bring one or two crabs home from a walk, just enough for one man to boil and enjoy with his ouzo. I mean, how awesome is that? He said that for many years the crabs had disappeared from the beach but this year they had returned in large numbers. So I jumped at the opportunity to ask him to give me a batch from the frozen ones he’d brought to Athens so I could give them a try. Though I had crab during ouzo time as a child with my parents, I only had the odd leg that’d been boiled in water. I’d never tried the whole thing and certainly not in a tomato sauce with pasta. I was eager to try this meal, as I’d heard the taste was amazing. This was my chance!

When Dad handed me a few crabs for my freezer, I was so taken by their beautiful gray & blue colors, and surprised too, as I knew this wasn’t how they looked when cooked. The mystery was solved once I put them in boiling water. They magically turned red instantly before my very eyes. I was worried about how I was going to extract the meat from them, so in case you’re wondering too, don’t let that sway you. I go in detail at the end of my recipe about where the meat is and how you can get it. And I do admit… It WAS kind of creepy to cook such large crustaceans – they looked somewhat like giant cockroaches, LOL, but the taste…. OH, THE TASTE!!…. it made it all worthwhile.

So if you’re feeling creeped out too, know it’s worth it for what you’ll be tasting if you try this recipe! Ready? Here we go!

INGREDIENTS (for 2 people)

2 crabs

2 medium sized beef tomatoes (skinned and grated)

1/3 of a pack of tomato puree (doesn’t have to be specific, just enough to make the sauce more deep red)

1 onion and 1-2 garlic cloves chopped

8 tablespoons of virgin olive oil (or what you normally use for pasta dishes)

1/3 teaspoon of cayenne pepper that’s slightly spicy (or chilly, if you prefer it hot!)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric (optional)

parsley (chopped)

PREPARATION

Wash the crabs well using a clean brush or toothbrush (I have a dedicated toothbrush for the kitchen, very useful!) Brush their legs well, especially.

Fill a big pot halfway with water (you’ll use this water to boil the pasta after, and some of it will also go in the sauce). When the water boils, throw the crabs in. DO NOT ADD SALT!

After 5 minutes, turn over the crabs and boil for another 5 minutes, then take them out and put aside (TOTAL 10 MINUTES TO BOIL THEM).

Pour the contents through a sieve into a bowl underneath to get the liquid. Then pass the liquid through an ultra-fine mesh strainer to remove the sand and other debris. Make sure to stop pouring before you get to the bottom where the sand will have settled. I don’t have an ultra-fine strainer so I use a typical small strainer and line it with cotton wool.

Put the water into a pan and leave aside to cook the pasta in it later.

Now, in another pan, fry the onion and the garlic in the oil in medium heat for about 2 minutes, until the onion turns a little transparent. Don’t fry too long or the garlic will burn. Add the grated tomato and the passata and cook uncovered for a while until the liquid diminishes.

Add a little of the water for the pasta and stir. Add turmeric, if using. Cayenne (or chilly) and black pepper. DO NOT ADD SALT YET.

Add the crabs and a little more water. Not too much liquid. Better to add later, if need be, so keep checking it. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn over the crabs halfway.

In the last 10 minutes or so, add salt to the sauce, and cook the pasta in the other pan, using the leftover water (and salt.)

If you have too much liquid in the sauce, uncover and cook in higher heat towards the end, as needed.

When done, take out the crabs and, using the special pasta utensil, spoon the pasta into the sauce. This way, some of the starchy water will be added too for more taste. Add chopped parsley and mix well.

If you don’t have the special pasta utensil, save a cup or two of starchy water before straining.

Add starchy water as needed to ensure the meal is loose and not sticky.

Serve immediately with the crabs on the dishes and enjoy with a green salad.

NOTES: If you buy frozen: I defrosted the crabs overnight in the fridge, but, from what an aunt told me since, she puts her frozen crabs straight into the boiling water. So it’s up to you!

After cooking, the crab is soft enough for you to remove the pincers and the legs and break them using your fingernails to get to the meat inside. Some bits are easier than others to get to the meat. As for the body, if you turn it upside down, there is a crack where you can sink your nails to open up the body. Inside, you will instantly get a biology class lesson (LOL!) as you will notice the lungs in the middle (they are brown and look like leaves). Ignore those, and only pick the meat on either side where the legs and pincers connect to. Actually, some of that meat may be extracted along with the legs and pincers when you pull them out, so you can leave the body for last to get to any leftover meat.

To be frank? I didn’t really care about picking the meat from the crab. And, if using crab of the same size, do not expect to enjoy crab meat in adequate quantity. BUT! For me, the pasta is all the money! This is where the deliciousness is! Enjoy, and let me know in the comments what you think, if you try this 🙂

Hungry for more? Browse through all my recipes here: https://effrosinimoss.wordpress.com/category/greek-recipes-2/

 

Get The Boy on the Bridge for FREE on Story Origin!

Or, check it out on Amazon HERE

This Black Friday weekend, discover alluring Greek corners of paradise! Only 99 cents!

