boukia boukia

Season's books for children

2010-11-15T18:32:00.000-08:00

You have an idea for many years,you turn it in your mind over and over and one glorious day you start to execute this brilliant idea.

You see I have the most precious memory's of growing up, loving,tender memories,memories that warm my heart every time I think about my youth.

My wonderful parents are the reason,my father a simple man,with so much love for his little girls,and my mother a wonderful woman every child's dream mom.

They were the perfect team,one complimented the other and the outcome was so incredible for the little girls.

The Season's books are 4 hard cover books and the collection revolves around each and every season and the gifts they bring along year after year.

Winter a time for Chestnuts.

Spring Trees in Bloom

Summer the Magic Blanket

Autumn the In Between Season

Every book a little box of treasured memories and a lesson in finding contentment in the simple things of life.

Nature is filled with little miracles,like the colorful butterflies and the swallows that love to make their nests in the roof of my house and how they never forget to come to the same nest time after time!

The almond tree in full bloom and all the trees in that majestic stage are a true gift that should be enjoyed and we as parents have the privilege to give our young ones the opportunity to taste and see how wonderful nature is.

The collection of the 4 books will be available soon.

They are on their way to the books stores.Look for them at Amazon,ask for them at Barns and Noble .
Look for them at my site. http://hummingbirdpublications.com/

Little treasures! Lace and spice and everything nice

2010-01-06T16:21:00.000-08:00

“Karidata” or Walnut sweets were my find in my last visit to Greece.

It never fails to amaze me that every corner of this beloved country has something different to offer.

Every place I visit I am like a little flavor detective always asking what the specialty of the place is and I always come away with something new and delicious.

Arahova is a wonderful mountainous city a very popular spot with Greek people and tourists as well.

It is a winter destination for the local people, because of the ski resort, the wonderful stone houses that blend so well with the landscape, the dairy products and all the home-made little treasures that the local women are very famous for.

Karidata is a very popular delicacy among other things. I love Boukitses (delicious little bites) done with all kinds of nuts and this one made with Walnuts I adore.

I also love them because they are so easy to do. They keep well and you can have something available all the time for the unexpected friend that drops by.

Greek ladies are very resourceful, no matter what the season they will find ways to work with the products of the land and create delicious little bites.

Their hands are always busy, producing wonderful lace, making preserves, cooking, baking and they enrich our lives in an amazing way.

Oh! How I love to spend time with women that are gifted and I can learn from them, their little secrets are so valuable to me!

Here is my recipe for Karidata!

Have fun!

Litsa!

Karidata: The wonderful taste of Greece.

Bake at 325 for 15 min.

1 pound Walnuts (ground)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup bread crumbs

4 egg whites (large eggs)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

The zest of 1 orange

2 tbsp liqueur Tia Maria

Icing sugar for dusting

Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix very well with your hands.

Place baking paper on your cookie sheet.

Make small crescents and bake.

While still warm dust with icing sugar

I welcome your comments and please visit our official site.

http://hummingbirdpublications.com/

http://litsab.wordpress.com/

Edo Montreal

2009-12-22T16:54:00.000-08:00

http://greek-taste.com/

Edo Montreal

Litsa Bolontzakis,Author of "Take the taste of Greece with you" and "Boukia Boukia" 2 wonderful books about Greek cooking and entertaining is very Happy to announce that she is a part of Edo Montreal the TV program that focuses on the life of the Greek community of Montreal.

A delightful Hour full of excitement and useful information.

Entertaining with Litsa,at Edo Montreal,Sundays at 6:30 and Tuesdays at 2:00

PARIS JULY 1 2009

2009-07-06T15:10:00.000-07:00

PARIS JULY 1 2009: .-CANADA WINS IN PARIS!

Canada wins 6 medals this year at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards against 10 last year.

102 countries entered books.
The best in the world winner this year is for Foreign Cookery, encouraging one of the many small independent publishers from Canada, who manages to be well distributed internationally:
- Take the Taste of Greece with You
Litsa Bolontzakis ,
(Humming Bird Publications)

Litsa Bolontzakis published Boukia Boukia in Greece. She can be considered as one of the builders of the cultural bridge between Greece and Canada.

