The Country Belle: 2012-09-30

Thursday, October 4, 2012

A Greek Cookbook for your Bookshelf

I have the entire right side of my dining room buffet filled with cookbooks. I'll admit there are a few I rarely pull out, some are for the holidays, and some are well-worn and a little greasy with food splashes from everyday use. From time to time (OK - pretty often), I add to them with a new title from the bookstore. I wanted to tell you about one of my latest acquisitions and suggest you get a copy for yourself (and no, no one has paid me to say this).

Patricia Moore-Pastides, an accomplished public health professional and wife of the current president of the University of South Carolina, released her cookbook, "Greek Revival: Cooking for Life," about 18 months ago. In it, she narrates stories about her time living in Greece and shares the healthy recipes she learned from taking cooking lessons while there.

Leaning on vegetables and healthy cuts of meat (occasionally), the book provides Greek recipes that are healthy and still flavorful. I have made a few of them and can assure you that you won't miss the fat in these dishes.

We may think of baklava as a primary Greek dessert, but Patricia leans heavily on fruits, like those traditionally used in Greece, for an everyday taste of sweetness. Doesn't a yogurt parfait with blueberries and lemon curd sound good?

My favorite recipe from the book (so far) is Broccoli and Blue Cheese Pita (p. 22 in the hardback copy).

I bought the book during a lecture, tasting and book signing event at a women's conference. In her presentation, Patricia was very knowledgeable not only about nutrition via food, but also about the healthy compounds like resveratrol that make up certain foods. A delightful lady and a delightful (and delicious) book.

Happy reading (and cooking)!
TCB