 April 23, 2006 |
| | 
Because You
NEED to Know!
|
Sponsored by  |
 A Little about Greek Cuisine
Greek cuisine has a great variety of dishes and can be an extremely satisfying culinary adventure for everyone's tastes. Greece is a country with a long history, a country which gave birth to philosophers and architects and even cooks. Greece's culinary tradition has a span of over 4,000 years. In fact, it was Archestratos in 350 B.C. who wrote the first cookbook.
Traditional Greek cuisine differs from other cuisines because it is a combination of it's entire environment. Greece has fresh, unique ingredients and a philosophy of eating and sharing meals. The Greek meal experience is unlike any other.
The secret of Greek cuisine is in the fresh meats and fish, the abundance of great herbs and spices and don't forget the best olive oil in the world.
The mild Greek climate allows most fruits and vegetables to be grown naturally, full of aroma and flavor. Many Greeks collect fresh herbs from their mountains and countryside. These herbs are legendary for their taste and scent. A little bit of fresh picked herbs, such as oregano, thyme, dill or rosemary, will add an immeasurable depth to the flavors of traditional Greek dishes.
The seafood from the crystal clear Mediterranean and Aegean Seas is incomparable to inferior seafood caught in the vast oceans. Chickens, lambs, and goats in Greece are free-grazing creatures that have a unique taste not to be found on any farm.
From My Big Fat Greek Feast by George Kyrtatas
Sponsored by  |
Recent News on the Chef2Chef News Desk! Click Here to Add Your News.
 The Culinary Institute of America
The Culinary Institute of America has an extraordinary offer for Spring 2006. Due to exceptional planning, the CIA has a financial aid surplus that is being passed on to students who enroll by the end of May 2006. Enroll now and receive up to $5,000.
Sponsored by  |
 This Week's Foodservice Daily Newsletter: My Big Fat Greek Feast
Date: April 24, 2006 - April 28, 2006
Guest Host: Chef George Kyrtatas
Theme: My Big Fat Greek Feast - Monday: Spanakopita; Asiago Cheese and Kalamata Dip.
- Tuesday: Greek Lemon Soup (Avgolemono); Meat Kabobs (Souvlakia).
- Wednesday: Beef Stuffed Vegetables (Yemista); Fried Squid (Kalamari Tiganita).
- Thursday: Greek-style Shrimp Scampi; Athenian Capellini.
- Friday: Grecian Stuffed Potatoes; Walnut Cake (Karythopita).
Not a Member Yet? Click here Foodservice Daily Newsletter to sign up today and start receiving these informative mailings on Monday!
 Uniform City
Uniform City, headquartered in Tampa, Florida, has been providing uniforms to medical and hospitality professionals for over 40 years. Our experienced staff understands and listens to our customers. We offer the largest selection of name brand uniforms, shoes and accessories in a variety of styles, all at discount prices.
Click the button and save with the Chef2Chef.net discount code shown on the button.
Visit our Newest Market Place Vendors!
The next time you are looking for specialty foods, beverages, kitchenware, uniforms, services and more, please remember to support the sponsors who fund Chef2Chef.net. They make all this possible. Thank you. The team at Chef2Chef.  | Bring on the Onions! Onions for All Seasons and All Tastes. History, Health Facts, Trivia, Quotes, FAQ's, Handling Tips and Awesome Recipes! Onions-USA.org |
 | American Lamb Board How to buy, store and prepare lamb. Food service cuts available; plus recipes, sauces, and serving ideas for cooking. Fresh, flavorful, versatile! |
| Finest Selection of Japanese Chef Knives from the top brands: Misono, Hattori, Nenox, Masamoto, Tojiro and more for home chef and the professional chef. |
 | Pepper-Passion Elegant Salt & Pepper Mills handcrafted from rare & exotic tropical hardwoods. See the Aphrodite Pepper Mill. Gourmet Sea Salts and Peppercorns. |
 | WIN a Case 5280 Gourmet Salsa! Made with premium tomatoes, red onions, roasted jalapenos, and other tasty ingredients. Available for Foodservice and Retail. |
 | The Culinary Institute of America, the world's premier culinary college, is now offering up to $5,000 to students enrolling in May 2006. Inquire now! |
Cool Things You Can Win at Chef2Chef.net
WIN a Case 5280 Gourmet Salsa! Made with premium tomatoes, red onions, roasted jalapenos, and other tasty ingredients. Available for Foodservice and Retail.
Sign up for a FREE Subscription to Food Arts Magazine. The Magazine for the Foodservice and Hospitality Industry. U.S. residents only. Sign up here!
The fine folks from TempGun.com are giving away 4 of their non contact infrared thermometers. A MUST for every kitchen! Winners names will be drawn on April 30. Click Here to Win Yours!
Last Months Winners
Dennis Olivier,Caryn Quaker, Bob Jordan and Christian Hallowell all won a brand new TempGun from TempGun.com. Maybe you will win this month....Click Here
Antonio Almeida from Portugal won a Resort Management Program from ResortSoftware.com worth $1000.
Cynthia's Corner: Let's Discuss Oysters!
Let's discuss oysters…after all, this is April, and there IS an "R" in the month…<G>
I love oysters; I love them fixed just about anyway one could fix them. My Dad was the first person to introduce me to oysters by making an oyster stew. My Momma wouldn't touch them, so that meant that Dad and I had the entire dish to us, complete with the little oyster crackers that floated so well on top of the rich broth. I'm not sure how old I was at the time, except that I was very young.
Fast forward to the second year of my marriage. My husband and I were at the wedding reception of a close high school friend. The country club dining area had a large table filled with a bed of ice and an enormous ice sculpture (which later slid off the table, an omen, I think for the outcome of the marriage). Clams, oysters, mussels, shrimp, and more covered the ice.
My DH (darling husband) picked up an oyster on the half shell, tossed it into his mouth, turned to me with the lump in his cheek and mumbled "Now what do I do with this?"
For the rest of the story and 7 recipes... | Sponsored by |
Today's Recipe: Spinach, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Goat Cheese Pita Pizzas
A lighter "white" pizza can be made by eliminating the tomato paste and sugar and putting the other ingredients directly on the pizza. Just add a little more olive oil.
Ingredients: 1/2 cup tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 large pita rounds
3 cups torn spinach
2 cups sun-dried tomato halves
2 fresh basil leaves, torn
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 cup chevre (Feta can be substituted)
Preparation:
Combine tomato paste, oregano, salt and sugar in a small bowl.
Lightly oil pita breads and place on a sheet pan. Lightly broil the pita until it gets a little crispy.
Top with the sauce mixture. Then layer on spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, garlic and cheese. Broil until cheese starts to melt
Recipe from George Kyrtatas's new cookbook, My Big Fat Greek Feast Sponsored by  |
Today's Top Forum Discussions Got a Question or an Answer? Sign up today and participate in our Culinary Discussion Forums |
