Ivy Liacopoulou

Ivy Liacopoulou grew up in Limassol, Cyprus, a beautiful island in the eastern Mediterranean, where her passion for cooking began as a child, helping her mother in the kitchen. Ivy belongs to a new generation of home cooks who loves to experiment and create new recipes of her own. She is the author of two cookbooks and she owns and manages Cooking Classes, in Nafplio, Peloponnese.

Glystarkes or glistarkes or gyristarkes, from the Greek verb γυρίζω = turn, is a kind of Cypriot grid-like crusty, sesame rusk.

Summer Vacation Parti V : Mystras’ Panigyri and Parori Mystras or Myzithras (Greek: Μυστράς, Μυζηθράς) meaning cheese-maker probably because they made the Greek cheese myzithra there.Mystras, which is situated on a steep foothill on the northern slopes of Mount Taygetus, 6 kilometres northwest of Sparta, was a fortified town in the medieval Peloponnese. In the …

Summer Escapes – Part IV – Kladas, Laconias Kladas is a small village just a few kilometres before reaching Sparta and that is where we usually stay when we visit our relatives. This is the view of the village from the house and the last buildings near the mountain, is part of Sparta. This is …

A zebra cake is a type of layered cake with a distinctive striped pattern, similar to the black-and-white stripes of a zebra.

Mint Pesto is a twist to the classic Italian sauce which is made with basil, olive oil, garlic, pine nuts and parmesan. There are many kinds of pestos using different herbs, cheeses and nuts but my favourite is the one I have made with mint and of course almonds and halloumi which are used in Cyprus to suit the tastes and flavours of my country.

Kariokes is a Greek dessert made with sponge cake, chocolate and lots of walnuts (karydia in Greek) from which it takes its name.

Greece is well known for its wonderful cheeses. I think a Greek blog would be incomplete without introducing you to some of the most popular Greek and Cypriot cheeses.

Kokoras Bardouniotikos is a stewed rooster recipe from Lakonia. In the classic recipe there are no potatoes in it but is served with pasta, such as hilopites. The meat and onions are browned in olive oil before stewing and then it is simmered until cooked. In the end a lot of sphella cheese (a spicy, hard feta) and some kalamata olives are added and the combination of cloves and cinnamon is what gives this dish its unique Greek flavor.

Ntomatokeftedes are tomato patties or fritters, served mostly in most of the Greek islands, especially in the Aegean. These are served as appetizers but they can also be served as a main dish with a salad.

Summer is officially over, although we still have temperatures above 30 degrees C. Our last trip was wonderful. We went to Sparta on Friday. On Saturday we went to Elafonissos snd from there to Monemvassia. On Sunday we went to my husband’s village, Isioma, Karyon, Megalopolis, in Arcadia through a lovely route on Taygettus mountain. …