Of Greek Coffee, Couscous and Octopi

Earlier in the week my three sons came over, spending part of their afternoon peeking in the refrigerator and pushing things around in the pantry. They were hungry. They ate the rest of my Almond Biscotti and other cookies.

I made English muffins and orange marmalade earlier in the morning, so I fed them this. The marmalade, about 2 pints, is great on top of yogurt, with a few banana slices. Oranges were on sale - buy one bag, get another free, so I thought marmalade!

Then I made Asian Soup - a Thai base with vegetables, noodles, bite-size octopi, and other fish. George packed this soup in his lunch.

While the soup was cooking I pulled out left-over Moroccan Tagine - Kesksou Tfaia - couscous with meat - that had simmered for hours the day before. It results in a reduction sauce that is wonderful, and the aroma from all the spices is heavenly. Coriander, cinnamon, ginger, cumin, and currants. However, I didn't photograph it, it was eaten and packed in lunches, and gone before I could think to photograph it. (Note to self: Bulk whole coriander is sold at the Hong Kong market.)

My next project: Greek Coffee. I want to order the coffee and the briki online, and experiment. I tried it with a latte pitcher and Turkish coffee, and the foam was beautiful but short-lived. With a little sugar, it was intense and strong. In Greece it is sipped, or slurped, and served with a glass of water. In the 18th century, it was customary for young men, seeking a girl’s hand in marriage, to be served a cup of coffee by her family. This was not simply a symbol of the host’s hospitality - if the coffee was sweet, the suitor had every reason to be pleased; if bitter, the young man would rise politely, say thank you for the conversation, and never be seen again. (Flickr Photo: Ελληνικό καφενείο στα Βουρλά - Greek coffee at Urla-Minor Asia by AntonisP)