There were 26 countries competing in this category.

In this picture excepting the award by Mr Cointreau junior.

PARIS JULY 1 2009

2009-07-06T15:03:00.000-07:00

PARIS JULY 1 2009:

Taking it all in and really enjoying the event.
The Comedie Francaise theatre was packed to capacity
with 800 guests from all over the world!
What a great privilege was to be able to attend.!
Many thanks to the Gourmand group and especially to
Mr Edouard Cointreau for being such a gracious host.
Litsa!

GREECE WINS IN PARIS!
Two books from Greece won Best in the World at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards.
The first (ladies first!) is from Canada, by Greek author Lisa Bolontzakis with a perfect title:
- Take the Taste of Greece with You
Litsa Bolontzakis
(Humming Bird Publications)
Litsa Bolontzakis published Boukia Boukia in Greece. She can be considered as one of the builders of the cultural bridge between Greece and Canada.
It gets the award for Best Foreign Cookery Book in the world. It is an excellent book, with an outstanding international marketing, which is unusual for small publishers. All small publishers should see how it is done, and search all international distributors for this book"

YouTube - Greek Island Skopelos,Mamma Mia movie Location

2009-06-14T09:26:00.000-07:00

YouTube - Greek Island Skopelos,Mamma Mia movie Location

Almond cookies

2009-06-02T18:21:00.000-07:00

2 cups butter unsalted (room temperature)
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
5 ½ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp almond extract
3 cups crushed almonds
1 egg for the egg wash

Place butter in mixer bowl and beat adding the sugar gradually until nice and creamy about 3 min.
Add the eggs and continue beating.
Replace the beaters with the paddle and add the almonds and the dry ingredients and knead until you have firm dough.
Take about 2 tbsp. of the dough in your hands and form into round balls, flatten and with a cookie cutter cut into the shape you like.
Place in a pan with parchment paper apply egg wash and bake in preheated oven at 350 for 15-20 minutes.
Let cool and enjoy them with a nice cup of coffee.
Love Litsa!

Artichokes in Greek cooking

2009-05-27T11:05:00.000-07:00

Artichoke the European plant of the daisy family,it's history goes back thousands of years in Ancient Greece.
An exotic green vegetable with nutty flavor and healthful nutrients.

It is a perennial plant, tall and wide and it is cultivated for its large thistle like flower heads.
To look at the plant with its prickly appearance it makes you wander who had the intelligence and courage to investigate this beautiful wild plant and find something so precious to enjoy!

The artichoke is a flower that is not allowed to bloom, an immature flower head.
When allowed to come to fool bloom it is magnificent tall and proud with it’s amazing purple color a haven for honey bees and other flying creatures.

Native to the Mediterranean the time to enjoy fresh artichoke is in the spring, from March to May.
Rich source of vitamin C, folate, dietary fiber and a multitude of minerals.

Today we can enjoy thorn-less variety’s like the Imperial star.

Did you know that the Jerusalem artichoke is cultivated for its potato like tubers and they are used for livestock feed the production of sugar and alcohol? Fascinating indeed.

Many feel intimidated by this unusual plant but it does’t have to be this way.
Here is my delicious recipe to enjoy this exotic vegetable.

Greek cooking is seasonal and I love that about my Greek heritage it makes it possible to enjoy the seasons to the fullest, what a great gift!

Artichoke medley with lemon and dill.

Perfect vegetarian meal or a delicious side dish.

½ cup olive oil
2 potato’s peeled and cut in 4
2 carrots cut in pieces
2 large onions sliced
1 bunch green onions finely
1 small bunch dill finely cut
Salt and pepper to taste
Water for cooking
1 lemon the juice
1 tbsp flour ½ cup water

Prepare the artichokes by removing the outer leafs, with a sharp knife remove the hard outer part of the artichoke cut in half and remove the fuzz from the heart carefully not to remove the meat of the artichoke, cut the remaining ends and place in a bowl with water and the juice of ½ a lemon to prevent oxidation.
In a large pan add the oil and the onions with the dill.

