A Few Small Nips

"My sweetie doesn't love me anymore because he gave himself to another bastard, but today I snatched him away, his hour has come"

Reading the fire

Have u ever been lost for hours looking at a fireplace; Feeling the sweet warmth of the heat embracing you; Thousand of abstract fire images taking shape every second. Maybe they are messages for us or just abstract images.These 2 photos are from a fireplace that I've been watching for hours. I'd like to hear your point of view about what anyone can see in there, using your own unique imagination.

Trip to Amorgos

Ksimeroma sto limani tis Amorgou. Ekdromi sta koufonisia. Oi mirodies, ta sinaisthimata kai ta xrwmata einai akoma poli entona. Mipos twra arxizei to taxidi;...

Hello!! I grew up and I sleep all day (when I'm not chewing things)

New Family Member

Let me itroduce to Tommy. He's 2 months old, abandoned in the streets of Athens. Recently adopted by the B. family. Isn't he cute; More pics to follow!

DEATH LIST

Not a long time ago, I started learning kung fu and Tai Chi. I instantly, felt so close to this culture of martial arts and Eastern philosophy, and loved it. Inspired by one of my favorite movies, (Kill Bill) I’d like to put this question to you all. Would u ever make a Death List, as Black Mamba did and what would be the reason for your revenge; U can also say how many names were in your death list.

M for Love

And so it is
Just like you said it would be
Life goes easy on me
Most of the time
And so it is
The shorter story
No love, no glory
No hero in her sky

I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes...

And so it is
Just like you said it should be
We'll both forget the breeze
Most of the time
And so it is
The colder water
The blower's daughter
The pupil in denial

I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes...

Did I say that I loathe you?
Did I say that I want to
Leave it all behind?

I can't take my mind off of you
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind off of you
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind...
My mind... my mind...
'Til I find somebody new

Tears to Shed

If I touch a burning candle I can feel no pain
If you cut me with a knife it's still the same
And I know his heart is beating
And I know that I am dead
Yet the pain here that I feel
Try and tell me it's not real
For it seems that I still have a tear to shed
If I touch a burning candle I can feel no pain
In the ice or in the sun it's all the same
Yet I feel my heart is aching
Though it doesn't beat it's breaking
And the pain here that I feel
Try and tell me it's not real
I know that I am dead
Yet it seems that I still have some tears to shed

Salmon balls wraped in aromatic rice

You need a steamer and a mincemeat machine to make this recipe but if u don’t I’ll tell u a couple of tricks to improvise.
First of all let’s start from the sauce which is the easy part and needs to be done first in order to cool during the time u prepare the balls.
You will need
• A big onion
• 2 green peppers,
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3 pieces of ginger
• 1 full spoon of cardamom pods
• 500 gr. Sugar
• ¾ of a vinegar bottle
• a Hoisin vase sauce

You need to chop all the vegetables in big pieces (after you have washed them of course!). Put some oil in a medium saucepan and when it’s hot add the vegetables. Let them sauté until they start to caramelize and then put the sugar and start stirring them. As soon as the sugar starts to caramelize stir in the vinegar and the hoisin sauce. Add also a cup of water and turn the fire in medium. Let it boil for a bout 15min until it reduces in ¾. Pass it through a sieve. Keep the sauce and discard the vegetables. Let it cool. Taste for seasoning if you need.

Now the tough part. You need:
• 3 bog potatoes
• 4 salmon fillets
• 2 spoons green curry
• Salt / pepper
• Basmati rice
• 1 or 2 egg whites

Peel and wash the potatoes. Cut them in big chunks and put them in a pot with cold water. Put the pot on hot fire and let them boil. If u have a mincemeat machine u put the fillets through it. If you don’t then use a sharp knife and start chopping the fillets like making tartar until u have a nice mince of salmon fillets. As soon as the potatoes boil take them off the hot liquid and pout them in the oven for 5 min until they start to dry. Take them out and use a mashing mill make the potatoes a mash. Otherwise use a fork to mash them or a blender. Let the potato mash cool and when it does mix in the salmon mash, green curry, egg white, salt and pepper. Use your hands to knead this mixture until all ingredients incorporate. (Advice: you must use your hand rapidly otherwise your temperature will start cooking the eggs. If u can’t, use a wooden spoon). Put the mixture in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Now wash the rice (about a cup) until the water comes through it clear. Boil some water and put the rice in it. Let is stand (not boil) for about 10 min. Strain it and let it cool a bit. Now, u have to keep your hands wet using a bowl with water in order to form nice balls with the potato-salmon mixture. They should be the size of a golf ball. When u have used all your mixture and you have enough balls, start rolling them on the rice. It will stick on the balls and cover them.
Now u need to have a steamer to steam the balls for 20-30 min. If u don’t use a big pot with water. Boil the water and put over the pot a grill or a flat sieve. Put the balls on it and cover them with a large basin. Well this is an improvisation for a steamer, which it may not work as effectively as the steamer.
Once the balls are cooked, they’re going to look like sea urchins due to the rice. Put spots of the sauce on the plate and the balls on the spots. Yummy.

