Culinary Saint

Fresh Black Eyed Beans (Louvia)

2009-09-08T17:37:00.007+03:00

Black Eyed Beans is a very popular dish in Cyprus, especially during fasting periods. Usually Black Eyes Beans are served with chards, canned tuna, black olives and onions. Chard is a green leafy vegetable that is known by several different names. The most commonly used name for this vegetable is Swiss Chard.Other names for chard include Silverbeet, Perpetual Spinach and Mangold.Chard is widely used in Mediterranean Cuisine.

Fresh Black Eyed Beans are cooked with green zucchinis and served with fresh green peppers, spring onions, cucumbers and tomatoes. What gives this dish its special taste, is the olive oil and the fresh lemon juice. You can also add salt to taste. This is a light meal, with great nutritional value.

Ingredients

1/2 kilo of black eyed beans
2-3 medium size zucchinis
green pepper
tomatoes
cucumbers
spring onions
olive oil
salt, lemon

Method

Shell the beans, put them in a large pan along with zucchinis, cover with water and let them cook until they become tender. It is a matter of preference really. When they are cooked, drain all water, put them in a bowl, add tomatoes , cucumbers, peppers and spring onions-all cut in small pieces-then add salt , lemon and olive oil, mix well and enjoy.

Nina's Watermelon Preserves

2009-08-16T19:01:00.009+03:00

Fruit preserves are made by cooking whole or large pieces of fruit in a thick sugar syrup.
In Cyprus and Greece, these are called spoon sweets (glyko tou koutaliou) because they are served in small plates and they are eaten using small silver spoons. They are all kinds of fruit preserves, each season offers a variety of fruits, like cherries, almonds, quinces, watermelons. Fruit preserves are a very traditional sweet in Cyprus. There is absolutely no way that you visit a traditional tavern in the mountain villages of Cyprus, and not get the chance to taste this divine sweet. When I was a kid, my mother used to make watermelon preserves quite often in the summer, and I remember I used to take a couple of pieces, dip them in a glass of really cold water and eat them. She made watermelon preserve the other day, and trust me, it is not a coincidence that this preserve, is number one on my list of summer fruit preserves.
Making watermelon preserves usually takes the whole day, because there is a special procedure that you follow and the secret for making tasty preseves, probaly lies in the very last step, which is cooking them along with the syrup. So dear Saint followers, buy yourself a quite large watermelon and let the culinary adventure begin!

Ingredients

1 kg of watermelon rinds (they must be quite thick, so if the watermelon you bought is not the right one, keep buying until you get lucky)
1 sachet of vanilla extract
2 tbsp lemon juice
100 g of confectioner's lime

Ingredients for syrup

1 kg sugar
500 ml water

Boil water, add sugar and stir well

Method

Clean watermelon rinds of the green part. The rinds must remain white. Cut in medium size squares, wash them really well and put them in a large pot. Mix the confectioner's lime with water and pour it in the pot. (It must cover all rinds very well). The rinds must stay in the lime for about 3 hours. After that, pour out the lime and wash the rinds thoroughly and put them in a pot, covered with water. Let them cook over medium fire for about 20 minutes. Then wash them and make sure there is hardly any water left in the rinds.You might have to squeeze them in your hands to make sure all water is out. Afterwards, you prick them with a fork to make sure that the rinds absorb the syrup in the last stage. Put them in the pot, add the syrup and let it cook for another 30 minutes. Let it cool and cook again for another 30 minutes. Add vanilla and lemon in the last 5 minutes and stir well. Make sure you stick to the cooking time, it is extremely important. When it cools off, place in sterilized jars and store in the fridge.

Kyri's Pasta Bolognese

2009-08-11T19:03:00.007+03:00

This is another one of my wife's contributions to the blog. She was again experimenting the other day with pasta ( as you can see from the previous entry, she has a thing for pasta) and what started to be the traditional Italian pasta Bolognese, finally ended up as her her own version of Bolognese with fetta cheese and fresh rocket. Enjoy! It tastes amazingly good!

Ingredients

500g of minced meat
3 tomatoes
250 ml of concentrated tomato juice
2 green peppers
4 large onions
4 large mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic
100g of fetta cheese mashed
bay leaves
rocket leaves
parsley (preferably fresh, but dry one will do)
basil
half glass of red wine
salt, pepper

Method

Chop onions and garlic and fry them in a large pan. When they become golden in color, add the minced meat. Stir well, let it cook for about 5-7 minutes, and then add fresh tomatoes and concentrated tomato juice. Mix well, let it simmer on medium fire for another 3-5 minutes and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and let it simmer for another 10 minutes. In the meantime, bring water to boil, add any pasta of your preference, and let it cook for 10 minutes. Serve with red wine.

Tavas (stewed lamb or beef)

2009-06-01T15:59:00.011+03:00

One of the most popular specialties in Cyprus cuisine is Tavas, stewed lamb or beef with tomatoes, onions and cinnamon. The meat is usually cooked in a clay pot with potatoes, but it can also be served with bulgur rice (see older post).
Lefkara village in the Larnaka district, is famous for its Tava dish, along with the world's well known traditional lace making and embroidery crafting.
Tavas is a very easy dish to cook and tastes great.

Ingredients

1 kg lamb or beef cut in cubes
8-10 large onions cut in 4 pieces each
5-6 potatoes cut into cubes
1 tsp cummin, crushed
1 tsp black pepper
4-5 tomatoes cut in medium size pieces
1 glass dry white wine
4-5 tbls vinegar
1 tbls salt
2-3 bay leaves
2-3 cinnamon sticks
corn flower oil

Method

Fry the meat in a pan until it becomes golden colored , drain it and then place it in large pyrex (must have a lid). Fry the onions in the same pan, then put them in the pyrex along with all other ingredients. Mix well and cook for 1 hour at 190-195 Celsius.

