Orexi!
Feasting
at the Modern Greek Table
by
Theo Michaels
Photography
by Mowie Kay
Published
by Ryland Peters & Small
£16.99
/ $19.95
Genre:
Cookbook
In
this enticing collection of more than 80 recipes inspired by the
flavours of Greece and Cyprus, MasterChef UK’s Theo Michaels pays
homage to his family heritage, championing traditional dishes and
sharing his own modern cooking.
Presenting
a feast for the eyes as well as the tastebuds, his fresh and
delicious food is organized into chapters entitled Meze, Sea, Land,
Sun, Fire and Sundowners, evoking the Greek way of life.
You
too can eat like a Greek by celebrating simplicity, seasonality,
abundance, healthy balance and most importantly, the joy of sociable
eating.
Beautiful
food sings from these pages: from juicy watermelon, glossy kalamata
olives, to fragrant oregano-roasted meats and delicate fish wrapped
in vine leaves. Choose a selection of mouth-watering dips and sharing
plates to create a Cypriot-style meze; enjoy the freshest fish and
seafood, perfectly grilled or fried and served with nothing more than
a dusting of salt flakes and a squeeze of lemon juice to season; cook
tender yogurt-marinated lamb on skewers over charcoal and wrap it in
fluffy homemade pita to experience souvlaki at home; or whip up
vibrant vegetable and pulse dishes, from cracked wheat pourgouri to
slow-cooked fasolia beans. Finally, make rich Greek desserts the
sweet note to end your meal; serve just enough syrup-drenched baklava
with a bitter black coffee to satisfy that craving or unwind with an
Ouzo Sour or Brandy Sunburn Cocktail.
Let me start of by saying I started drooling on the cover and did not stop until I was through this book. The photos of the dishes in this book could make anyone drool. I love Greek food. There is a restaurant in St. Augustine Florida I love to visit they have authentic Greek food and it is to die for. With this book I won't have to drive an hour and a half to get it, I can just walk to my kitchen.
There are tons of recipes in this book. Some even have variations. The Tempura Vegetables are one of my favorite. The Prawns baked in feta and tomato sauce are to die for I know because I made them last night for dinner.
If you love Greek food or even if you have never had any grab this book. The pictures alone will make you fall in love with Greek food.
The recipes are not extremely complex so anyone should be able to make these. Most of the ingredients can be found at local grocery stores as well.
Since I cannot get Theo to come cook for me I am going to do the next best thing and cook according to him. He has done a absolutely fabulous job bringing me the recipes for foods I love and also for introducing me to some I knew nothing about. 
Theo
was born in London and comes from a large Greek Cypriot family. Theo
lived in America for five years, has eaten his way around the world
with a backpack and now lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and
three children.
After
reaching the heats of the semi-finals on Masterchef 2014 Theo
resigned from his position as a Board Member of a PLC to follow his
passion for ‘food’.
Theo
started by hosting his own sell-out pop up restaurant in
Hertfordshire cooking an 8-course taster menu championing modern
Greek cuisine inspired by his family.
When people
couldn’t get a table at Theo’s pop-up restaurant (the waiting
list still remains at over 700) he worked as a private chef creating
exclusive dinner parties for private clients, eventually receiving
recognition in The Financial Times and Telegraph. Theo’s
private dining and popup restaurant won the regional ‘Best
Lifestyle Service’ award – you can find out more about his
private dining service and read reviews here).
Theo is now the full time Executive Chef for Elsewhere Events
creating imaginative dining experiences for Elsewhere’s venues and
popup events around the world. In
Theo’s spare time he has been a guest chef for the Sheraton Grande
in Bangkok, a regular judge for the annual Quality Food Awards and is
frequently in the press and other media including The Food Network,
BBC Radio and usually has one or two other projects up his sleeve.
Theo
Michaels is known for cooking ‘elegant village food’ inspired by
the flavours of Cyprus and his travels but also for creating
innovative family friendly food that satisfies the reality of modern
life.
Theo
has appeared on BBC Breakfast News, Sky TV, The Food Network, is a
regular on BBC 3CR Weekend Kitchen show and is a regular guest chef
on ITV’s This Morning. He is called upon by the national press for
comment and interview on private dining, food and drink trends and
for recipe inspiration. He’s also regularly spotted cooking at food
festivals. Theo’s inspiration for food varies from his roots, his
travels to cooking for his family and his love of anything cooked
over charcoal.
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