Greek islands Archives - Aglaia's Table οn Kea Cyclades

Winter Cold and Spectacular Moon!

aglaia — Mon, 10 Jan 2022 10:42:20 +0000

January is cold, often very windy and it may even snow for a day or two. But we also enjoy some occasional sunny days, to do the needed garden work.

We also experience THE most spectacular moon this January, not just in the evening, but also early in the morning…

We may even get some snow on Kea this coming weekend!

People are often surprised to hear that we occasionally get snow on the island, but we do; not much, and mainly high, on the mountains. It only lasts for a couple of days at the most. But we do experience snow once a year, usually in January or February, as you can see in the pictures from previous years.

It gets quite cold –we expect high 20ies to low 30is F (about 5 to -2 centigrade) this weekend– and usually it is bitterly windy and humid, though it might be sunny.

These days the night skies were so clear, and at we had the chance to enjoy a wonderful almost full moon through the bedroom window.

Another thing that surprises people about our winters here is that the island’s usually yellow-brown dry summer landscape becomes totally green as the first rains begin in the fall.

In the heart of winter, and with stonewalls all over the hills and valleys, the island may look a bit like Ireland (!) This is the time for us to prepare the garden for the spring and summer vegetables, and do some much needed pruning and weeding.

The rainy and cloudy skies quickly turn to sunny again, and we look forward to the spring which will bring all sorts of flowers, and the first wild orchids that fill the fields under the big, now bare oak trees.

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Fall in our Island Garden

aglaia — Wed, 27 Oct 2021 15:44:10 +0000

The first rain on Kea confirmed the coming of our 21st fall on the island!

We were very grateful not only for the much-needed water, but for the comforting, cool temperatures after a very hot summer. We still have some vegetables, and hope for a few nice oranges, soon.

We started to get ripe, yet small fruit from the arbutus bush, and soon we will be harvesting the first oranges.

The few, aromatic quinces we got are ripening in a basket, and are soon going to be used in meat and vegetarian dishes, also, of course in our cakes as well as in jams, and spoon sweets (fruit preserves).

A low layer of green grass now covers the property, and our rose bushes are filled with tiny oblong red berries, and the big carob tree is filled with foul-smelling flowers buzzing with bees –an unexpected end-of-season treat for them. In Crete, where carob trees are ubiquitous in the rocky mountains, I heard that the densely-flavored carob honey is considered the best for melomakarona, the Christmas cookies.

The disappointment and frustration with our pomegranate trees continues for one more year. The fruit rot and fall before they even ripen properly. Fortunately our two, potted dwarf, ornamental pomegranates are thriving!

Costas will prune the mulberry tree that provided its deep shade on our summer veranda, where we cook with our guests. He will then start pruning the olive trees, a major project we have to repeat every two years –not a single olive this fall..

We planted a few micro greens in large shallow pots, and soon, we will probably harvest the very last eggplants, along with the a couple of tiny tomatoes we left on the plant just in case they ripen.

But we will still have plenty of peppers, both green and red, to make grill for meze and fry to make spreads. They often keep growing all through December…

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Spring…

costas — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 14:57:42 +0000

This year we did not get much rain after December on Kea. The landscape is quickly turning from green to yellow, although it is not yet too warm. Still, spring is gloriously blossoming, and in shady spots green keeps its hold, and flowers keep surprising us with their elegant shapes and colors.

SEE ALSO

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Paximadia Salad with Tomatoes, Feta and Capers

aglaia — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 09:00:22 +0000

The crumbled hard, barley rusks steeped in the juices of the chopped tomatoes and the spicy aromatic olive oil sauce acquire a superb flavor and texture. Lighter biscuits get mushy.

Prepare the salad 1-3 hours in advance, but toss just before serving.

Paximadi Salad can be a full summer lunch, perfect for pick nicks at the beach. I make it in a large container and serve it under the beach umbrella in our attractive re-usable plastic pick nick bowls. The chunky salad can be eaten with a spoon or fork, and we often enjoy it sipping the crisp fruity white or rose wine that we take to the beach in a cooler.

Serves 6-8

4 cups paximadia in bite-size pieces, homemade or preferably to MANNA (see NOTE)

2 pounds summer ripe and firm tomatoes that have not been refrigerated (big or small, any color or a combination of different heirloom tomatoes)

1 white onion, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons capers, drained

1 cup purslane leaves (optional) or arugula

½ cup basil leaves torn to pieces with the fingers, or coarsely chopped tender flat-leaf parsley, or a combination of parsley and fresh oregano or thyme

2 ½ cups diced feta cheese

1 tablespoon dry Greek oregano

SAUCE

About 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or homemade Greek vinegar, to taste

½ cup extra virgin olive oil, or more

2-3 pickled pepperoncini or chilies, minced

Zest of 1 non-treated lemon

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Salt, to taste, optional, as feta is quite salty

Spread the paximadia at the bottom of a salad bowl or container. Using a good serrated knife cut the tomatoes to roughly 1 1/2 –inch pieces over the paximadia, to collect the juices. Arrange the onion rings and purslane, if using, over the tomatoes, sprinkle the capers and basil, or other herbs, over the onions. Top with the feta and sprinkle with the oregano.

In a bowl whisk together the vinegar and olive oil, add the chilies, lemon zest, if using, add a few pepper groundings and some salt –capers and feta are quite salty so you may not need extra.

Cover and let stand for 1 hour, in a cool place. I don’t like to refrigerate it, but you probably need to, if you won’t eat it within the hour and the weather is hot. Toss thoroughly the last minute and serve in bowls.

NOTES:

To break the hard paximadia into pieces wrap in a clean tea towel and beat with a pestle or rolling pin. Add the pieces and crumbs to the salad.
You can substitute stale somewhat heavy whole-wheat bread –not the light, airy loaves– or any other heavy chewy bread for the paximadia. Cut into thick slices, dice and toast in the oven to dry.

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