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Critters You Don’t Want

Sap sucking, root destroying, leaf nibbling monsters! They are everywhere, and there are easy and environmentally friendly ways of dealing with them.

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Welcome to Mostly-Greek! I’m Dorie, a Greek mom and yiayia (grandma) living the suburban life with my family in the heart of California like it’s a Greek village!

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The great thing about having my own cherry trees is that I have a lot of cherries. The bad thing about having my own cherry trees is that I have a lot of cherry pits. Bleh. Over the years I have figured out a lot of techniques for dealing with much of the produce we harvest to make the most of our efforts. For the longest time, pitting cherries was an exercise in frustration because I would see big chunks of tasty cherry being lost with each pit. I finally figured out a method that allowed me to take out the pit and nothing but the pit. After all, I want to eat those cherries, that's the point of growing them! I have a post on my blog that shows you exactly how I do it so that you can enjoy all your fresh cherries, too! Come on over for a visit to see how!

You know the saying if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself? That's kind of what I did with this tree. I absolutely love classic American cherry pie and Greek vissino. They both have in common this unusual fruit, sour cherry. Like the name suggests, these are tart versions of the more familiar sweet cherries, but the flavor itself is a little different, too. They are not always easy to find at the market, especially fresh, so I decided that the only way to ensure a reasy supply would be to grow my own! 😁 This is easily my lowest maintenance fruit tree in my yard. There are many different varieties of sour cherry trees, some are small like my Morello, and many can grow in a wide range of climates. An added plus are all the pretty flowers each spring that the bees love, and these cherries have a lot of nutritional benefits. I have a post with more growing information, plus recipes for using them, so come on over for a visit!

If you're a fan of cherry pie, or other pastries made with Morello type cherries, then this is the sweet treat for you! This is vissino glyko tou koutaliou (sour cherry spoon sweet), one of the many sweets made in Greece with some type of fruit cooked slowly in a sugar syrup until thick. They are usually served in small amounts on a spoon with a glass of water on the side. It's the perfect amount for a lovely burst of flavor without being overwhelming, and the syrup left on the spoon can be swirled into the water for a hint of flavor. We also use ours on Greek yogurt, ice cream, stirred into iced tea, and even to flavor brandy! The sour cherry has always been my favorite, so much so that I planted my own tree! Thankfully, you can also find them canned or frozen if you don't see them fresh in the market (or have a whole tree to yourself!😁). This is such an easy and delightful treat that you won't want to pass this up! Sour cherry season is right now, so you may be in luck to find them fresh. Come on over, the recipe is waiting for you!

I think the stars have aligned in my universe because it turns out today is International Donut Day, and I just so happen to have everything I need to make these quick and easy "loukamades", the Greek version of donuts. I put the name in quotations because this is a shamefully easy version of this wonderful Greek dessert. Loukamades are traditionally made with a yeasted dough that is fried to a crisp golden brown, then drenched in honey syrup, and sprinkled with cinnamon and chopped walnuts. This version takes a huge shortcut that saves a great deal of time but still gives a delicious end product. Head on over for the recipe so you can enjoy these tasty treats, too!

Each year, I await my cabbage harvest with eager anticipation because cabbage rolls. That's really all that needs to be said, don't you think? And if you have a little bit of patience, you could follow my process for fermented cabbage heads and have the most AMAZING rolls, ever! Even if you don't, this recipe will be sure to please. Here cabbage leaves are rolled around a meat and rice filling flavored with herbs, then topped with a generous amount of tangy avgolemono sauce (Greek lemon and egg sauce). There are so many wonderful flavors all on one plate here, you won't want to pass this recipe up! Come on over for a visit to get it!

Do you ever do things that you later wonder where you thought you were going with that idea? That's where I'm at right now.

I'm a huge fan of leafy greens, but one of the problems with them is that they shrivel down to almost nothing when they are cooked. But that won't be a problem with this pasta recipe! Here, spinach is mixed with tomatoes and a simple array of seasonings to make a great tasting (and very healthy!) pasta sauce for a hearty meal you'll crave any time. It's such a quick meal to prepare, so come on over for the recipe!

If you're ever in Greece and you see people off to the side of the road pulling "weeds" and tossing them into bags, the smart thing to do would be to join them. Chances are good that what they're really doing is harvesting "horta", or greens for eating. What type depends on what's available, but frequently things like dandelion, chicory, amaranth, spinach, or chard are often the most sought after. All are simply prepared and dressed with the ubiquitous mixture of lemon juice and olive oil. A simple meal, but full of flavor and a bounty of nutrients. Now is the time when many of these "weeds" are in abundance and at their best flavor. I have a simple recipe for getting the most out of this rustic dish, so come on over for a visit!

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