Kukla’s Kouzina: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style: Meze

KUKLA’S KOUZINA: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style is the first cookbook series featuring an exclusive collection of never-before-published recipes from Karpathos—the second largest island of the Dodecanese chain, nestled between its more renowned neighbors Crete and Rhodes. From the unspoiled mountain village of Olympos, to the inland farming town of Volada, to the age-old fishing port of Finiki, the island is at the core of these recipes—passed down orally, some thousands of years old—that remain true to their heritage, with an originality that sets them apart from standard Greek cuisine, while teaching children the importance of culture and traditions through food. This is an edible trip worth tasting!

This collection of recipes was inspired by this southern Greek island and perfected by a woman with culinary vision, our mom, Mary, who was called “Kukla” (doll) by all who adored her (and her cooking). Our “kouzina” (kitchen) was where the magic unfolded, and now we share it with you in this cookbook series, starting with MEZE: Appetizers & Petite Plates. If you’re a home cook, from amateur to ambitious, who’s been looking for a Greek cookbook that takes the mystery out of this once-complicated cuisine, join us in our Karpathian kouzina, where history meets perfection.

MEZE features over 20 recipes with stunning full-color photographs that explore the diversity of flavors and culture that have intertwined to form Kukla’s Karpathian cuisine. There are recipes for every event, whether simple or elaborate, with sections on Spreads & Dips, Pastries, and Petite Plates, including: Eggplant-Salad Spread (Melitzanosalata), Mini Cheese Pies with Homemade Dough (Tyropitakia), and Cocktail Meatballs (Keftedakia).

Now step into our kouzina and learn firsthand about what makes our cuisine so different from that in the other corners of Greece, and what makes it so irresistible.

FROM OUR KOUZINA TO YOURS,

Kali orexi! Καλή όρεξη! Good appetite!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR & THE TEAM
Kelly Salonica Staikopoulos is the author of the cookbook series KUKLA’S KOUZINA: A Gourmet Journey~Greek Island Style and the website mistress and blogger for kuklaskouzina.com. Kelly has been a contributing food editor, recipe developer, and writer for fifteen years, working with a number of national publications, including Ladies’ Home Journal, Working Mother, Reader’s Digest, and Woman’s World, and a radio personality reporting on food trends for WHAN in Richmond, Virginia.

Joanne Staikopoulos Marzella, assisted by her daughter, Jackie, develops and tests recipes together with her sister Kelly, and is the business manager for this project. Kelly, Joanne, and Jackie cohost Kukla’s Kouzina’s YouTube cooking channel.