Sushi

2009-05-28T16:03:00.023+03:00

Sushi is one of my favorite Asian cuisine foods. My wife and I enjoy having sushi once every couple of months. There is a nice restaurant we like going to, we usually choose the "all you can eat buffet". I attemped making sushi myself only once in the past, but the other day I had the urge to make sushi and so I ran to the fish market for fresh salmon, took out my sushi recipes, put on my apron and voila..... Here's the outcome.....Enjoy!
I must warn you that making sushi is a bit complicated....but once you try it for a few times, you can become a pro! The ingredients costed approximately 20-25 euros and they are enough for a sushi platter for two people.
All the recipes and every other information regarding sushi, can be found in the recipe book Sushi, Made Easy (Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., New York)

All sushi has a base of specially prepared rice, and complemented with other ingredients. Sushi is made with white, short-grained, japanese rice mixed with a dressing made of rice vinegar, sugar and salt.

Ingredients for rice

460 g short grain rice
2 1/2 cups water

Vinegar mixture

75 ml rice vinegar
15 ml mirin (sweet wine , made from glutinous rice, used for cooking purposes, can be found in all major supermarkets that sell international food)
45 ml sugar
30 ml salt

Method

Wash the rice until the water runs clear. Drain for an hour, then place the rice in a pot with tight fitting lid and add the water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Lower the heat and steam for 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove the lid and cover the pot with a kitchen towel. Let stand for 15 minutes. While the rice is cooking, combine the vinegar mixture ingredients in a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Remove the mixture from the heat and cool. Spread the rice evenly over the base of a shallow, wooden bowl. Run a spatula through the rice to gently separate the grains and slowly add the vinegar mixture at the same time. The rice should not be too moist. Fan the rice until it reaches room temperature. Keep it in the wooden bowl, covered with a clean cloth, until ready to use.

Ingredients for sushi rolls (Maki)

Rolling sushi takes practice. It looks simple, but trust me is not. You need a bamboo rolling mat, which is made from skewer-type bamboo sticks woven together with string.

Hosomaki is a slender , rolled sushi, boasting one to three ingredients.

500 g vinegared rice (shari)
5 sheets seaweed (nori)
rice vinegar
wasabi

Ingredients for fillings

tuna or salmon ( must be really fresh, for aesthetics and hygiene reasons)
fresh onions
lettuce
avocado
omelette (2 eggs, dash of salt, 10ml water, 15ml sugar, 5ml soy sauce, 25ml sake, oil for cooking)
cucumber
carrot
roe

Method

Place a sheet of nori onto the mat. The rolling mat must be dry and placed on a dry chopping board. Moisten your hands in vinegared water and make a bowl out of half a cup of prepared rice. Place this ball on the nori and spread it out carefully. Spread it gently, do not push it down onto the nori. Keep about 12 mm free of rice on the far end of nori to seal the roll.
Place a dab of wasabi on your inded finger and run your finger along the rice, from left to right in a straight line. This line should be at the end closest to you. Place the fillings for your roll on top of the wasabi, and wet the exposed strip of nori with rice vinegar. Lift the front of the bamboo mat closest to you. Roll the maki by pressing the mat down firmly on the nori. The nori will stick to itself when the roll is complete. Shape the ends of the rill so that no rice will fall out and then ler the roll to rest for a minute or two. Moisten a sharp knife with vinegared water before cutting the roll into four or six neat pieces.
( I know that by now you will be completely confused and think that rocket science is easier than making sushi rolls. Trust me it is easier than it sounds, and it is extremely helpful if you could observe someone making these first and then attempt to do it yourself. I watched a few shows on BBC Food before attempting to make these rolls.

Eating sushi

Pour soy sauce in a little bowl, add wasabi to taste, mix well and dip sushi into soy sauce and enjoy. You can also have pickled slices of ginger in between bites to cleanse the pallate. Beverages to accompany sushi are green tea or sake, both to be served warm.

Finnish Pancakes

2009-05-20T18:09:00.005+03:00

This is an extremely easy recipe to make especially for sunday breakfast. And it tastes great!

Ingredients

4 tbsp melted butter
3 eggs
2 cups milk
1/2 cup flour
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
maple syrup

Method

Preheat oven to 200 celsius. Pour butter in a 9 x 16 inches baking pan (not smaller, trust me it won't work!). Whip eggs in a large bowl, then all other ingredients and mix together. Pour into the pan and bake for 20 minutes. Pour syrup and serve!

Kyri's Broccoli and Chicken pasta

2009-05-13T19:21:00.008+03:00

My wife Kyri, is not what we would call a good cook. Unlike me, she is not fond of cooking, she gets bored easily and she can't improvise....She is aware of this and she often says "Well, I'm a career woman....". I have to give her credit for one thing though....She knows how to make the best pasta with white sauce ever.....She makes it with veggies and the other day she added chicken in it and it was divine....So this post is dedicated to my career woman!

Ingredients (4 servings)

2 large onions chopped
fresh onion chopped
2 medium size green peppers cut in small strings
1 medium size orange or red pepper cut in small strings
3 large mushrooms cut in small pieces
canned corn
1 medium size broccoli
500ml fresh creams
60g butter
3 chicken breasts soaked in soy sauce for a couple of hours
salt, pepper, maggi cube
chopped parsley
white wine, half glass

Method

Add butter in a large pan and fry for a couple of minutes. Add onions (not the fresh ones) and let them fry until they get a golden color. Then add peppers, mushrooms, corn, let them cook for a while and then add chicken (make sure you dont drain the soy sauce,it adds to the taste), salt, pepper and wine, mix and let them cook until chicken becomes light brown.
Then add fresh creams, stir well and right before it starts getting thick, add the broccoli and the fresh onions. Sauce needs another 5-7 minutes to cook in low heat.
The right time to start boiling the pasta is right before you add the fresh cream to the sauce mixture. Make sure you make the pasta (penne or any other kind but spaghetti) in a really large pot because you will need to pour sauce in it. Pasta needs ten minutes to cook (add salt or maggi if you like), drain water and add sauce in pot. Sprinkle the parsley, stir well and serve......

