Revithia sto fourno, baked chickpeas, is something everyone MUST make at least once – it’s just that good. Using only five of the most ordinary of ingredients, this positively perfect authentic, rustic peasant dish is a cinch to make for the modern home cook.

Two big time-savers include subbing in canned chickpeas (good quality, of course) for dried and making your caramelized onions up to 4 days ahead. Fresh chopped rosemary, olive oil and salt/pepper round out your shopping list for this one so seriously, give it a try – YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. 

Of course, when you have the time, it’s always good to start with dried beans and boil your own so I’ve included the boiling directions below.  As I mentioned above though, it’s absolutely acceptable to substitute canned chickpeas here. Either way you go, remember to RESERVE either 2 cups of boiling liquid or 2 cups of the canning liquid to use in the recipe. It helps give an really nice, extra creaminess to the beans.

And caramelizing the onions is easy to do especially with the oven method shared here. It’s honestly just a matter of setting aside the time to peel and slice the onions.  The amount written may seem like more than you need but the thing is the onions really shrink down to a fraction of their original volume. Their sensational sugary, golden brown goodness infuses right into your chickpeas while they’re baking so they’re a KEY ingredient here. Just jump right in, start with one onion and they’ll just fly, you’ll be finished in no time!

• 1 pound dried chickpeas (soacked and boiled until tender) or four 15oz cans
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 cups reserved boiling liquid from chickpeas, or liquid from can
• 1 tbsp dried chopped rosemary
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 cups caramelized onions

To read more, and to discover how to make Revithia sto Fourno, please visit: The Greek Vegan

From rare bronzes found in the sea to goddesses that proved a millennium ahead of their time, ancient Greek art is majestic, vital and full of high drama. Here are some of the most important works from ancient Greece:

There is a tragic pathos to this mighty sculpture of a dying hero from a temple on the Greek island of Aegina. Tragedy is a Greek concept. The tragedies of Sophocles, Euripides and Aeschylus are still performed. This statue shows a strong man fallen, heroic to his last breath.

Classical Greek art changed rapidly as Greece itself went through wars and imperial transformations. In what is called the Hellenistic age it became much more emotional, sensual and even sensationalist. The furious sculptures on the Pergamon altar – which can be seen in its own museum in Berlin – are full of passion and psychological drama.

The Riace bronzes (460-420BC)  
These tremendous statues found in the sea off southern Italy in 1972 are important because so few original Greek bronze statues survive.  Most of the classical nudes in museums were carved in marble in the Roman era, as reproductions of such rare, and now largely lost, originals.  Here we see the true majesty of Greek art in its classical age, which occured in the fifth-century B.C.

Goddesses from the east pediment of the Parthenon (c 438-432BC)
Sitting and reclining in graceful unison, these goddesses carved in marble for the Parthenon in Athens are among the most beautiful and mysterious images of human form ever created.  Incredibly, the artist makes the draperies that cover their bodies as real and richly textured as similar garments painted by Leonardo da Vinci a millennium later - and who didn't have to produce his illusions in stone.  These are dream goddesses.

Dionysus, god of wine and madness, sails on his boat, surrounded by dolphins, in this delightful painting. Part of the fascination of Greek art is that its themes were taken up by artists down the centuries, as the myths of this culture were constantly being rediscovered. So this image of Dionysus can be compared with later portrayals of the wine god by Titian, Michelangelo, or Cy Twombly.

To read more, please visit: The Guardian

Archaeologists working on the Greek island of Crete have uncovered artifacts and structures that suggest the ancient city of Knossos - Europe's oldest city - was three times bigger and richer than previously thought.

Knossos is believed to be Europe’s oldest city, according to archeologists. It was an epicenter of Aegean and Mediterranean trade and culture, but historians thought that after a solid 600-year run of prominence during the Greek Bronze Age, the city suffered a major decline in the wake of a socio-political collapse around 1200 BC, when Thera’s volcano erupted.

The latest excavations suggest a more positive trajectory, however, extending Knossos economic and political successes well into the Iron Age.

