Vefa’s Kitchen

Alexiadou, a chef well-regarded in Greece for her books and TV series, has compiled recipes from every corner of the country, for every section of the menu, beginning with a delightful array of mezedes such as wine-steamed mussels and fava bean croquettes, then going through soups and salads, pasta, fish and shellfish, all kinds of meats, and baked goods. Though she certainly includes classics like pastitsio, spanakopita and baklava, Alexiadou’s selections overall demonstrate the breadth and depth of Greek cookery with entries such as duckling with kumquats, pumpkin fritters and tangerine flutes. She opens with a brief tour of Greece’s main regions and their specialties, but the focus is more on cooking than chatting; a concise section offering historical tidbits and “general instructions” opens each chapter, and many recipes close with serving and presentation tips. Alexiadou’s aim is to provide a wide assortment of authentically Greek dishes, bringing the country to life through the recipes’ varied ingredients rather than through prose. Some of the ingredients, like colocasia , or sheep’s milk, will be harder for the home cook to obtain than others, but anyone seriously interested in learning the full repertoire of Greek cooking will be willing to make the effort, just as they will want this book. (May)