South African Milk Tart (Melktert)

2009-05-13T18:37:00.022+03:00

Dear Disciples, sorry for the long silence. The Saint has been resting, recharging batteries and now is back for new adventures. Many followers have been requesting to post South African recipes. This is the beginning for the South African Cuisine Journeys with one of my favorite recipes, my mom used to make this when we were kids and I love it. Making it this morning, brought back so many memories from my homeland......

Ingredients for the base

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 egg beaten
4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup caster sugar

Ingredients for the filling

1 1/2 eggs beaten
1 1/4 tbsp flour
1 1/4 tbsp corn flour
2 1/4 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp butter
4 1/2 tbsp sugar

Method for Base

Beat together butter and sugar. Add eggs and then all the dry ingredients. You now have a crumbly mix that you press into a pie dish (see picture in oven).
Bake at 170 degress Celsius for 15 minutes.

Method for filling

Boil Milk. In a different pot beat egg and sugar. Add flour and corn flour, then milk and let it cook until it thickens. Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter. Pour into baked shell and sprinkle over nutmeg and/or cinnamon. Refrigerate.

Eliopittes Xoriatikes(Olive Pies)

2009-04-13T21:14:00.013+03:00

There are a lot of different ways to make olive pies,( eliopittes in Greek). In a previous posting, you can find the Rustic Olive Pie, which is a very well known way of baking an olive pie, this time I am posting another one of my favorite olive pies, baked in a traditional way, with whole black olives in it which gives it such an excellent taste. In the old days, Cypriot housewives used to bake this particular pie in a traditional oven, lighting pieces of wood and branches for fire.
For now, a conventional gas or electric oven will do. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 kg of bread flour
12 g of yeast
1 medium onion, chopped
half a cup of black olives with pips
fresh mint
125 ml of olive oil
375 ml of lukewarm water

Method

Put flour in a large bowl, add yeast and water and knead very well for about 15 minutes until you have a very elastic, not too thick dough. Let it stand for about one hour. Add olive oil, knead well, then add mint, chopped onion and olives. Knead again very well, cut the dough in the size of a tennis ball and knead it in an oval shape until you use all of it (see picture). Cook for 10 minutes in 195 degrees Celsius, and then for another 15 minutes in 185 degrees Celsius, until you get a golden , brownish color.

Nigella's Dense Chocolate Loaf Cake

2009-04-12T11:34:00.007+03:00

Nigella Lawson without doubt makes the best chocolate cakes.....My wife lives for chocolate and every time I make any of Nigella's recipes, I think our marriage is revived....
This is the first time I make the Dense chocolate Loaf cake and let me tell you this much......yummie! I found this recipe at http://bakingforthecure.wordpress.com/2008/09/17/dense-chocolate-loaf-cake/
(Just a quick reminder....My famous Guiness Cake is a Nigella recipe too).

Ingredients

225 gr. soft unsalted butter

375 gr. dark muscovado sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

100 gr. best dark chocolate, melted

200 gr. plain flour

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

250 ml. boiling water

Method

Use one 23 x 13 x 7cm loaf tin

Preheat the oven to 190C/gas mark 5.

Put in a baking sheet in case of sticky drips later, and grease and line the loaf t

in. The lining is important as this is a very damp cake: use parchment, Bake-O-Glide or loaf-tin shaped paper case.

Cream the butter and sugar, either with a wooden spoon or with an electric hand-held mixer, then add the eggs and vanilla, beating in well. Next, fold in the melted and now slightly cooled chocolate, taking care to blend well but being careful not to overbeat. You want the ingredients combined: you don’t want a light airy mass. Then gently add the flour, to which you’ve added the bicarb, alternately spoon by spoon, with the boiling water until you have a smooth fairly liquid batter. Pour into the lined loaf pan.

Bake for 30 minutes. Turn the oven down to 170 degrees C./ gas mark 3 and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. The cake will still be a bit squidgy inside, so an inserted cake tester or skewer won’t come out completely clean.

Place the loaf pan on a rack, and leave to get completely cold before turning it out. (I often leave it for a day or so: like gingerbread, it improves.) Don’t worry if it sinks in the middle: indeed, it will do so because it’s such a dense and damp cake.

Glazing

This is not part of Nigella's recipe.

85g chocolate coarsley chopped
3Tbsp icing sugar
3Tbsp (42g) unsalted butter

Melt chocolate. Remove from heat and stir in the icing sugar. Stir in the butter little by little.

Halvas(Semolina Cake)

2009-03-29T13:39:00.008+03:00

This is a very traditional Greek and Cypriot cake. There are a lot of different versions of Halvas, some bake it in the oven, some use raisins instead of almonds, some prefer to mix olive oil and sunflower oil....This is the saucepan version, with almonds. It is a very popular cake especially during fasting period.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups of sugar
3 cups of semolina
5 3/4 cups of warm water
5 tbsp of rosewater
1/2 cup of almond nuts (skinless and cut in small pieces)
1/2 cup of sunflower oil

Method

Put sugar and warm water in a small saucepan and stir well until dissolved. Remove from heat and add rosewater. In another saucepan (preferable with a non sticky bottom), put oil and almonds and fry until they become slightly brown in color. Add semolina and mix continuously for one minute, while on heat. Then remove from heat, add syrup (the water, sugar and rosewater mixture), mix and put on heat. Stir well with a wooden spoon until it becomes thick. Remove from heat and put in a Pyrex. Take a wet wooden spoon and flaten the top of the cake until it looks really shiny! Enjoy!

Souvlakia

2009-03-26T07:03:00.013+02:00

I love meat. Everybody that knows me, knows that. Today I am posting one of my favourite meat dishes. It is very simple to prepare and it is one of the most popular, if not the most popular meat dishes in Cyprus.
It is also the the No.1 take-out/take-away food on the Island and is what hamburgers are to the USA. When people don't order souvlakia for take-out, most will prepare souvlakia over the weekend and invite friends or family over to enjoy this delicious food. Even though everybody prepares souvlakia in a slightly different way, the overall preparation is pretty much the same. My secret is adding the spice Sumac, that gives the souvlakia just that slightly different taste than the norm, and I also marinate them for a few hours in a mixture of soy sauce and olive oil.

