Sara Alexi's Blog - Posts Tagged "greece"

Can anyone guess which Greek Island this is...?

Snapped this beach on a walk last month - what a lovely day that was...

Just to let you know that I am answering author questions. If there is anything you want to know about The Greek Village Collection, any of the individual books in the collection, Greece, writing, Indie publishing or even about me just ask.

Did you know, I regularly post Greek recipes on my blog, often inspired by characters and stories from my books?

I'll be posting them on my Goodreads profile, and you can also follow this link: https://saraalexi.com/2015/06/10/fill...

Here’s an easy recipe for mouth-watering baklava!

For the syrup:

It’s best to make the syrup in advance as it needs to cool to room temperature. To make just bring to the boil:

5 cups of cold water
3 cups of sugar
6 cinnamon sticks
5 whole cloves (To taste but do not omit)
Once boiling allow it to simmer and thicken. It will thicken more once cool.

Remove the cinnamon sticks and cloves once at room temp.

Next, gather together:

A 13 x 9 in tapsi (oven dish)
1 lb of butter
2 lb of phyllo pastry
1 lb coarsely ground walnuts (Mitsos still has some whole from last year)
¼ cup cinnamon
½ cup sugar
Combine the walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and mix well.

Melt your butter. Grease the inside of the tapsi using your butter brush.

Cover the bottom with 2 layers of phyllo pastry. Be sure to butter each well, then cover the bottom and each side allowing the pasty to hang over (Use four sheets, one for each side).

Layer over the bottom a third of the walnut mixture then drizzle butter over the top of that.

Place in the next layer of phyllo and crumple this layer to allow air pockets. This makes it light when it is finished.

Next cover the entire layer with drizzled butter.

Now layer another third of the walnuts and again drizzle with butter.

Repeat with scrunched phyllo and more butter. Be generous .

The last stage is to fold over the sheets you laid over the side when you started, overlapping them and cover each with butter. Allow six smooth layers of phyllo to finish off, buttering each as you lay it.

It is best to score your cuts into the top at this stage but do not cut all the way through.

You can either bring it to me at the bakery and I will cook it or if you wish to do it at home set the oven to 325 and bake for 45 minute. Then raise the temperature to 350 and bake till golden brown -15 to 30 minutes depending on your oven. If it cooks longer than this you may find it a little dry .

As soon as the baklava is done you should pull it out of the oven and pour the (room temperature) syrup evenly over the top. The reason the syrup is at room temperature is because it will absorb better into the baklava.

Let the baklava set for at least 4 hours, then cut and enjoy.

A few years ago I lived in a rented apartment on March 25th street, in Nafplio.

It’s a pretty strange name for a road, but a very useful aide memoir, and it’s a date I never forget. March 25th is Independence Day in Greece.

Earlier this week, with just a few days to go, I was not surprised to find group of young people in blue skirts and black trousers and neat white shirts hanging around in groups and practising marching up and down, banners waving.

Ninety five years ago, on March 25th 1821, Greece gained independence from the Turks, having been occupied by the Ottoman empire for 368 years. On that day, in the early part of the nineteenth century, Bishop Germanos of Patra raised the flag of revolution over the Monastery of Agia Lavra in the Peloponnese, and Modern Greece was born.

Freedom or Death was the cry and it is a sentiment that the Greeks have not forgotten.

But a country cannot be invaded for nearly 400 years without some sort of balance being found in day to day living. The village where I live, for example, has a Greek name, but it has a Turkish one too, and oddly it is the Turkish name that is most commonly used by the locals.

Some of the villagers still speak Turkish and some are of Turkish decent.

It’s interesting to note that there is no distinction made, as far as I can see, between those Greeks who are of purely Greek descent, and those who have Turkish ancestors. They are all getting ready for the celebration with equal enthusiasm, and it promises to be a special day!!

https://saraalexi.com/2016/03/25/inde...

The Greek Village Series has become so popular that readers have asked for something to be published between books. So I came up with the idea of a Newsletter ‘from the village’ writing it as if the villages was real. Here is an example of this free newsletter, I hope you enjoy it. If you would like to subscribe please follow this link;

https://saraalexi.com/2015/02/10/the-...

Stranded Dolphins



A pair of dolphins were found on the beach adjacent to Stella's hotel last week. The stranded animals were spotted by Pericles, as he was preparing the nets early on Wednesday.
'I saw a splashing about near the shoreline,' he told us, 'and went over to investigate.'
Despite not being entirely sympathetic towards these animals, who often tear the nets and steal his fish, Pericles did not like to see them suffering on the sand, and he quickly raised the alarm.

'I called Mitsos, and he called some others, and between us we got them back in the water.'
The men dug a channel in the sand and filled it with water, so that the dolphins could be floated back out to sea...