Most of the new artifacts — bronze and other metals, jewelry, pottery and all sorts of status symbols — were recovered from burial sites. The archaeological haul reveals a city that was rich with trade well after the collapse of the Aegean palaces.

“No other site in the Aegean period has such a range of imports,” lead excavator Antonis Kotsonas, an assistant professor of classics at the University of Cincinnati, said in a press release.

The newly unearthed cemeteries also show Knossos was much larger than previously thought.

To read more, please visit: Pappas Post

Cosco Pacific is pushing for the inclusion of Piraeus in the plans of all major international cruise groups, and for its use as home port.

The aim of the Chinese company that won the tender for the acquisition of Piraeus Port Authority (OLP) is to swiftly develop the major potential of the Greek market and for Piraeus to emerge as one of the world’s biggest cruise ports as early as next year.

To that end, as soon as it has undertaken OLP’s management, Cosco will embark on infrastructure investments that will gradually reach up to (or even exceed) 135 million euros.

It is also beginning a consultation process with cruise groups such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean, MSC, Celestyal and others in mid-March in Florida, in the context of the industry’s main annual exhibition, Cruise Shipping Miami.

To read more, please visit: ekathimerini

A good friend of ours has put together her top ten reasons of why she loves living in Greece. We loved them for all the same reasons and wanted to share them with you.

1.   Koukaki has been named one of the 10 trendiest neighborhoods in the world!

 
2.    It is totally normal to book a doctor or manicure appointment at 9:00 pm.

3.    In less than 2 hours and with under 100 euros, I can easily change cultures, languages, currencies, and cuisines.

4.    It’s easy to be emotional in Greece. I’m very uncomfortable crying in public but the few times I’ve done it here, everyone leans in–way in–to see what’s wrong, how can they help, etc. There is no possible way to get away with “I’m fine.” They don’t accept that at all…And it feels so nice.

5.    I am 4,000 miles away from the US President.

6.    Greek merchants are very flexible. In instances when I haven’t had enough cash with me, they’ve let me buy groceries, pet food, get my nails done and have medical appointments with a casual wave of the hand—“you can pay next time!“ Once they even let me rent a car without my driver’s license…impressive. dear greece, you remind me that all things are possible…

7.    Even though I have visited maybe a dozen Greek islands, I still feel like I’ve just scratched the surface. There are so many islands you can stay interested for years and years…

8.    I can go to the laiki (outdoor market) and buy all the fresh fruit and vegetables I need for a week for less than 25 euros. And it’s fun.

9.    I now know enough people that I randomly bump into friends when I’m out on the street. That might not seem like a big deal, but when you start from zero, it’s huge.

10.    The pace of life I have here has allowed me time to write a book. I’m very grateful for that and I’m not sure I would have been able to do it in my more fast-paced San Francisco life.

To read more, please visit: LynnRoulo.com

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Lynn is an American Kundalini yoga and Enneagram instructor teaching a unique combination of the two systems, combining the physical benefits of Kundalini yoga with the psychological growth tools of the Enneagram.

Most of her adult life has been as a Certified Public Accountant (US CPA) working in the Silicon Valley/San Francisco technology start up and venture capital industries. In 2012, she decided to move to Athens, Greece for purely intuitive reasons.  She's not Greek by heritage, she did not have a job here, she didn’t speak any Greek (at the time), and there wasn't a Greek man in the picture either! She simply had a really clear feeling that she should go to Greece. And so she did.
 
“I remember getting on the plane to leave San Francisco. My dog and two cats were in cargo below and I had packed a suitcase full of clothes. Almost everything else I had sold or given away. There wasn’t anyone to meet me in Athens because I didn’t know anyone. But it was one of the calmest moments of my life. I was totally sure I was making the right choice.  And I haven’t regretted it at all. I love Greece.”

To learn more about Lynn and all the great things she does in Athens please visit her webiste: 
http://www.lynnroulo.com/

Twenty selected destinations competed for the prestigious title of Best European Destination 2016 and Athens came in second!

