Merry Christmas with these amazing festive sweet butter cookies! If you haven’t tried kourabiedes (Greek Christmas butter cookies) before, then you are certainly missing out. Soft, buttery, and fluffy with a crunchy bite and rich almond (or pistachio if you are feeling adventurous). This delicious kourabiedes recipe will definitely get you in a festive mood!

Kourabiedes are a delicious traditional Greek treat, packed with the aromas of fresh butter and roasted almonds and garnished with luscious layers of icing sugar - they are the ultimate Christmas cookie!

 

• 500 g butter, at room temperature
• 220 g icing sugar
• 1 g vanilla powder
• 1 teaspoon(s) rosewater
• 30 g bitter almond liqueur, or brandy or rum
• 200-280 g almond slivers or coarsely chopped, unsalted and toasted
• 900 g all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch salt

To Serve 

• 1 tablespoon(s) rosewater
• 300 g icing sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180ο C (350ο F) set to fan.

2. In a mixer’s bowl add the butter, the icing sugar, and beat with the paddle attachment at high speed, for 10-15 minutes, until the mixture is fluffy and white.

3. Add the vanilla powder, the rosewater, the bitter almond liqueur, and keep beating. Remove the bowl from the mixer.

4. Break down the almond slivers with your hands, in order to crumble them, and add them to a bowl. Add the flour, the salt, and put them in the mixer’s bowl.

5. Mix the mixture with a serving spoon, very softly so that it does not lose its volume. As soon as the ingredients are homogenized, mix with your hands.

6. Shape balls, 30 g each, and transfer to a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Lightly press the center with your finger and bake for 20-25 minutes.

  
To see the full recipe and preparation instructions, please visit: akispetretzikis.com

Greek coastal ferry operator Hellenic Seaways recently expressed its interest to operate new routes from Izmir to the Greek islands and Thessaloniki.

The announcement followed an event organized in Izmir by the North Aegean Region and the Izmir Chamber of Commerce and attended by local authorities, Hellenic Seaways, tourism professionals and journalists.

During the event, representatives of Hellenic Seaways presented a complete transportation network that would cover the needs of both countries.

To read more, please visit: Greek Travel Pages

 

Galaktoboureko is a traditional Greek dessert made with layers of golden brown crispy phyllo, sprinkled with melted butter, filled with the most creamy custard and bathed in scented syrup.. Simply amazing! This is a very easy to follow Galaktoboureko recipe for you to recreate this traditional sweet delight from scratch. After a lot of experimenting, My Greek Dish has distilled the essence of this delightful traditional Greek dish to a few easy to follow steps for you to make the very best Galaktoboureko on your first effort!

This easy to follow recipe can be summarised in three key stages:

1) Layering the phyllo sheets

2) Preparing the creamy custard filling

and

3) Preparing the scented syrup

The key for thee most flavourable Galaktoboureko is to use a good quality fresh butter to butter the phyllos sheets. The authentic Greek Galaktoboureko recipe calls for 'galaktos' butter - made from a mix of sheep's and cow's milk, but if you can't handle very strong flavour, then you can substitute with good quality fresh butter from cow's milk.  When preparing phyllo based desserts, a little trick to make the phyllo crispier and flakier is to sprinkle the melted butter over the phyllo sheets, rather than brushing them.  Working with phyllo can be trickey as it's brittle and can dry out very quickly, so check the handling tips before preparing.

For the custard, all traditional Greek Galaktoboureko recipes use thin semilina, to achieve the characteristic grainy texture of the crea, which in this case is not considered a flaw.  On the contrary, what is considered a flaw of this recipe is a very smooth, starchy and tight custard.  In most recipes, the eggs are added whole towards the end, but with Galaktoboureko, the eggs are beaten into meringues and combined in the semolina based cream. This is the secret to a more fluffy and creamy custard and to avoid the egg-y semall, which can ruin the flavour of this dessert.  Just be sure to add the semolina slowy to the warm milk to avoid it forming lumps!

To read more, please visit: My Greek Dish

Greek teacher Angeliki Pappa was included in the list of 50 nominees for the Varkey Foundation’s Global Teacher Award 2016. The Teacher Prize Academy nominated Pappa for her work on dyslexia. The prize of one million US dollars will be awarded for the second time, and it is widely known as the Nobel Prize of teaching.

