Yesterday I had a craving for spanakopita, and bought some frozen at Whole Foods to heat up for lunch.
Years ago, for my dad’s 70th birthday we took a cruise that Odysseus did many centuries ago. We cheated and called the trip after the Roman god, “Chasing Ulysses” because it sounded better.
The food and people were fantastic. The seas were blue and beaches rocky but while we were asea I could look at the islands on the Ionian sea and picture my Greek mythology books, all while on my SONY portable CD player listening to Enya.
Nearly nine years ago we adopted an Aussie pup. After a couple of days I had researched and ended up with 20 top names. My husband and I narrowed that down to five as we assessed her personality. The result: Zoe, Greek for life. She has been, after decades of working with animals as a volunteer, the happiest critter I’ve ever met. And we had to take out her hips! Inexplicably, she still loves us and even her hip surgeon.
So now we’re in a community where there are dog names like Zeus and now the little Odysseus, a French bulldog. Zoe and I met a lady on the street the other day who says she wants to live here. Her dog’s name is Demetrius. I think they’ll fit in just fine.
We had an “Around the World” dinner outside on the terrace this summer and we each picked a country from a hat. We had to bring a dish and wine from that country. I picked Greece. Made spanakopita from scratch (bought the phyllo dough) and couldn’t find Greek wine so substituted Italian at the last minute. I also marinated some Kalamata olives in oil and herbs and spices. Delicious!
Greece is where I spent my 25th birthday; talked with a cigar store owner trying to buy my dad cigars and we understood each other through hand signals; got to be on a boat through the Strait of Corinth; and eat mezedes and learn to dance at a great birthday party. It will always be in my heart and I hope to show it to my husband someday. Kalinichta, Dee
Cooking with Dee 