Voting ended on February 10 with more than 288,000 votes for Zadar in Croatia who was elected Best European Destination 2016 and won the prestigious title.

The top 10 european best destinations for 2016 are:

The perfect Valentine’s Day meal may very well be Greek stuffed tomatoes (ντομάτες γεμιστές). Simply delicious, gorgeous red and filled with love.

The crunch of the pine nuts and sweetness of the red currants in this recipe are just amazing and bring so much to the dish so do try and find both, if possible. It’s also a good idea to take an extra minute in the grocery store to choose large, meaty tomatoes all of approximate similar size and shape. This will help to ensure even cooking and will be prettier on your plate!

You can easily make the filling ahead up to 5 days and keep covered, in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake. Just remember to bring filling to room temperature before filling.

•8 medium/large tomatoes

•1 cup chopped onion

•1 cup (uncooked) rice

•1⁄2 cup olive oil

•1⁄4 cup currants

•1⁄4 cup pine nuts

•1⁄4 cup fresh mint

•1⁄4 cup fresh dill

•2 cups water

•1 1⁄2 tsp salt and pepper

•1 cup of tomato insides, mashed

•3⁄4 cup warm water (in addition to 2 cups above)

To read more, and Instructions on how to prepare, please visit: Pappas Post

International tourist arrivals in Greece increased 5.7 pct in 2015 compared to 2014, the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) said on Thursday, announcing its official data collected from the country’s airports.

According to the report, 843,000 more tourists came to Greece in 2015, with the total number of airport arrivals reaching 15.5 million.

In December, Athens maintained its robust numbers with a 15.5 pct rise in arrivals compared to the same period of 2014, while for the entire year the Greek capital achieved an impressive 22.6 pct jump.

For the rest of the country, the Ionian and Cycladic islands secured the lion's share of tourists in 2015 recording a 3.7 pct and 15 pct boost in international arrivals respectively.

To read more, please visit: The TOC

Metsovo is a picturesque town situated in the slopes of Mount Pindos in Epirus.  The small town stands at an altitude of 1156 metres and is surrounded by beautiful nature and lush vegetation.  Metsovo is a very popular destination in Greece as it's a place that has kept its character over the years with traditional stone and wood houses.  It offers visitors a variety of activities all year.  Here, Travel Passionate offers her suggestions in things to see and do in Metsovo.

The museum houses a vast collection from the works of famous Greek painters and sculptors from the 19th and 20th century.

The museum is housed in the restored Tositsa Manor. On your visit you will be able to see how a traditional house of Metsovo was organized. It has an invaluable collection of old objects.

Explore the village on foot, walk in the stone alleyways and admire the traditional architecture of the houses and the views of mount Pindos. Make sure you stop at Metsovorama cafe and bar for a coffee and admire the incredible view of the surrounding mountains. There are a couple of churches worth visiting like the church of Agia Paraskevi at the central square of the village and the church of Agios Nikolaos with rare byzantine icons.

To read more, please visit: Travel Passionate

Milopita (Μηλόπιτα) or apple cake is traditionally enjoyed for breakfast in Greece. So moist, chock full of sweet, juicy apples and spiced with cinnamon and cardamom, milopita is a delicate breakfast or dessert that will become a fast favorite in your house!

This simple to bake recipe is a great way to use up apples that might be a little too bruised or old to eat on their own. And you can choose to mix in chopped walnuts or golden raisins for an apple cake with even more texture and tastes.

The apples for this cake are sliced, baked and chopped to your preferred size. Apple cider adds another layer of yum and helps to make milopita light and airy. I always like to freshly grind the cardamom seeds as they bump up the flavor and are the perfect complement to apples.

To bake your apples, just peel, core, thinly slice and layer in a baking pan.  Cover tightly with foil and bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. This is about 5 minutes less than you would bake them for Oven Baked Apples and leaves your milopita apples with a little bit of crunch and a bit more texture.

You can do this step ahead and keep your baked apples covered, refrigerated for 3-4 days.

To read more, including Ingredients, please visit: Greek Vegan