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Spinach and feta cheese pie
A few days ago, on the 28th of October, Greeks all around the world celebrated 80 years from the rejection of the ultimatum made by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. This ultimatum, presented to the Greek Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas on 28 October 1940, demanded from Greece to allow Italy and the Axis forces to enter Greek territory, or otherwise face war. Metaxas answered ‘ohi’ (‘no’ in Greek) and this marked the beginning of the country’s participation in World War II. In Greece, the anniversary of ‘ohi’ is commemorated every year with military and student parades. As I’ve been in London for almost a month now, I decided to cook a Greek recipe:…
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Fava: a healthy Greek island recipe
When I visited the Greek island of Skyros a couple of months ago, I bought several jars of spoon sweets, a couple of packs of trahanas, and a pack of fava beans (yellow split peas). Since I returned to London a few weeks ago, I have been trying to re-create some of the healthiest and yummiest dishes I had during my holidays in Greece. Amongst these dishes is fava, otherwise known as yellow split pea puree. In Greece, this dish is usually served as an appetiser or a side dish; however, it can also be served as a main. It is particularly popular in many islands in the Aegean; after all,…
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Trahanas: heart-warming Greek winter recipes
It’s been a couple of weeks since I returned from Greece to London and I’ve been feeling very homesick. The grey skies and the rainy weather certainly haven’t helped me beat those post-holiday blues. As a Psychiatrist who loves cooking and baking, I have the right ingredients and recipes to help lift my mood. In my almost overweight suitcase, I had packed many Greek culinary products hard to source in the UK. Amongst those, there were several jars of spoon sweets, fava beans, and a couple of packs of my all-time winter favourite food: trahanas. Trahanas is a dry food ingredient, commonly found in Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean. It…
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15 culture-bound syndromes
Hello! Today is the World Mental Health Day and this year’s theme is ‘mental health for all’. As a Psychiatrist, I am passionate about mental health and wellbeing. At the same time, as a travel enthusiast, I love not just visiting different places around the world, but also discussing and learning about these places and their culture. Today, I will put both these hats on, and talk about 15 culture-bound syndromes. The term ‘culture-bound syndromes’ was included in the fourth version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), but in 2013, it was replaced by the term ‘cultural concepts of distress’ in the fifth edition of the…
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Kos: the island of Medicine
One of the best known Greek islands, Kos is a popular destination for the European holiday-makers. Yet, Kos has a rich history that is often overlooked; this is where Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, was born (around 460 BC) and also began his medical career. As a doctor myself, I have a soft spot for Kos, which I have visited many times since I took the Hippocratic Oath. Today, I would like to share my top 9 tips, but first, let us remember an ancient Greek myth. The myth According to an ancient Greek myth, Asclepios was the first baby to have been delivered via -what centuries later came to…
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A weekend in Athens: top 7 tips
Although I’ve never lived in Athens, I’ve always enjoyed visiting the Greek capital, usually for a weekend break. Known as the cradle of the Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy, Athens (or Athina, in Greek) has a rich and diverse history spanning over three thousand years. Nowadays, Athens is the largest city in Greece, and is home to more than three million people. Here are my top 7 tips for a weekend (or a couple of days) in Athens: Tip 1: Visit the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum If there was only one image associated with Athens, that would definitely be the Parthenon, the iconic ancient temple on the…
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Traveling around Thessaloniki with a local
I was born and raised in Thessaloniki (also called Thessalonica), the largest city in the Greek region of Macedonia and the second-largest city in Greece. Since I moved to England at the age of 23, I come back to my hometown several times a year, and each time I’m pleasantly surprised, as there’s always something new to discover. Today, I would like to take you to a tour around the city, including some of my favorite hangouts as well as new hotspots. About Thessaloniki Thessaloniki is a coastal city located on the Thermaic Gulf, at the northwest corner of the Aegean Sea. Founded over two millennia ago, the city has…
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Traveling around Skyros with a local
Hello! I am back from Skyros, my favorite Greek island. During my 10-day stay, I reconnected with my family, swam in the crystalline waters of the Aegean, relaxed by the sea reading novels and poetry, savored Skyrian delicacies (see below), and sipped cocktails. This was the fourth time I visited Skyros as an adult, and it certainly won’t be the last. In fact, I’m already making plans to visit again next summer. There are quite a few reasons why Skyros is the island I have visited the most; I have highlighted those in my post ‘Skyros: the island of wellness and wellbeing’, published in January 2019. Today, I would like…
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A musical journey to the Greek islands (Part 2)
Hello! I’m currently in Skyros, my late grandfather’s home island, a great place to unwind, relax and enjoy some peace and quiet. One may argue that most Greek islands are such places. True. However, there is a very good reason why Skyros tops that list. The island is home to Skyros Center, Europe’s first course-based holiday center. Located in the middle of the Aegean, Skyros is the largest and southernmost of the Sporades islands (the other three of the group are Skiathos, Skopelos, and Alonissos). I’ve been here for a few days now, having driven all the way from Thessaloniki (a six-hour drive to the east coast of Evia, followed…
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Fanouropita: a Rhodes-inspired recipe
Saint Fanourios, the patron saint of Rhodes, is commemorated tomorrow, 27 August. Fanourios means the one who reveals (fanerono means reveal in Greek), and according to the tradition, Saint Fanourios helps people find their lost belongings or even missing persons. In Rhodes and other places in Greece and Cyprus, believers bake a cake called fanouropita on 26 August; then, the following day, they take it to the church where it is blessed and then offered to more believers. Despite its name, fanouropita is not a pie (pita means pie in Greek), but a fasting cake made with 7, 9, or 11 ingredients (always an odd number). Alex’s fanouropita To make it healthier,…