Ingredients

1.5 kg of pork belly cut into bite size cubes
2 tomatoes cut into cubes
2 large green peppers cut into cube
1 large onion cut into pieces
1 eggplant cut into cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1-2 tsp sumac spice
salt according to taste

Method

In a bowl mix cubed meat, olive oil and sauce sauce.
Then sprinkle sumac all over the meat and again mix well.
Cover the bowl with cling film and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
Put the meat on skewers with onion, eggplant, peppers or tomatoe in between the meat and cook over charcoal for 15-20 minutes.
Garnish with finely chopped fresh parsley and some lemon juice if you wish.

Sesame Wine Rusks

2009-03-25T17:01:00.011+02:00

An extremely easy recipe to make and very tasty as well!

Ingredients

1 kg of self raising flour
250 ml of dry red wine
250 ml of sunflower oil
250 ml of vegetable shortening
250 ml of sugar
1 tsp of cinnamon (powder)
1 tsp of cloves
3 tsp of baking powder
1 cup of sesame seeds

Method

Mix all ingredients but the sesame seeds in a bowl, knead the dough very well and then make dough into small rings (6 -7 cm diameter) or any other shape or size you like and finally dip them into the sesame seeds (on one side only).
Then place them onto a baking tray and bake them in a preheated oven at 190 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes. When 20 minutes are over, reduce heat by 10 degrees Celsius every five minutes until you reach 170 degrees Celsius. Remove from the oven, let them cool and treat your guests along with tea or coffee.

Ofto Kleftiko

2009-03-22T14:42:00.007+02:00

There is absolutely no way you visit a traditional Cypriot or Greek taverna, and not find Ofto Kleftiko on the menu.
It is a delicacy, a very popular dish, along with souvlaki, sieftalies,ntolmadakia(koubebia) etc.
Kleftiko is actually a form of cooking, in which the raw ingredients are put into a hole in the ground, sealed with mud and slow fired for about 6 hours.
Having cooked for so many hours, the meat becomes very tender. Nowadays, Ofto Kleftiko is wrapped in special paper or aluminum foil, cooked in clay ovens, (found in almost every yard in the villages of Cyprus), or in clay pots. Mostly served with potatoes, which become super soft and tasty being cooked in the juices of the meat.

Ingredients

2 kg of lamb
1 large onion, cut in small pieces
1-2 sticks of cinnamon
salt
3 bay leaves
5 tbl spoons of brandy

Method

Cut meat in large pieces and place them in a clay pot or pyrex. Add salt and brandy, mix them well, add bay leaves, onion and cinnamon sticks, pour 5 tbl spoons of water and cook in oven at 200 Celsius, for approximately 1,5 hours. Open lid in the last 5-10 minutes to allow meat to get a roasty look.

Bulgur rice (Pilafi)

2009-03-22T13:52:00.018+02:00

Bulgur (pligouri in Greek) is a cereal food made from several different wheat species, but most often from durum wheat. Bulgur is a common ingredient in Turkish, Middle Eastern, Indian and Mediterranean dishes. It has a high nutriotional value which makes it a good substitute for rice. In Cyprus, bulgur is also used to make koupes and it is the base for Trahana soup.

(Source:Wikipedia)

Ingredients
(serves 5-6 people)

2 cups of bulgur
5 tbl spoons of vermicelli (very thin macaroni-optional)
1 medium onion, chopped
1,5 cup of tomatoes, grated
1 tea spoon of salt
10 tbl spoons of olive oil
1 chicken stock (if vegan, put veggie stock)
4 cups of cold water

Method

Put olive oil in a pot, add bulgur, onion and vermicelli, stir it a bit, then add tomatoes, salt, chicken stock and water, stir it well and cook in medium fire for about 10-15 minutes until water is totally absorbed. Make sure to stir often, otherwise the pilaf will stick to the bottom of the pot.

Chick peas in red sauce

2009-03-20T12:05:00.016+02:00

Chick peas (revithia in Greek) is another delicious vegan plate for the Fasting Period.
Chick peas are better known by their name "garbanzo beans".
Most are familiar with chick peas as either used whole in salads, or ground up to make the popular Middle Eastern dish "hummus".
They are also a frequent ingredient in Indian dishes. (India is actually the world leader in chick pea production.)
There are two kinds of chick peas, desi which has small darker seeds and a rough coat, cultivated mostly in the Indian subcontinent, Ethiopia, Mexico and Iran and the kabuli, which has lighter color, larger seeds and a smoother coat and mainly grows in Southern Europe, Northern Africa , Afghanistan and Chile.
Nutritionally, chick peas are an excellent source of fibre and protein and recommended for diabetics.
(Source: Wikipedia)

Ingredients

2 cups of chick peas (soaked in cold water overnight)
1 large onion, chopped
1 pack of tomato juice
1 tbl salt
1/4 glass olive oil
2 large potatoes cut in quarters
lemon juice (half lemon)
celery, chopped

Method

Put chick peas in a large pot, cover them with cold water and let them cook until they become crunchy.
Add potatoes, onion and celery and let them cook until potatoes become soft (Add more water if needed).
When potatoes are ready, add tomato juice and olive oil and let them cook for 10-15 minutes in medium fire.
Five minutes before taking pot off fire, add lemon juice and salt, stir and let it cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Take pot off fire, let it cool down a bit and serve.

Cheese Potatoes

2009-03-15T14:11:00.010+02:00

Ingredients

8 potatoes cut in rolls (about 1 cm in thickness)
1 clove of garlic ( mashed )
salt
pepper
100 gr salted butter
100 gr grated cheese (soft)
2 glasses of milk

Method

Mix potatoes with salt, pepper and garlic.
Place them in pyrex, one next to another, melt butter and pour it on top along with milk.
Put aluminum foil on top and cook in oven at 195-200 degrees Celsius for about one hour and 20 minutes.
Take them out, make sure milk is totally absorbed and then put cheese on top.
Let cheese melt before serving.