The Greek Village Handbook

We spoke to Sara Alexi recently, and she tells us that work is well underway on the handbook. We can't wait, and are curious to know what she will say about us!

She wouldn't reveal any details, but she did let on that there will be some short stories, and pictures of Greece, as well as an author interview giving insights into her motivation for writing each of the first fifteen books in the series...

She also let slip that she has already started on the next novel, too.

LACE MAKING ON ORINO ISLAND



Vasso has asked us to let you know that two places are still available for the trip she organised to Orino Island next Wednesday.

The journey will be by bus (2 hours, leaving at 8am outside the church) and water taxi (about 20 minutes). T

There will be time for a coffee and a look around the island before we gather at the Maritime Museum for a demonstration of local lace making techniques, which are unique to the island.

Lunch will be served in the courtyard of the museum, and there will be an opportunity to make a piece of lace of your own.

Coffee and koulourakia will be served before the return trip, and we will get back to the village around 8pm.

Anyone interestedin the last couple of places should contact Vasso at the kiosk.

BAD DUSTERS



This is a warning to anyone who bought one of the cheap pale yellow dusters that where sold out of the back of a van in the village last week.

It has been discovered that the red stitching releases a great deal of dye if you machine wash them. Vasso was the first to discover the fact, and was understandably displeased.

'I put a load of Thanasis's white shirts in the wash with the dusters and they all came out a pale pink. He was not the happiest man in the world when he first saw them.'

A casual walk past the kafenio confirms that this has happened in a few households. There is a range of shirt colours from pale to deep pink, and even some that appear to be tie-dyed.

It is suggested, to avoid an further unwanted colouring that the dusters are washed in cold water by hand.

Thanks to Fillipos for modelling his!

CONGRATULATIONS!



A huge congratulations to Stella and Mitsos.

Stella's Hotel has been awarded Small Hotel of the Year Award by the Greek Tourist Commission.

Representatives came over the winter months and stayed incognito to assess the rooms, the service and the staff. Their report said:

'The warmth of the staff was genuine and not overdone. It was pleasant and made us feel that rather than staying in an hotel we where staying in a family member's home.'

They also had praise for the village:

'There is everything needed to hand. We can particularly recommend the bakery's Honey Cake that was served to us with a very well made cup of Greek coffee at the kafenio.'

Fillipos's Honey Cake recipe can be found here - http://saraalexi.com/2016/04/11/filli...

To sign up for The Greek Village newsletter follow this link: https://saraalexi.com/2015/02/10/the-...

So delicious. This is Fillipos from the bakery’s recipe for Honey Cake which you can buy at the bakery or have served with coffee over at Theo’s Kafenio.

Let me know how yours turns out!

Ingredients

1 cup of flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
A good pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Grated zest of orange (Straight from tree is best – trap that vitamin C)
3/4 cup of butter
3/4 cup of white sugar
3 village eggs
1/4 cup of milk
1 cup of chopped walnuts (Mitsos says he has a surplus if anyone needs some)
1 cup f honey (See Frona or Sarah, their wild flower honey is unbeatable)
3/4 of a cups of water
Squirt of fresh lemon.

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). You will need a 9 inch square tin, best to grease it well.

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and orange rind so they are ready for when you need them.

Cream together the butter and sugar, either with a an electric whisk or with the back of a wooden spoon, until fluffy.

Beat in the eggs one by one.

Add the already mixed dry ingredients, alternately this with the milk. Pop the walnuts in along the way.

Bake for about 40 mins.

For the honey syrup: put the honey, 1 cup sugar and water into a pot and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the lemon juice and boil it for 2 mins. Pour this over your cake once it has cooled.

My Goodreads giveaway for 5 signed copies of The Illegal Gardener has just gone live! I'm also including a personalised postcard and book mark from Greece with each book.



The Illegal Gardener is the very first in my series The Greek Village and weaves an entrancing story of the burgeoning relationship that develops between two people from very different backgrounds and cultures; an English woman living in Greece and the Pakistani illegal immigrant who becomes her gardener and house boy.

Each brings their own problems, their own past baggage, and she approaches these with sympathy and understanding as well as exploring the nuances and differences in their cultures as they become more and more dependent on each other.

Here are what others have had to say:

'Reminiscent of Remains of the Day.'

'A good tale well told. Shades of Steinbeck and Bradbury.'

'The author has huge potential and if she keeps writing and developing like this then I wouldn't be at all surprised to see her name on a future Man Booker list!'

'Sensitive with beautifully crafted characters that you really cared about.'

'I was captivated from the start unable to put the book down.'

You can read the first two chapters from the book on my Goodreads profile, and you can enter the giveaway by following the link below.

The winners will be selected on June 10th.

Good luck!

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...

