So, the precious post was in Greek and  you won’t know that I just started writing in a new magazine specializing in sweets, called “Sweet Secrets” that came out on Wednesday, April 4th. This was one of the reasons that kept me away from the blog, as I tried and tested all the recipes I sent to the magazine. I think that one of the most important features of the publication is that there are two more Greek bloggers writing for the magazine, which is, as far as I know, a first for Greek standards. It is great to see that we (bloggers) are gradually being recognized as an important part of the food writing culture.

The firs issue was an Easter one of course, as our Easter is next week, April 15th, and there was a special on the Greek traditional brioche, called “tsoureki”. My recipe for olive oil, orange and cardamom tsoureki was not included, but it was a great success and I thought it would be great to publish it in the blog. I was actually quite surprised on how much my mother liked it, although she was very skeptical about the flavour combination and she has been asking for it ever since and so has my mother-in-law who is Finnish and cardamom is a traditional spice there for these kinds of sweet breads.

In this recipe I tried to bring together Greece (olive oil, orange) and Finland (cardamom) and I think I have succeeded to some extend. In any case the final result was a fragrant, supple and not overly sweet tsoureki that is relatively easy to make and keeps well for two-three days. Once stale, you can always toast it and spread it with Nutella, make a bread pudding, or a trifle.

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Το πρώτο τεύχος από τα Γλυκά Μυστικά, έχει βέβαια εκτενές αφιέρωμα στα Πασχαλινά τσουρέκια, με πολλές διαφορετικές συνταγές, αλλά και την διάσημη συνταγή της Βίκυς με εικονογράφιση βήμα-βήμα. εγώ είχα στείλει ένα νόστιμο τσουρέκι με ελαιόλαδο, πορτοκάλι και κάρδαμο, που τελικά δεν συμπεριλήφθηκε, οπότε είπα να την μοιραστώ μαζί σας, γιατί είχε μεγάλη επιτυχία.

Σκοπός μου ήταν να φέρω κοντά την ελληνική (ελαιόλαδο, πορτοκάλι) και την Φινλανδική (κάρδαμο) παράδοση ( η πεθερά μου είναι Φινλανδέζα και εκεί χρησιμοποιύν πολύ το κάρδαμο στα τσουρέκια τους), αλλά και να δώσω μια πιο υγιεινή εναλλακτική στο κλασικό τσουρέκι. Το τελικό αποτέλεσμα ενθουσίασε τις δυο μαμάδες, παρόλο που η δικιά μου ήταν πολύ σκεπτική πριν το δοκιμάσει ( και τώρα μου το ζητάει συνέχεια). Αν έχετε μίξερ με γάντζο και το ζυμώσετε καλά, το τσουρεκάκι θα κάνει και τις κλασικές ίνες, ενώ διατηρείται καλά για 2-3 ημέρες.

Όταν ξεραθεί, μην το πετάξετε: μπορείτε να το ψήσετε και να το αλείψετε με πραλίνα φουντουκιού (Μερέντα-Nutella), να φτιάξετε trifle (αντικαταστήσετε το κέικ της συνταγής με τσουρέκι) ή πουτίγκα.

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The first time I ever had a scone it was a revelation. Were were having High Tea with my Canadian friend A. in a beautiful hotel in Oxford, the Old Parsonage, one of the few luxuries we allowed ourselves as students (the pound was very strong and Greece still had drachmas). We were sitting by the window, admiring the fine linen and cutlery and chatting about this and that when the trolley came with all the sandwiches, the scones, the cakes and the tea. I could not believe the amount of food that we were having between meals (high tea was served at 4pm), but started to taste it anyway. Two things blew me away: the cucumber sandwiches and the scones.

Scones are so boring on their own: they are neither salty nor sweet and have no particular taste. What they do have however is texture: they are buttery, crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside and warm. Team them with clotted cream and a good quality jam (usually raspberry or strawberry) and they are transformed into bliss. Just the thing one needs on a dreary, cold afternoon after hours of studying in the library!

There is so much lovely, tasty and comforting food in Britain, it is a shame that people don’t know about it. That is one of the reasons I chose “Eating for England” by Nigel Slater as a read for Cook the Books the bi-monthly cooking and reading club organised by Deb, Rachel and me (deadline is today, so hurry!).  Nigel is a great writer and the perfect man for introducing someone to the particularities of the British at the table. I think what I absolutely love about his writing is the perfect combination of sentimentality and wry humor: one minute you get misty eyed and the next you laugh out loud.”

Scones are mentioned in a few places in the book, but they also have a “chapter” to their selves.

How to dress a scone (from Nige Slater’s, Eating for England)

You are faced with a plate of scones , a pat of butter, a dish of jam and a pot of clotted cream. This being Britain, it follows that there must be a right and wrong order in which to dress your scone. You have either butter or cream, never both. At least not when everyone is looking. it is generally accepted that the jam goes on first, followed by a teaspoonful of cream. Others insist it is the other way round. Dare I suggest it really doesn’t matter? At a tea shop or hotel, you will inevitably get strawberry jam, though many would say that raspberry is better. At home I would go for blackcurrant or damson every time.

The recipe for scones I used is from another great Brit, Gordon Ramsay. Unfortunately I forgot them in the oven slightly longer and they came out crunchier and darker than they should. They were fluffy and buttery enough though, so no harm done. I cannot find clotted cream in Greece, so I used crème fraîche left over from the tarte flambée with home made strawberry jam.

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