food, and more

A few days ago I posted something on facebook that alluded to the fabulous-ness of the food here: the cheese, the fruit, the donuts. If you like cheese, then the deli counter at any mid- to large-sized supermarket (in Greece or Italy) is pretty much the best place on earth; even though Alana is the most fanatical about cheese in our family, Hendrik enjoyed checking out the goods (and sampling) at the Carrefour on Monday:

just a few types of cheese on offer | feta, in barrels | feta, in barrels!

I think I bought six different cheeses? One of which is my new favourite Greek cheese, Manouri. The feta, I love - and it'll be something we always have in our fridge here (avec tomatoes and cucumber and olive oil? the best!), but having Manouri all the time would sort of be like having a freshly made cake ready to slice and eat (or just eat) on the counter at all times (self-control = nil). So, once this chunk that I purchased is gone, I won't buy any... right away. I will definitely look for it at home in Canada - it's a cheese to remember for me.

The fruit (and vegetables) are fresh. And good. I suppose we arrived at just the right time; winter, chez nous, is not the season for fresh, local produce, so the sight of market tables overflowing with greens and real food..... was (and is) perfection. The market just outside our place was this morning, and I actually kept track of what I spent (just because); here's a collage:

Nik suggested a small, unassuming bakery down the street (aren't those almost always the best?) for bougatsa, and we ventured there as a family yesterday... and then again today. Yesterday we bought three different phyllo-stuffed pieces of heaven, two stuffed with cheese, one with beef and tomato (lunch pig-outsa). And then today... bougatsa! I didn't need to buy an entire piece.... but I did. Next time I'll just make do (!) with half a piece (the picture shows an eighth of an entire piece, a big enough serving). I might have to put my homemade bougatsa project on hold (I bought ingredients to try making it at home), to recover from two days of pastry bliss. The people at the bakery were so kind - cooing at the kids and offering a bag of fresh eggs (from their own chickens, of course); there's no doubt we'll be back.

Okay, and now to the donuts. SO! If you know me, you know I like donuts - but good donuts.... not the variety that leaves a film on the roof of your mouth so easily obtained at Timmy HoHos. So when I saw a shop called "Mamma's Donuts", you know I had to try 'em out; but here's the problem: every time I'm in the neighborhood (the shop is a 10 minute walk from here, along cobbled patched-together sidewalks along a fairly busy street), it's closed! Until... until a few days ago, and I couldn't resist buying a few. They were good good good. And so was the donut we ate after our trip to Carrefour. The moral? Fresh is best; all donuts sampled were still warm, and made from scratch (I'm sure) the same day. Yum. Yum. Yum.

The things I left off my original I LOVE FOOD facebook post include the phyllo goods, the wine, the Tentoura (see here), the souvlaki, and the restaurant food.....

We met a Czech woman at the park last week and have gotten together with her and her husband and two kids a few times, and this equals fun for all. We usually rendez-vous at a park, and on Thursday went out for lunch with them; the kids, even with the language barrier, played and had fun together (yay!). Hopefully we'll get together with them tomorrow, and then again this week.

Hendrik and Sarah (and Alana) - blondies!

A family update post is coming, so I'll leave you with a few photos - no more blahblahblah. However, I do have one last thing I must say before I forget. This afternoon we went for a walk (me and the kids - Steve is away, returning tonight), and on our way to a new playground just down the street from our place, we spotted a mid-sized, yard/orchard with sheep, little lambies and chickens all wandering around. After a few comments about the sounds and sizes of the creatures, Hendrik said, "I wish I were a sheep." Me: (!!!!) "Why?" "Because I'd like to do that." And he points at three teeny tiny lamb babes all cuddled up together on a patch of scruffy grass. So I told him that he could cuddle up on grass any time, by himself or with me or Alana, and I'm glad he didn't take me up on the offer right away, since the grass we were standing in looked, well, frequented by animals. It was funny, and cute. Kids say the darndest things, right?

top: yesterday, at the beach, fleurs!, with her new hat, pile-on-mommy
bottom: just outside our place, flowers on the lawn, a dinosaur house, pile-on-mommy :)