Vegan Rusks (Nistisima Koulourakia)

2009-03-15T11:48:00.021+02:00

A little bit about Greek Orthodox religion...

Clean or Green Monday, in Greek called Kathara Deftera, marks the beginning of the Great Lent, known as the Sarakosti, the forty days of fasting which leads to April 19, the Greek Orthodox Easter. It is called "clean" because it marks the start of the Lent period during which our bodies and spirits are "cleansed" to prepare for accepting the Resurrection.
Clean Monday is a public holiday in Cyprus and Greece, a day of great celebration.
Those who strictly follow the fasting of the Great Lent, do not eat meat or any products derived from animals, such as eggs, milk, cheese etc. The Great Lent is also a very good opportunity to cleanse our bodies from all the "toxins" and turn to greens and legumes. Greek and Cypriot cuisine offers an amazing variety of fasting dishes, called Nistisima. For today, enjoy the Vegan Rusks. Easy to make and very delicious!

Ingredients

1 packet of self-raising flour
3 tsp of baking powder
250 ml of sugar
250 ml of ouzo (the famous Greek drink)
250 ml of oil
250 ml of fresh orange juice
2 tbsp of aniseed (slightly crushed)

Method

Mix all ingredients in a big bowl and knead until you have dough of consistent elasticity.
Cut them into bite-sized pieces (see picture) and place on a baking sheet in preheated oven at 190 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes.
Make sure that after ten minutes, you spray the little rusks lightly with water and turn down the heat 15 degrees Celsius.

Baklavadakia (Mini Baklava)

2009-03-07T18:50:00.004+02:00

Ingredients

1 packet of phylo (ready dough)
100 gr of crushed almonds
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp rosewater
1/4 cup sunflower oil (6-8 tbsp)

Ingredients for syrup

1 3/4 glass sugar
2 glasses of water
4 tbsp of rosewater

Method for syrup

Mix water and sugar in a small pan
Warm it up for 5 mins and then add rosewater

Method for Baklavadakia

Take one phylo and brush it separately with sunflower oil (only the one side)
Add cinnamon, almonds, rosewater and sugar in a bowl and mix well
Pour one tea spoon of the above mixture in the edge of the phylo in one line and roll it like a cigar and then make it into a spiral (see picture)
Using the same method, add rest of the mixture in all phylo and then place the spiral baklava in an oiled pan
Brush them with sunflower and cook in oven, in 185 C, for 20-25 mins until they become golden colored
Take them out and immediately pour syrup on top (make sure syrup is cold)
Cover them with a towel for 10 mins to ensure syrup is soaked and then serve

Stella's Shrimp

2009-03-07T07:58:00.006+02:00

Ingredients

1 kg of tiger shrimps
4 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlics cut into small pieces
3 tomatoes ( grated)
1 cube maggie (vegetable)
6 tbsp white wine
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp dried mint
2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped finely)
150g feta cheese

Method

wash shrimps with mixture of warm water and vinegar.
dry them off with a kitchen towel and then put into a pyrex dish.
pour olive oil over the shrimps, garlic, oregano, mint and parsley.
crumble the maggie cube and sprinkle over the shrimps, then the tomatoe and finally crumble the feta and pour over the shrimps.
pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees, cover the pyrex with aluminum foil and cook for 25-30 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Chocolate Cookies

2009-03-02T06:15:00.004+02:00

Ingredients

150g bitter chocolate
110g butter
2 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
200g chocolate chips
sea salt (optional)

Method

Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
Melt butter and bitter chocolate in another bowl, then add vanilla.
Combine eggs and sugar in another bowl, and whisk fo about 3 minutes.
Add chocolate mixture to egg mixture and mix well.
Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Don't over mix it.
Fold in the chololate chips.
Drop tablespoon size of the mixture on a parchment paper lined baking tray 4 cm apart and sprinkle a little sea salt over.
Pre-heat oven to 170 degrees Celcius and bake for about 12 minutes.

Green Tea Cookies

2009-03-02T06:04:00.005+02:00

Ingredients

3/4 cup caster sugar
110g butter
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp green tea (powdered)

Method

Whisk the caster sugar and powdered green tea well together, and then add butter (room temp.) and mix until smooth.
Add flour and mix well.
Add the yolks and stir until incorporated.
Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes and preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius.
Remove dough from fridge and roll out to 2.5 cm thickness and use cookie cutter to cut out cookie shapes.
Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Cornmeal Raisin Cookies

2009-02-13T11:04:00.007+02:00

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg slightly beaten
1 tsp almond extract
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup and 2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup raisins

Method

In a bowl mix butter and sugar until creamy.
Blend in the almond extract and egg.
In a separate bowl combine cornmeal, flour, salt and baking powder.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well.
Stir in the raisins.
Drop batter in teaspoon size on a lightly greased cooking tray.
Bake at 190 degrees Celsius for 10-12 minutes.

Lentils

2009-02-13T10:41:00.007+02:00

When I was younger I never used to eat legumes. It was not because my mom never used to makes legumes for meals, it was because I could not stand eating them. The only legumes I ever ate was lentils. Legumes in the Mediterranean diet is very important and one has to eat of this food group at least twice a week.
It was just recently that I started eating legumes with a passion because I decided that I wanted to shed 2-3 kg. I was going to do this by eating more legumes and less meat and fast food. I did loose the weight, but I put it back on again. I am a meat person, what can I say ? Don't get me wrong...I still eat legume three times a week, and I love it! Plus is is great for one's GI tract.
What follows is the recipe for how I make legumes which is adapted from the way my mom makes them.

Ingredients

1.5 cups of lentils (brown coloured)
0.5 cup of rice
2 onions (chopped)
1 cube of stock (beef or chicken)
olive oil (to fry the onions)

Method

Fry onions until golden brown and set aside
Boil water in a saucepan and add lentils. Boil lentils for 15 minutes.
Strain the water and pour fresh boiling water in the saucepan with the lentils.
Add the rice, the cube of stock and and the fried onions and boil for another 15-20 minutes depending on whether you like the lentils soft or crunchy.
Drain the excess water, if any.
Enjoy!

