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• by:
• Alexiadou, Vefa

For the past 30 years, no kitchen in Greece was considered complete without a cookbook by the country’s most loved and respected home cook: Vefa Alexiadou. Considered by Greeks everywhere as the “Grand-Dame” of Greek cuisine, Vefa’s thirteen best-selling cookbooks unveil the secrets of her country’s rich culinary history and have sold more than five million copies in over thirty-five countries. Never before have all her recipes been compiled into a definitive collection of Greek cuisine – until now.

Vefa's Kitchen features over 650 easy-to-follow recipes by the leading culinary authority in Greece. It presents a wide assortment of delicious dishes, from simple stunning salads and mezedes in summer, to slowly simmered meat dishes and crisp filo pastries in winter. Showcasing taverna favorites such as moussaka, tzatziki and hummus, the book also reveals an extraordinary variety of local desserts and pastries, home-baked breads, and the fish and vegetable dishes of the coastal areas, simply fragranced with lemon and herbs.

Maintaining the traditions of authentic Greek cooking, Vefa's Kitchen successfully adapts centuries-old recipes to modern methods and accompanies them with step-by-step explanations. Divided into 20 chapters, the cookbook is a feat of design as well as content. Covering every aspect of Greek cuisine, chapters include everything from mezedes and soups, to legumes and rice, and of course, the protein staples of Greece fish, shellfish and lamb, as well as cakes and pastries. Vefa's Kitchen also features a generous selection of over 300 healthy vegetarian dishes.

Enticing readers with both the beauty of Greece and its food, Vefa's Kitchen is illustrated by 230 gorgeous full-color photographs which easily conjure the aromas and flavors created by Vefa’s recipes. She also includes information on the history of Greek cuisine, the differences between regional cooking styles, descriptions of common ingredients, and an explanation of the many dishes associated with the Greek religious calendar. Closer to home, the book also contains a chapter with menus and original recipes from some of the America’s most celebrated Greek chefs such as Michael Psilakis (Anthos), Michael Symon (Iron Chef America) and Jim Botsacos (Molyvos).

With roots reaching back to the dawn of Western civilization, the strong appeal of traditional Greek food still persists and was voted 'Cuisine of the Year' by Bon Appétit magazine last year. As Vefa points out, “The survival of the ageless characteristics of the cuisine – simple, wholesome ingredients combined and prepared to enhance flavor and aroma – is impressive.” With dishes that even Homer would recognize, Vefa's Kitchen gives home chefs the opportunity to experience the ancient gastronomic traditions and time-tested classics of the original Mediterranean cuisine in their own home.