Visit Amazon: http://bit.ly/1MpLgjL

In my latest newsletter, I am sharing a bunch of FREE kindle books to suit various tastes and the latest that’s fun from my life in Greece. It’s all bound to put a smile on your face! Check it out: https://madmimi.com/p/9f0d231/preview

 

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

FREE books, and fun news from Greece! #writerlife #freebies #indiebooks Share on X

   

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Check it out here

370 pages of Corfu summer bliss! This beach romance will make you fall in love… Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
To grab “Facets of Love” for FREE, go here! Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to Corfu! For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

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A heart-warming romance and a strange cat

Hello, All! I am writing today to share a bunch of freebies from my latest newsletter and, also, to share about a young cat that came to my garden out of the blue and wouldn’t go away!

But first, here’s a suggestion for your reading pleasure:

FREE WITH KINDLE UNLIMITED! Two girls, their lives fifty years apart. One haunting… and one love that won’t let go. This paranormal new adult romance trilogy will keep your heart warm all the way to Christmas!

Sofia, a young student, always follows the rules of her over-protective family. But this is about to change…

Sofia is reluctant to talk to boys. Her family is strict and gossip in her village on Corfu is relentless. But Danny, a British tourist, is too charming to resist. As she falls in love, strange dreams about a woman dressed in black begin to haunt her…

“I could feel the warm sun and sandy beaches even on a cold dreary day.” ~Helen Johnson Brumbaugh, Amazon reviewer

“Moschoudi’s writing was impressive; sweet and delicate yet powerful, like a punch rolled up in silk.” ~Nicholas Rossis, author of The Pearseus series

Book 1, The Ebb, can be enjoyed as a standalone read. Only $0.99 for a limited time!

VISIT AMAZON

This kitty came to my garden out of the blue. When I tried to shoo it away it left me gobsmacked with its reaction. For two days, it caused a bit of a ruckus with my cats, but it all ended well. Read all about it in today’s newsletter. You’ll discover a bunch of free book offers in the process too!

 

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

FREE books, and fun news from Greece! #writerslife #freebiefriday #books Share on X

New book! A young man determined to protect his girl… A teenage boy offering prophecies… and a series of unexplained events. Check it out on Amazon: https://bit.ly/3ke2O9U

   Want The Boy on the Bridge for FREE? Grab it here!

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Check it out here

370 pages of Corfu summer bliss! This beach romance will make you fall in love… Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
To grab “Facets of Love” for FREE, go here! Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to Corfu! For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.

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FREE spooky books and pumpkin soup

Hi, All! I’m getting excited for Halloween and offering a plethora of FREE spooky books in my newsletter today! Scroll down for the link while I stir this soup, will you?

Hmmm… My soup is almost ready. Now, I’d better make a start on the crunchy bat wing frittata. Hey! What’s in the cauldron, I hear you say?

Yum! Homemade pumpkin soup, that’s what!

And not just with any pumpkin, but with a Hokkaido pumpkin that is incredibly yummy and tender. I don’t know about you but I wash its skin well and leave it in! It is soft and has a wonderful texture when cooked. Plus, it means, you get even more beta-carotene 🙂

I liquidize the soup before serving but leave out about a cupful of chunks so I can throw them in the plates for decoration.

My recipe includes ginger and parsley, and it’s so warming and nutritious – an excellent choice for Halloween and any wintry evening, for that matter. You won’t find it in my recipe, but these days I also add 1/2 a teaspoon of turmeric to the cauldron (sorry, I meant the pot!)

Turmeric adds extra nutritional value to the dish. Plus, the color yellow makes a striking contrast to the green lizard tail salad I serve on the side (just kidding!)

GET THE RECIPE – MINUS THE LIZARD TAILS!

 

FREE spooky episodes! Lizzie is not your average tourist. She’s going to Greece on a mission. And it involves a shape-shifting, evil witch!

 

CHECK OUT MY NEWSLETTER FOR MY LATEST FUN NEWS FROM GREECE. HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS IN ATHENS AND A MULTITUDE OF SPOOKY KINDLE FREEBIES AWAIT YOU IN THIS ISSUE. HAPPY HALOWEEN, ALL!

 

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY… SHARING IS CARING! Tweet this to spread some love:

FREE books, and fun news from Greece! #authorlife #freebiefriday #spooky Share on X

New book! A young man determined to protect his girl… A teenage boy offering prophecies… and a series of unexplained events. Check it out on Amazon: https://bit.ly/3ke2O9U

   Want The Boy on the Bridge for FREE? Grab it here!

Kelly ran a marathon and wound up running a house. With a ghost in it! Both humorous and moving, with delightful sweet romance, it’s just the ticket to lose yourself reading! Read more on Amazon
Summer love and a mysterious haunting in Corfu! Check it out here

370 pages of Corfu summer bliss! This beach romance will make you fall in love… Available in paperback , box set or 4 kindle episodes!
To grab “Facets of Love” for FREE, go here! Planning to visit Greece? Check out our FREE guide to Corfu! For delicious Greek recipes, go here. Are you an author? Check out our FREE promo tips & resources here.