Rustic Olive Pie

2009-01-18T07:25:00.004+02:00

Ingredients

4 eggs
200ml oil (100ml sunflower oil & 100ml olive oil)
1 cup black olives ( pipless and cut in pieces)
120ml evaporated milk
100ml orange juice
2-3 tsp dried mint
1 onion finely chopped
600ml of plain flour
2 tsp baking powder

Method

Whisk the eggs until they become white colour
Add milk, oil, orange juice and mix well.
Then add olives, mint and onions and again mix well.
Little by little add the mixture of baking powder and flour to the egg mixture.
Place in a baking pan or Pyrex and bake at 175 degrees Celsius for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when you prick the olive pie.

Makaronia tou Fournou ( Oven Baked Macaroni)

2009-01-08T14:54:00.010+02:00

Nobody in the whole wide world makes Makaronia tou Fournou ( Oven Baked Macaroni) better than my mother, Nina. This is her signature dish, and it tastes delicious. She makes Makaronia tou Fournou often, but for me, it isn't often enough. She usually makes Makaronia on special occasions like when my brother comes home from South Africa, during Easter, Christmas and most recently when we were all invited to my mother-in-law's place for dinner on New Years eve.
And as it went, everybody commented on Nina's Makaronia and how delicious it was. So I am dedicating this blog entry to Nina......geia sta heria sou!

Ingredients

3/4 of a packet macaroni
1 halloumi cheese grated
1/2 kg minced meat
1 large onion chopped
7 sprigs of parsley chopped
5 tbsp butter for the cream
2 tbsp for frying
7 tbsp of plain flour
1-1 1/2 litres of fresh milk
2 eggs beaten
salt
pepper
ground cinnamon
1 cube chicken stock

Method

Boil water with a cube of chicken stock and add the macaroni. Cook until done according to instructions on the package. When done, drain all the water and pour 1/2 the macaroni into a 30cm x 30cm pyrex dish and cover with 1/2 of the grated halloumi cheese.
Fry the minced meat in 2 tbsp of butter and then add the onions, parsley and salt, pepper and ground cinnamon to taste, until the meat is cooked. Remove from heat and pour 1/2 of the minced meat ontop of the macaroni and grated cheese to cover the whole area.
Melt the rest of the butter in a saucepan and add the flour. Mix with a whisk to get rid of all the lumps before you add the milk. When lump free, pour in 1 litre of milk and the beaten eggs. Mix until it is kind of thick. You might need to add more milk to get a nice concistany.
Pour just enough of the cream ontop of the minced meat to totally cover it. Then add the rest of the macaroni, the rest of the cheese , then the rest of the minced meat, and finally the rest of the cream.
Add a knob of butter in the middel and some on the sides and cook at 180 degree celcius for 45-60 minutes.

Giouvarlakia

2009-01-05T09:18:00.005+02:00

The recipe that follows is enough for 4 people.

Ingredients for the Meatballs:
1/2 kilo of minced meat
3/4 of a espresso cup crushed rice
chopped parsley
1 onion grated
1 tsp of pepper
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 egg beaten

Ingredients for the Soup
1.4 litres of water
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cup chopped artichokes
1/2 cup chopped potatoes
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 egg separated
juice of 2 lemons

Mix all meatball ingredients together in a bowl and then roll into ping pong sized balls and place on a tray that is dusted with flour. Cover all the meatballs with flour so that they do not fall apart in the soup.
Boil the water with one chicken flavoured maggi cube (chicken stock) and one vegetable flavoured maggi cube (vegetable stock). Then add all the chopped vegetables only and keep boiling the vegetables for 10-15 minutes. Do NOT add the egg and the lemon yet.
Add the meatballs and keep boiling until the rice in the meatballs is cooked. You have to eye it and estimate when the rice in the meatballs is cooked. When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat.
Whisk the egg white until it is thick and frothy. Then whisk in the yolk.
Pour the lemon juice into the soup.
Slowly add (a tsp at a time) soup the the whisked egg in order for the egg to NOT curl/cook. When the egg mixture has taken on the temperature of the soup, pour it into the soup and stir it in.

Cypriot Delicatessen

2008-12-03T06:11:00.011+02:00

Many fans of Culinary Saint have expressed their interest in Cypriot cuisine and foods, and that is why a trip to Agros, a traditional village in the mountainous Pitsilia area of Cyprus, was well worth the effort. Other villages in the area include Platanistasa, Kyperounda, Alona and Palehori.
Agros, with a population not exceeding 1000, is known for its smoked meat products, rose products (rose infused wine, rose water,rose candle, rose brandy and many more) and pottery. You can find more info and buy rose products online at http://www.rose-tsolakis.com/. We went to Agros for the meat!
There are quite a few smoked meat producers in Agros, all using the same method in producing these great tasting meat products. We decided to visit Traditional Meat Products of Agros Petros Stavrou Ltd. Petros Stavrou can be found at:

10 Petrou Eliades Str.
4860 Agros
Tel. +357 25 522020
+357 99 612146

We were lucky to find him at his store, because Agros is so small, Petros does not have many customers coming and going all the time. Most people when buying smoked meat products buy in bulk, the reason being that these smoked meat products last and keep very well for long periods of time. Petros, meeting us for the very first time, was kind enough to take us downstairs to the smoke room where he showed us the meat being smoked.

The photos above show Loukanika, Hiromeri, Loutza and Bacon in the smoke room. Any type of wood can be used to smoke the meat except the wood from Pine and Eucalyptus trees. The Loukanika (sausages) need only about 7-10 days in the smoke room, whereas the bacon, hiromeri and lountza need more. The reason is that the ingredients of the Loukanika are first soaked in red wine for a few days, where they sort of get "cooked" or to be more correct, get cured.
The ingredients for Loukanika are more or less the following: lamb, pork, marjoram, orange peel, garlic, bay leaves, coriander, salt and pepper. Each Loukanika producer's sausages taste different because each producer uses different quantities of the ingredients, and uses different wood to smoke the sausages.
From the photos below you can see smoked bacon and Loukanika up close. You can clearly see how much fat goes into the sausages. I love it! My motto has always been that if meat does not have some fat on it, it's not meat!