.Cook for 3 minutes on low heat until translucent.
Add the rest of the vegetables and artichokes and cook together turning the vegetables for a few more minutes.
Put enough water to cover, the lemon juice salt and pepper and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes or until you pick with a fork and you feel the vegetables are cooked.

The last step is to add the flour to thicken the sauce, in a small bowl add the flour and ½ cup water stir to dissolve the flour and pour in the pan with the vegetables, let cook 2 more minutes and your amazing artichoke medley is ready.

Have a glorious spring!

Visit our site for a unique experience

Home made chicken soup!

2009-04-23T18:33:00.000-07:00

We welcome your visit on our site

.How about a recipe for chicken soup
With actual chicken and vegetables.
I have a very funny story about chicken soup.

A young lady was sick with the flue and I volunteered to bring her some chicken soup.
I made my favorite soup and i brought her some.
I will never forget her reaction,she said "Oh it has chicken"
At first I could not understand but then I realized can soup has traces of chicken and probably she never had home made chicken soup rich and delicious a meal on it's own.
Needles to say she loved it.

Here is my favorite recipe.

I would use 1/2 of a chicken
.Wash chicken and remove all visible fat.
Place the chicken in a large pot with water to cover.
Start the cooking proses ,when it starts to boil froth will accumulate on the sides,remove it with a large spoon.
The more you remove the better your soup will be
.At this point you can add ;
1 onion cut in 4
2 carrots and 2 celery stalks diced.
3 cloves of garlic(helps to take away the smell of the chicken).
2 potato's diced
I love to add 1 lemon the juice.

Season with Salt and pepper,adjust the heat to low and let simmer for 30 min
.At this point debone the chicken, cut in small pieces and put back in your soup
.If you like add some noodles,and you have a delicious soup made from scratch that you will love.

OK.OK. Avgolemono everyone is raving about avgolemono the Greek way of making the soup and they thing I am hiding something.
This is my way for avgolemono.
What is Avgolemono any way?
It means egg-lemon and the instructions follow.
Let the soup cool down for about 5-6 minutes .

You will need 2 eggs separated.
The juice of a large lemon
1/2 cup soup broth

With a hand mixer beat the egg whites until picks form , add the yolks beat another minute and then slowly add the lemon broth to the soup and stir gently.
Never boil soup after this point.
This is the famous Avgolemono and it makes the soup stand out from the ordinary.
It gives it a rich and velvety texture
.Greek chicken soup Avgolemono traditinaly is done with rice.
Enjoy this very famous Greek recipe for chicken soup!

.

Why snack on almonds

2009-04-23T17:29:00.000-07:00

Almonds are a wonderful delicacy!
Almonds and honey what an amazing combination!
They are little bundles of energy always ready to do their magic.
Their composition covers all 4 food groups.
They are high in protein and other essential nutrients.
Almonds are easy to carry with you for a delicious and very healthy snack!
Almonds are indispensable in Greek cooking and baking.

Recipes I absolutely love using almonds

Kourabiethes (butter cookies with icing sugar)

Bake at 350 20-25 min. 35-40 pieces

2 cups good quality unsalted Butter (room temperature)
½ cup Icing sugar
1 Egg
2 tsp.Vanilla
2 tsp Baking powder
1 cup Almonds (blanched roasted and coarsely chopped)
5 cups Flour
Icing sugar for dusting

Place butter in mixing bowl and with mixer at high speed beat butter with icing sugar for 10 minutes.
Add egg and continue beating another 5 minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients except flour and mix well.
Change the mixer element and use the paddle to work in the flour.
Slowly add the flour a cup at a time checking the mixture.
Mixture has to be soft and easy to handle.
Form small round balls, lightly indented with thumb and bake in medium heat .
When done and while warm put icing sugar in a flat container and gently place the cookies on top.
Dust icing sugar over cookies to cover them completely.
When cold place in a beautiful platter and enjoy your” Kourabiethes”.

Litsa's Tip:The softer the dough The better
your Kourabiethes will be.

.

Lemon pasta and a movie

2009-04-21T09:04:00.000-07:00

Friday night special meal for one with your favorite movie.