As usual there is LOTS going on, so I thought I would put some of these goings on in one blog post for you to read through and see what tickles your fancy.

First up, tonight at 9pm GMT I am hosting my first live Q&A here on Goodreads. Those of us who are friends on Facebook will know we chat all the time, but here I am going to be sitting down for at least an hour to give your questions all of my attention, however serious or silly. I can't wait to see how this goes!

Follow this link to join up and join in the conversation:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Also in the Ask Sara Alexi author group, I have set up two other topics to which I more than welcome your input and contributions.

One is Greek Inspiration, where I am really enjoying posting photos of Greece that just really catch my eye and capture the essence of this wonderful country. Please feel free to add your photos or comments on there too!

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

And the other topic is Greek Recipes (of course!). I will post some favourites of mine from time to time for you to try out, and would love your feedback on how they worked out! Also if you ever want to post a Greek inspired recipe for other people in the group to try, again please post away.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...



As many of you may have already seen, I also have a giveaway on Goodreads at the moment. 5 winners will receive a signed copy of The Illegal Gardener as well as a personalised postcard and a bookmark from Greece. Don't forget to enter!

https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...

That's quite a bit of news already...but I'm not done yet!

If you are on the Greek Village mailing list you will have seen the latest news letter from the Greek Village, where you get to catch up on the latest with the locals was emailed out this week. A sneak peak from my upcoming therapeutic colouring book based on the Greek Village Series was included. If you want to sign up to this newsletter you can do so here:

https://saraalexi.com/2015/02/10/the-...



And finally, as some of you already know, I very recently released the Greek Village Handbook for Kindle and paperback format. People have been very generous in taking their time to rate the book highly on Amazon and it has had a great reception so far.

I am planning to have it printed in colour to show the pictures of Greece to their greatest advantage, but if you want to order your paperback copy in the meantime it is available here https://www.createspace.com/6244744

Thanks so much for reading and I hope to chat to some of you tonight!

Sara

Anyone who knows my books won't need me to tell them that my stories are not only set in Greece, but the Greek village I write about could almost be described as a character in it's own right.

And with the summer months upon us I know many of you will be heading for Greece and it's jewel-like islands to indulge in the unique culture, perfect beaches, turquoise seas and incredible food.

Through writing my books I have come to realise how important Greece is as a story setting for many readers (and can I blame you?), so I thought I would compile my own book shelf here on Goodreads for books based in, or inspired by Greece, of which you can have a nose through for yourselves here.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

I have selected eight of these books to recommend to you, which I would most certainly take to the beach to read as the sea lapped at my toes. Some are recent releases, some are well known and some maybe not so known.

It was a difficult choice, I could have taken them all but I somehow don't think over 80 books would fit in my case!

So here goes:

The Magus
by John Fowles
An intriguing story that become a page turner. As reality and illusion intertwine, Urfe is caught up in the darkest of psychological games. John Fowles expertly unfolds a tale that is lush with over-powering imagery in a spellbinding exploration of human complexities. By turns disturbing, thrilling and seductive, one of my favourites.

Falconera
by Alexis Ladas
This is not the sort of thing I usually like. It is about a guerrilla fleet that was based on the Turkish coast in the second world war. They disguised their boats as Greek fishing boats and, during the night, they would attack German war ships. So beautifully written.

Zorba the Greek
by Nikos Kazantzakis
Most people have heard of this and maybe seen the film, but, for me, the book is richer and more evocative of human nature. Definitely worth reading even if you have seen the film.

Eleni
by Nicholas Gage
Quite a hard read at times due to what is being described. But over all this book takes you on a journey in which I found myself completely absorbed.

Captain Corelli's Mandolin
by Louis de Bernieres.
I saw the film, but again the book is so much richer. There are sections in the book that are missed out of the film entirely which I think gives great depth to the main character.

My Family and Other Animals
by Gerald Durrell
A delight. Wonderful storytelling following a family who relocate from a grey damp UK to Corfu. Light, fun, one you can dip in and dip out of.

The Odyssey
by Homer
This one needs no introduction. It reads like it is an adventure but it is more a reflection on the human condition. A timeless classic and of course if you like this The Illiad is a good book too.

Crete – A Notebook
by Richard Clarke
This is such a personal view of a personal journey. If you like history it is packed to the gills. I, however, like the intimate description of the writer as he makes his travels, bobs on boats and drinks Cretan wine. Clark has a gist with words.

Nights of Rain and Stars
by Maeve Binchy
This is a story of one summer when a group of people all have to face the particular life crisis which first made them leave their homes and end up in Greece. I love Maeve Binchy. You cant go wrong with this book. Perfect for the beach.

I hope you've enjoyed this brief nose through my Greece bookshelf. Please do take a look at all the books on there and let me know if there are any you think I should add.

Happy reading!

Sara