All four meat products are widely used in Cypriot meze dishes. Lountza and Hiromeri are eaten as is in the form of thin slices served with slices of cucumber and crushed green olives. The Bacon and the Loukanika are fried in olive oil or grilled, served with grilled Halloumi cheese. Bread and Zivania are also a must at the meze table!

Chocolate Guinness Cake

2008-11-27T07:33:00.005+02:00

I baked this cake for a friend of ours for his birthday that was on the Monday that just passed. Everyone that had a piece really enjoyed it and said that it was out of this world. I always get similar comments whenever I bake this cake and I am always pressured into baking it, especially by my wife who is "addicted" to anything chocolate. I sometimes wonder if she loves chocolate more than she does me.

I was reluctant to post this receipe here because unfortunately it does not belong to me. I wish it did because it raised my status in baking and cooking from average to epicness, if there is such a word. But truth be told, the receipe belongs to the fantastically delicious Nigella Lawson. I found this receipe inher book Feast: Food that celebrates life. I highly recommend you go out and purchase this book.

The photo below is proof of what was left after the birthday party. If I had a second piece, this post would not be here right now.

For the Cake

250ml Guinness Beer
250g unsalted butter
75g cocoa
400g caster sugar
142ml sour cream
275g plain flour
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the Topping

300g cream cheese
150g icing sugar
125ml double or whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius and butter and line a 23cm springform tin. pour the Guinness into a large saucepan and add butter in slices and heat until the butter is melted, at which time you should whisk in the cocoa and sugar.

Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla and then pour into the saucepan with that contains the beer and butter mixture. Finally beat in the flour and the bicarb.

Pour the batter mixture into the springform tin and bake for about 45 minutes. When done remove from oven and place on a rack to cool. When totally cooled off, whip together the icing sugar, cream cheese and cream in a bowl. When it reaches a nice thick consistancy, pour the mixture onto the cake and spread it out until it resembles a pint of Guinness.

Pumpkin Pie

2008-11-03T06:30:00.003+02:00

Dough

1.25 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
8 tbsp butter
2-8 tbsp cold water

Filling

1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp ground cinnemon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs
350 ml evaporated milk
450g canned or freshly boiled pumpkin

Directions

Mix all the dry ingredients of the dough ingredients together in a bowl.

Add the butter in 1 tbsp pieces into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix together well with fingers.

Slowly add the water and mix well, then roll the dough into a disc shape, place between two pieces of cling film and roll out into a large circle big enough to fit into a 22cm in diameter pan with a depth of 4cm.

Shape the dough into the pan and refridgerate for 1 hour.

Puree all the ingredients for the filling and pour into the prepared pan.

Bake for 15 minutes at 220 degrees celcius then reduce heat to 175 degrees and bake for another 45 minutes.

Let it cool for about 2 hours and enjoy.

Halloween

2008-10-31T09:17:00.005+02:00

I know....I know.....it is the season of autumn and it is the season for pumpkins, and still I haven't yet made anything pumpkin related.
I must admit that a very good friend of ours gave birth this week to twins and visiting her and the babies have taken up some of our time and has in a way prevented me from trying out a new recipe or adding to this blog. Another thing that happened is that we were invited to a house warming dinner of a friend of ours that studied in the United States, and she gave me "the third degree" because I didn't bake or cook anything Halloween related.
The weekend is coming up and I will have enough time to make my Pumpkin Pie and try out another Pumpkin related recipe. So keep an eye on this space......

Koubebia

2008-10-27T06:14:00.010+02:00

KOUBEBIA

Koubebia is a very traditional Cypriot dish and there is no mother or grandmother that doesn't know how to prepare them. In Greece they have something similar called Dolmadakia, but Koubebia is Cypriot and basically it is minced meat and rice wrapped in vine leaves.

Ingredients

1/2 kg of minced meat
1 large onion chopped very finely
5 stalks of fresh parsley chopped finely
1 tsp of dried mint (rub between hands to make into fine powder)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup of rice
5 tablespoons tomatoe juice
40 vine leaves

Cooking Ingredients

5-6 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup tomatoe juice
30 ml water

Directions

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
2. If you will be using fresh vine leaves, soak them in boiling water for 5 minutes and then in cold water to stop the cooking process. This ensures that the vine leaves will not tear when stuffing them. If you will be using bottled vine leaves, soak them in luke warm water for 10 minutes.
3.Use one tablespoon of mince mixture for each vine leaf. Place the mince mixture on the edge of the vine leaf and roll slightly to cover the mince mix, fold over the sides of the leaf and then roll again until you have used all of the leaf. Keep doing this until all the mince mix has been used.
4.Take a saucepan that will fit all the Koubebia and pour in 5-6 tablespoons of olive oil. Pack the Koubebia tightly in concentric circles in the saucepan. Continue this until multiple layers are formed and all the Koubebia are used.
5. Pour 1/2 cup of tomatoe juice over the Koubebia and place a plate that fits into the saucepan ontop of the Koubebia to hold them down during the cooking process.
6.Pour 30ml of water over the plate that is covering the Koubebia and close the saucepan with its lid.
7. Cook over low heat for 30-35 minutes. Check if the water and tomatoe juice have been absorbed by the Koubebia every 7-8 minutes. If yes, add a few more tablespoons of water. You will know the Koubebia are cooked by opening one and if the rice is soft(cooked), the Koubebia are ready to eat.

Greek Coffee

2008-10-24T14:16:00.001+03:00

Greek coffee, or Turkish coffee as it is also known, is very popular in Cyprus as it is in Greece, Turkey and many Middle Eastern countries. It is not only enjoyed by the elderly in Cyprus, but also by the younger generations.The original coffee shops or Kafeneia as they are known here, are still brewing fresh cups every day. And you can find one of these coffee shops just about in every neighbourhood.