The aim of the Global Teacher Award is to recognize the exceptional contribution of a teacher to the profession, and to highlight the important role of teachers in society.

The top 50 candidates were selected from 8,000 entries and applications submitted from 148 countries around the world. The winner will be announced at the Global Education & Skills Forum, to be held in March 2016 in Dubai.

Angeliki Pappa specializes in teaching English as a foreign language to students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. The Greek Teacher has always been aware that there were no resources, or special methods available to support students with dyslexia who wanted to learn English in Greece.  

To read more, please visit: Greek Reporter

by

Ioanna Zikakou

The Greeks have one of the oldest cultures in the world (not to mention the first known democracy), and to this day, we turn to the wellspring of Greek wisdom for guidance on living well. With both an ancient tradition of introspection and ethical inquiry, and also to one of the most heart-healthy diets in the world, the Greeks know a thing or two about how to live a good life.

But it's not just ancient Greek philosophers like Plato and Aristotle who unlocked the secrets to a meaningful life. The health habits and leisure rituals of modern Greece also have a lot to teach the rest of the world about health and happiness. Here are some Greek secrets to living well!

1) A Healthy Mediterranean Diet

The Mediterranean diet is heavy on vegetables, olives, healthy fats and oils, fish, whole grains and red wine (in moderation), and is thought to have extensive health benefits, contributing to lower rates of heart disease, obesity, cancer and Alzheimer's disease.  Research analyzing 1.5 million healthy adults found that those who followed the Mediterranean diet had a lower risk of dying from heart disease and cancer and had a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

Greeks firmly believe in many things and afternoon naps are one of them. In some of the smaller towns and villages, businesses commonly shut down in the mid-afternoon for the Greek siesta time and open again around 5 p.m.

 

During the warmer months, small villages and towns in Greece turn to the daily tradition of 'volta' (translated as stroll or outing). When the sun goes down, Greek families will take leisurely walks up and down the main streets of small towns and on the islands, they'll enjoy a leisurely stroll along the shore.

The Greek philosophical tradition is one of the oldest and arguably the richest in the world. Philosophical inquiry thrived in the culture of ancient Greece, and philosophers like Plato, Aristotle, Plotinus, Epicurus and Epictetus asked the big questions: How do we live a good life? How should the city be governed? What is morality and how should we treat others? 

In many ways, we owe the tradition of living the 'examined life' to the ancient Greeks. As Aristotle once wrote, 'Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.'

Greek hospitality goes as far back as Odysseus and it's been embedded in Greek culture and families to this day. This generosity and welcoming spirit derives from the word filoxenia which literally translates to 'love of foreigners.' Historically, it has referred to the hospitality of villagers and residents of small towns who would take in travelers passing through, offering a meal and a bed, whereas now it generally refers to the hospitality offered to friends, family or acquaintances.

To read this article in full, please visit: Huffington Post

Good news for 2016!

The islands of Milos, Samos, Ios, Syros, Chios, Symi and Kos are scheduled to be included in cruise itineraries for the following year in efforts to win over the rapidly growing cruise market, local media reports.

In this direction, the Shipowners Association of Cruise Ships and Shipping Agencies is currently in talks so that investments and plans for the further development of relevant infrastructure is in place in order to cater to large capacity incoming luxury liners.

Projects at the ports of Patra, Corfu, Katakolo, Igoumenitsa, Patmos, Chania, Rethymnon and Heraklion are already in the pipeline, and companies are looking to include a large part of the eastern Peloponnese among their new destinations.

To read more, please visit: Greek Travel Pages

This month (December), Maria Callas would have been 92 years old, and almost four decades after her death, the Greek American opera singer still commands the news and media. At her peak, Callas was one of the most famous and written about women in the world.

Callas was born Maria Kalogeropoulos in New York City in 1923 to Greek immigrant parents. She impressed many as a child singer and pursued her training when her family returned to Greece. She began singing professionally in 1941 and was soon performing in major opera houses throughout the world.

Her voice is considered as one of the most dynamic in operatic history.