How about lemon pasta with shrimp?

A very delicious and refreshing way to enjoy pasta after a long week.
And remember tomorrow is another day.( A little bit of Scarlet never hurts.)

Here is how I make it.

In a heavy skillet add 2 tbsp. butter and 3 tbsp olive oil.
Crush 2 cloves garlic and saute for 1 min.add the shrimp and continue until shrimp changes color and it becomes a nice pink.
Deglaze with 1/2 cup white wine and the juice of 1/2 a lemon salt and pepper shrimp and add your prepared pasta with a little pasta liquid.

You can use some red pepper flakes and some lemon zest if you like more spice.
Sprinkle with some good quality grated cheese and you are ready to enjoy a 20 $ meal for fraction of the price.

Time alone is not a curse it is a blessing even for the young.

It is a time for reflection and evaluation.

.

Please suggest an easy seasonal desert

2009-04-20T06:55:00.000-07:00

You can make individual trifles with the fruit you like
like strawberries with brandy,caramelized apples or bananas and
so on.
I always get pound cake from the super market plain or chocolate.I love to have it available.
Get a nice fancy glass and start layering.
Begin with pieces of pound cake,sprinkle a little liqueur of your choice add whip cream and continue with a generous portion of fruit.
Add a dollop of whip cream decorate with some crushed nuts and you have a delightful desert with the minimum effort.

To caramelize apples:In a heavy skillet add 2 tbsp butter and 2 apples,golden delicious my favourites peeled and sliced.
Saute for 2-3 minutes add 3 tbsp sugar continue until sugar dissolves and deglaze with a little brandy,ready to use.

For the strawberries wash them and slice them add sugar and a little brandy mix well and refrigerate for 1 hour so the flavors can come together
.Bananas can get the same treatment as the apples

Amazing flavors and a fantastic presentation !

2009-01-07T12:53:00.001-08:00

Cooking with Crystal and Haley
What a gift! What a pleasure!
That's how I describe my experience of cooking with Crystal, age 16 and Haley age 10.

The idea was to have a nice afternoon together doing what all three of us love, cooking and enjoying the labor of our "hard work"and perhaps learning a thing or two from each other along the way.

To do what I love is not really "work" for me. It is pleasure and satisfaction all wrapped into one.

Haley was always raving about her grandmother's pierogie recipe and I was skeptical at first, she is after all only 10. Crystal just became a vegetarian and is always looking for new recipes to try, so the recipe of Orzo (Greek pasta) salad with feta cheese, Kalamata olives and all kinds of yummy veggies seemed to be the ideal choice. It's a complete meal-in-one, no matter that a lot of prep work is required.
What was my contribution to the afternoon? My very favorite Biscotti with chocolate chips, almonds and much more!

What a wonderful combination of flavors!
I was amazed by the incredible maturity of these two young ladies. Their disposition and willingness to help one another and learn from one another was a joy to see. They loved what they were doing and it showed. With the music of Mama Mia in the background lending a special note to the atmosphere, an unbelievably good time was had by all.

As parents we have to capture the gifts our children possess and encourage them to use and cultivate them. We want our young ones to make the right choices, because if they love what they do they will do it with joy and in the long-run will be happy with their decisions.
My special ingredient when I work with young people,I don't know everything and I am willing to learn even from the young ones this way they feel free to express themselves and their talents and special gifts shine through!!
Thank you girls for a fantastic afternoon!

Filakia Litsa!

How can I prepare Souvlaki

2008-12-08T12:42:00.000-08:00

Souvlaki the traditional street food in Greece.
Souvlaki is done with Lamb or Pork meat.
Both meats have to be marinated for best results.
The chunks of meat have to be medium in size,small pieces tend to dry out during cooking.
Marinate your meat in a little olive oil,salt & pepper,oregano,crushed garlic and lemon juice.
Mix and refrigerate overnite or for a few hours.
Place your wooden sticks in water for a little while and skewer your souvlaki.
Grill for 5-6 minutes each side or according to desired taste.
You can enjoy it like this with some fresh bread,or in a pita,with tomato slices,onion slices and tjatjiki sauce.