These traditional coffee shops are usually patronized by our fathers and grandfathers, where smoking, playing backgammon and discussing various topics (usually soccer and politics) are at the order of the day. Here, time usually goes by at a more relaxed pace. It is a place were friends and neighbours meet, have discussions and share male camaraderie.

The younger generation also enjoy Greek coffee, but usually at a more trendy upscale and modern cafe in shopping malls or in the city centre. They usually opt for something more trendy and gourmet frappechinos, cafe lattes and cappachinos. For them, the Greek coffee is a quick cheap wake-me-upper which is not drank and enjoyed as it is supposed to, slow and relaxed. Corporate coffee kings like Gloria Jeans, Costa Coffee and Starbucks are doing just fine here.

So here is my little ode to Greek/Turkish coffee.....

To make Greek coffe you will need:

Greek/Turkish coffee
Drinking water at room temperature
Sugar (optional)

Measure the water you will need in a Demitasse cup whic is similar to an Espresso cup and pour it into a Briki (very small saucepan that fits no more than 100ml). then add a heaped teaspoon of coffee and place over medium heat. Add sugar to taste and stir until sugar and coffee is dissolved. This will happen as soon as the water starts to warm up. Stop stirring and wait until the coffee starts to foam slightly and then stir again for a few seconds. Stop stirring. When it foams again, let the foam reach the top of the saucepan and quickly remove from heat and pour into the cup. Enjoy with a cold glass of water at your leisure.
Traditionally Greek/Turkish coffee is brewed in a Briki in hot sand. This makes for a more fragrant better brewed coffee. This coffee can be enjoyed in the following ways according to how much sugar is added:
0.5 tsp - meoliki (little sugar)
1 tsp - metrio (medium)
1.5 tsp - malo gliki (nearly sweet)
2 tsp - gliki (sweet)
2.5 tsp - vari gliki (very sweet)

If anyone is interested in buying Greek coffee, I will be able to send you some. For more details on P&P and prices, send me an email or comment.

Chocolate Cake in a Jar

2008-10-24T11:49:00.000+03:00

I found this recipe on the net and all I have to say is a very big thank you to Holly. I have made a small change concerning the ingredients and I think the finished product looks just great and makes for a fantastic gift when you are invited to dinner as an alternative to the usual bottle of wine.

This recipe yields 2 servings.

Ingredients

125g all-purpose flour
200g white sugar
2 Tbsp of semi-sweet chocolate chips
2g baking powder
1g ground cinnemon
75g butter
60ml water
15g unsweetened cocoa powder
60ml buttermilk
1 egg, beaten
3ml vanilla extract
30g finely chopped walnuts

Directions

Sterilize 2 (1 pint) straight sided wide mouthed canning jars, lids and rings by boiling for 10 minutes. Keep the lids and rings in the hot water untill needed. Preheat your oven to 165 degrees Celcius.
In a small bowl mix flour, sugar, baking soda and cinnamon. Set this mixture aside.
In a medium saucepan combine the butter, water and cocoa powder. Heat and stir until mixture is blended well. Pour this into a large bowl.
Stir in flour mixture and blend well. Add the buttermilk, egg, chocolate chips and vanilla and beat untill mixed very well. Stir in the walnuts.
Pour evenly into sterilized jars. Place the jars on a cookie baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes.
Using oven mitts, remove the cakes from the oven, place lids and then the rings to screw them down tightly. Listen for the jars to"ping" as they seal. If you miss it, wait until totally cooled off and press on the top of the lid. If it doesn't move at, it means that it is sealed.

Fudgy Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

2008-10-24T11:36:00.000+03:00

I saw this recipe on http://www.tastespotting.com/ and it was submitted by http://www.sophistimom.com/. She said that it was really easy to make and that it was not at all difficult. So I thought I'd give it a try, so during my lunch break today I decided to give it a go. I am not over exaggerating here, but it only took me 90 minutes from the second I collected the ingredients till I took out the baking dish out of the oven to complete this recipe. It really tastes devine and it definately worth trying out! I just didn't swirl it that much.

Fudgy Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies

For the brownie part:

1/2 cup (8 tablespoons or 110g) unsalted butter

1 12 ounce (340g) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips (I like Guittard or Ghriadelli)

1 1/4 cups (275g) sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

3/4 cup (110g) unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the cream cheese part:

1 8 ounce (225g) package cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup (110g) sugar

1 large egg

pinch salt

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 tablespoon unbleached all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (165 degrees Celsius). Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Place butter and 1 1/2 cups (255g) chocolate chips in a medium microwave safe bowl. (Reserve the other 1/2 cup [85g] chips for later.) Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave for thirty second intervals, stirring after each, until completely melted.
3. Whisk in sugar and salt until smooth; whisk in eggs and vanilla. Gently fold in flour just until smooth (do not over mix). Fold in remaining 1/2 cup (85g) chocolate chips
4. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Set aside.
5. Microwave cream cheese in a small bowl for 30 seconds. Whisk in sugar, egg, salt, vanilla, and flour. Pour over chocolate mixture. Take a spoon and pull chocolate mixture up from the bottom of the pan in about 4 or 5 different places and then, with a spoon or knife, create a swirled effect.
6. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Allow to cool completely in pan. (After about 45 minutes, I toss mine in the freezer for 30 minutes to help it along. This will also help solidify the chocolate chips, giving the brownies a nice crunch.)
7. Use parchment paper to lift from pan; peel off and discard. Cut into 16 squares.

Starting Something New

2008-10-24T11:33:00.000+03:00

Well, what can I say ? I too have now been reverted to blogging. I never thought I would be a blogger one day, but hey, why swim upstream when you can go with the flow ?
Having said that, I must admit that I am starting this blog because I have a love for food.....any food in all its forms, and because I was inspired by many other foodie bloggers. Hopefully this will give me an outlet in showing the world what I like and what I experience concerning food.
I pray to the saints to bless this blog and keep it active.