She died in Paris in 1977 at age 53 following a heart attack, but her persona and legendary status as a diva on and off the stage is entrenched in the public’s persona until this day.

To commemorate her 90th birthday two years ago, The Los Angeles Times published five extraordinary rumors about the soprano that have never been confirmed — nor denied. Follow are a couple of these:

1) She bore a son with Aristotle Onassis, but the child died soon after birth. Though she is believed to have been infertile, Callas was rumored to have had a love child with Onassis, the shipping tycoon and a Greek compatriot. The son was born in 1960, the rumor has it, and died hours later. Other rumors state that she had at least one abortion while she was with Onassis. Her relationship with the multimillionaire was stormy, as he is believed to have been compulsively unfaithful.

2) Callas continued her affair with Onassis during his marriage to Jacqueline Kennedy.Onassis left Callas to marry the widowed Jacqueline Kennedy in 1968. But it was widely believed that Callas continued her liaison with Onassis well into his marriage with the former first lady. “Greek Fire,” Nicholas Gage’s 2000 book about their love affair, portrays Onassis banging on Callas’ door, begging to be let back in.

To read this article in full, please visit: Pappas Post

by Gregory Pappas

The fascinating and maddening metropolis of Athens, bounded on three sides by Mount Hymettus, Mount Parnitha and Mount Pentelicus, apart from Parthenon’s 2500-year-old honey-color marble columns, has much more to offer.

If you have only 24 hours to explore Athens, the beautiful Greek capital city where tradition is exceptionally juxtaposed with modernity, here is a great way to spend the day.

The view of the Acropolis suffused with the light of the morning sun’s rays is the best starting point for a fascinating sightseeing tour of the city center. The neoclassical café Athinaion Politeia is the best place to taste the flavors of an original Greek breakfast. Address:  Athinaion Politeia, 1 Akamantos & Apostolou Pavlou, Thiseio, Athens

Abandon yourself in the disparate colors, scents and sounds of the labyrinthine corners of an area that is nestled under the ancient Acropolis. Browse among the secondhand books, haggle over the price of the antiques, wander through the open-air market stores and try a souvlaki at Bairaktaris Restaurant. Address: Bairaktaris, 63 Metropolis & 88 Metropolis, Monastiraki, Athens

Well-frequented shops, cafes, street vendors and artists crown the length of Ermou Street.  Mitropoleos Street, on the other hand, is a jewel among the architectural creations of the 20th century.  

Visiting the Acropolis Museum Restaurant, you can enjoy panoramic views of the Acropolis and the historic hills of Athens. The restaurant offers a great variety of tasty dishes that are based on authentic Greek recipes.

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (every Friday the restaurant remains open until 12 midnight), Saturday and Sunday: 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.

To read more, please visit: Greek Reporter

by Katerina Papathanasiou

Athens is one of the most popular European Christmas destinations. In specific, the Greek capital ranks 24th in preferred destinations among foreign tourists, beating out other European destinations. The first places are occupied by London, Paris, Berlin and Rome.

Athens, despite being one of Europe’s most popular destinations, is also one of the cheapest with hotel rates averaging about 74 euros a night during the Christmas period. In order to attract tourists from new markets in Europe during the winter period, Athens’ International Airport along with Marketing Greece, have started a new promotional campaign entitled “Speak Aθenian. Be an Aθenian,” to promote Athens as a destination.

To read more, please visit: Greek Reporter
by Toni Aravadinos

As olives were harvested this fall to be prepared for the massive olive oil production that takes place throughout Greece, a special harvest took place in the municipality of Glyfada, involving a humanitarian effort by the city and volunteers to provide olive oil to people in need.

Like most of Greece, olive trees are abundant on public land and go largely untouched, with tons of fruit simply withering and falling to the ground, season after season.  One resident - Stavros Giakoumakis - wanted to change that and approached Glyfada's mayor, Giorgos Papanikolaou, with a plan. 

That plan involved a massive volunteer and educational effort to harvest all of the olive trees that exist on public land; parks, forested areas and other areas that belong to the municipality, and produce olive oil that would, in turn, be given to needy familie through the city's public welfare efforts.

To read more, please visit: Pappas Post