2008-11-07T10:35:00.001-08:00

Raw verses cooked meat

Cooking is my passion, I love to work and experiment with different ingredients.

The results bring me great satisfaction and it is instant, the happy faces on the people that enjoy the labor of my hands and the sounds that an amazing flavor brings, is my reward!

Many times I am asked about raw meat like tartar and in general undercooked steak and hamburger.

I come from a country that does not prefer undercooked meat.

The site of blood in our meat is, actually something we don't appreciate, we like our meat well done and there is very good reason for that.

It has a name: Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is an infectious disease that spreads by eating undercooked meat

It is a parasite that spreads from animal to humans by eating improperly cooked meat or drinking unpasteurized milk contaminated with Toxoplasma gondii.

Estimates suggest that 1/3 of Canadians have been infected.

It is suggested that pregnant women avoid eating raw or undercooked meat and that includes Susie.

Toxoplasmosis is not a parasite you can wash away, it is in the very fiber of the meat and only heat can really eliminate it.

Eat meat that has been thoroughly cooked, smoked or cured.

Wash fruit and vegetables before eating.

Do not eat raw eggs.

Some people believe that all the herbs and spices used in making tartar, kills the parasites, but it is not true, only heat can do that.

For more information concerning Toxoplasmosis visit the official site of Canada's Occupational Health and safety. http://CCOHS.com

Is making jam a Greek thing to do?

2008-07-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

Making jam is a very Greek think to do!
With all the fruit that is available in this country that is blessed with sun 300 days of the year,it is a wonderful tradition to make jam and many different preserves.
Every year I visit Iam so happy to discover something new,depending on the area I visit.
A couple years ago I visited the wonderful area of Pilio.
It was winter time and the snow was nice and fresh ,people were skiing and there was so much life,the coffee shops were bursting with people famous and not so famous.
It was at that time that i came across the most unusual preserved fruit,chestnut!
I was totally blown away,I had never seen that in my life,needles to say I got as much as I could and let me tell you it is delicious.
This past April on my visit i came across a little jem of a store,actually it is so cute, it's a boutique for specialty sweets ,what i found is heaven for the most unusual preserves,like fresh pistachio,
fresh walnut,fig,and so many more.
The company that creates this amazing tastes that take you back in wonderful times and warm memories is" Mylelia " and the site is http://www.mylelia.gr

Well we are in Canada and we have all kinds of fruit that grows well here,and now is the time of strawberries,i love the fact that I can go strawberry picking very close to my house.I make allot of jam with strawberries and peaches.The fruits have to be ripe for best results.

Here is my recipe for Strawberry jam

4 cups strawberries washed and cut in small pieces
31/2 cups sugar
Vanilla
3 lemon slices

Place your berries in a heavy pot,ad the sugar and start the cooking process in medium heat,stir very well with a wooden spoon to mix sugar and berries.

The berries will release their juices and when it stars to boil,froth will appear at the edges,remove froth with a spoon so you can have transparent jam.

At this point ad vanilla and lemon slices,continue cooking and don't leave unattended it has the tendency to overflow.To try if your jam is ready put a little in a cold plate,if it thickens fast it's ready.

Let cool completely and pour in glass containers.

Refrigerate your jam and enjoy!Now how dificult is that and think no preservatives.

I will appreciate your input.

Regards Litsa!

What do you think about this fish recipe?

2008-04-13T07:21:00.000-07:00

What is a healthy way to cook fish?
I like cod and talapia. I don't want to use alot of oil. If I don't use oil the fish sticks to the pan and when I turn it the fish falls apart. I get a big mess. Can anyone help?

Best Answer

Fish is very delicate and if overcooked it comes apart.Here is what i like to do with fish,in your pan make a layer by slicing 2 large onions,season your fish and place it on top of onions drizzle a few drops of olive oil and some lemon juice ,you don't t need to turn fish over, Very delicious way of eating fish and don't be afraid to eat olive oil ,your heart and your body in general functions better with the right lubrication.
http://wwwhummingbirdpublications.com

The colours and flavors of Greece

2008-03-19T21:23:00.000-07:00

Sprng is in the air