Tomatoes simmer with onion, fresh garlic, white wine, and herbs. Feta is stirred in at the end until incorporated into the sauce, before adding the pasta.The Story Behind the RecipeThis started on one of those days when I wanted to cook with whatever was in the fridge. Tomato and feta made sense together in my head, so I tried them, and the result surprised me even more than I expected. What was meant to be a quick, one time meal becam…

Vanilla Breeze is my own cocktail made with rum, lime, simple syrup and syrup from Greek vanilla plums, the fruit. Greek mastiha liqueur can replace the simple syrup.The story behind the recipeI love cocktails, but I never used to order them when going out because they felt too expensive. Since discovering how easily and inexpensively they can be made at home, I have kept trying different combinations. After experimenting with differen…

This Dirty Martini uses vodka, dry vermouth and olive brine. Shake it with ice and strain into a chilled glass, garnished with olives.The story behind the recipeI love cocktails, but I never used to order them when going out because they felt too expensive. Since discovering how easily and inexpensively they can be made at home, I have kept trying different combinations. I wanted to try the Dirty Martini because it seemed unusual. Its …

A Whiskey Highball is built directly in a tall glass with whiskey, ice and soda. In the video, I also give ginger beer as an alternative.The story behind the recipeI love cocktails, but I never used to order them when going out because they felt too expensive. Since discovering how easily and inexpensively they can be made at home, I have kept trying different combinations. The Highball pleasantly surprised me. Such simple ingredients …

A Whiskey Smash starts with muddled lemon, followed by mint, syrup and whiskey. Shaking with ice brings the flavours together before serving.The story behind the recipeI love cocktails, but I never used to order them when going out because they felt too expensive. Since discovering how easily and inexpensively they can be made at home, I have kept trying different combinations. What I enjoyed in the Whiskey Smash was its strong aroma a…

A Whiskey Sour combines whiskey, lemon and simple syrup with egg white for a creamier texture. A squeeze of lemon peel over the finished drink adds a final citrus aroma.The story behind the recipeI love cocktails, but I never used to order them when going out because they felt too expensive. Since discovering how easily and inexpensively they can be made at home, I have kept trying different combinations. The Whiskey Sour is one of my …

A Daiquiri uses rum, fresh lime juice and simple syrup. Shake it with ice and strain into a chilled glass.The story behind the recipeI love cocktails, but I never used to order them when going out because they felt too expensive. Since discovering how easily and inexpensively they can be made at home, I have kept trying different combinations. The Daiquiri is one of my favourite cocktails. I love how so few ingredients create pronounce…

A Mojito combines white rum, fresh lime juice, simple syrup and mint. Crushed ice and soda give it a refreshing finish.The story behind the recipeI love cocktails, but I never used to order them when going out because they felt too expensive. Since discovering how easily and inexpensively they can be made at home, I have kept trying different combinations. What I especially enjoy in a Mojito is the mint aroma and bright lime flavour. I…

Simple syrup dissolves sugar in advance so it mixes easily into cold drinks. The basic ratio uses equal volumes of sugar and water.The story behind the recipeSince I started making cocktails at home, simple syrup has become a useful base for my experiments. I prefer the 1:1 ratio and keep the syrup refrigerated for future drinks.

Butterflied anchovies are layered with salt and just covered with lemon juice and a little vinegar. The liquid quantities depend on the amount of fish and the shape of the container.The story behind the recipeThis is marinated anchovy exactly as my father makes it. I prefer lemon to lead the flavour, with vinegar complementing it. You can also try mostly vinegar with a little lemon, or equal amounts of the two.

Curry udon pairs noodles with a thick Japanese curry soup. Here I use pork neck and homemade curry roux, adding it gradually until the soup reaches the consistency I enjoy.The story behind the recipeI love Japanese curry, just as I do in curry rice. The idea here is similar, but the result is more like a thick soup served with udon noodles. The homemade curry base has its own separate recipe.

Homemade Japanese curry starts with a blend of ground spices. Combine part of the blend with butter and flour to make a curry roux that adds flavour and body to your dish.The story behind the recipeI love Japanese curry, and here I make the base myself instead of using ready made roux. It follows the same idea as curry rice and also works in curry udon or curry ramen. Ordinary commercial curry powder is intentionally included as one of…