;-)

Κάθε ταξίδι είναι γεμάτο εμπειρίες. Καλές ή κακές αυτό θα το κρίνει η πορεία. Αυτό ακριβώς έρχεται να μας διδάξει ο κύριος στη φωτογραφία. Ο Kevin, γνωστός στους δρόμους του Λονδίνου σαν Woody, είναι άστεγος εδώ και 5 χρόνια, χρήστης ναρκωτικών όπως δηλώνει ο ίδιος με απόλυτη ειλικρίνεια και αυτογνωσία. Αποφυλακισμένος εδώ και λίγο καιρό, επέστρεψε στο σπίτι που τον φιλοξενεί τα τελευταία χρόνια. Οι κρύοι, βρώμικοι και απάνθρωποι δρόμοι είναι το κρεβάτι του, το μπάνιο και η κουζίνα του. Μια ζωή χωρίς διεύθυνση και παραλήπτη.
Με απόλυτη φυσικότητα και ειλικρίνεια ξετυλίγει κομμάτια της ζωής του μπροστά στην Kατερίνα και εμένα. Δεν έχει κάνει ποτέ κακό σε συνάνθρωπο του. Δεν έχει ληστέψει ποτέ καμιά γριά στο δρόμο ή τον καλύτερο του φίλο για τη πρέζα. Κανένα πολυκατάστημα ξαφρίζει για να καταφέρει να πιέι ένα μπουκάλι καθαρό νερό και να ξεγελάσει τη πείνα του. Είναι ντροπή λέει που σας κλέψαμε τα μάρμαρα του Παρθενώνα και εξομολογείται οτι η καλύτερη του φίλη είναι Ελληνίδα. Και ενώ εμείς καπνίζουμε σα φουγάρα μπροστά του, ο ίδιος, αν και καπνιστής, δε ζητάει τσιγάρο παρά ανάβει ένα όταν η Κατερίνα του προσφέρει.Μας κάνει τρομερή εντύπωση η ευγένεια και η ανωτερότητα αυτού του άγνωστού που εδώ και ένα τέταρτο μας έχει κάνει να χαλαρώσουμε και να συζητάμε μαζί του λες και έχουμε βρεθεί με το καλύτερο μας φίλο στη μέση του δρόμου. Αφού του ζητήσω να ποζάρει για μιά αναμηστική φωτογραφία χαιρετιόμαστε (χωρίς χειραψία γιατί φοβάται ότι λόγω μίας πληγής στο χέρι του μπορεί να μας κολλήσει τίποτα) και μας λέει ότι αν είμαστε ποτέ στη περιοχή να ψάξουμε να τον βρούμε. Λίγα λεπτά αργότερα, αφού βγαίνουμε απο ένα κατάστημα, ο W έχει γυρίσει στο κόσμο του και ψάχνει ανάμεσα στα σκουπίδια για κάτι που μπορεί να τρώγεται ή να του είναι χρήσιμο.
Βλέποντας αυτούς τους ανθρώπους δημιουργείται πολλές φορές η εντύπωση ότι υπήρχανε πάντα έτσι. Μία κατάσταση που απλά υπήρχε. Προσπάθησα να φανταστώ τι ιστορίες μπορεί να κρύβει ένας τέτοιος άνθρωπος, τι τον έκανε χαρούμενο όταν ήταν παιδί, πως ένοιωθε όταν τον αγκάλιαζε η μητέρα του, πότε έκλαψε πρώτη φορά, τι τον έφερε σε αυτό το σημείο.
Η συνάντηση μας ήταν ένα απο τα πιο δυνατά γεγονότα αυτού του ταξιδιού. Είναι στη σκέψη μου συνέχεια. Η αύρα αυτού του ανθρώπου. Αν λοιπόν περάσετε ποτέ απο το Soho, ζητήστε τον Woody. Σίγουρα θα έχει κάτι ενδιαφέρον να σας πει.

BILLY

Speaking of Billy in my previous post, I'd like to introduce him to u. He's a bit sick this period but he'll get over it. Isn't he gorgeous;!

Love Dogs. Hate Cats.

I always had a preference to dogs, and we always had a dog at home. But once, my dad dared to bring a cat. She was vanished 2 months ago. We never learned anything about her but I wasn't reasponsible for her loss. Really. She just disappeared. So, now, back home I don't have a dog anymore but my friend Alex has a really cute one, Billy. I'd like to have one but my parents don't want any living creatures among them, apart form their children hopefully. So as soon as I move I'd like to get my own puppy. And train him to get the cats :)

The Butterfly effect

A butterfly came yesterday to my balcony and it brought me many happy thoughts. First of all, spring is coming, Easter time and thn summer. My favorite seasons. I like Easter because everything in the air shouts that nature is blooming but at the same time there is a strange and sweet melancholy everywhere. And I was thinking, I always wanted to live in nature. I hate big cities, the noise, polution. I'm not a real city boy. I'd like to live on an island, enjoying walks to the sea or to a forest, cooking with natural products from my garden (or someone else's garden!), fishing and hunting. On the other hand, living this way by myself would be very lonely. I couldn't have beared to do that by myself. And I don't believe that many people think my way. Nobody would like to stay in a small village or in an island for a long time. I'm not against evolution and technology. I'd have my mac, my TV my dvd and the internet even to the smallest island. But the moment u turn off TV and u go out to the beach for a walk is magic. I wish someday I could live my dream with good company. But, isn't it strange that a tiny creature like a butterfly caused me all these thoughts in an instant? I don't know why I wrote about this. But lately I had lack of inspiration so Dr.M told me I should write everything I think. Even the silliest of my ideas. So here we are.

Cook Your Way (Breaking up)

Imagine that u broke up some days ago. You're feeling awful. You have eaten every bar of chocolate you found in the fridge, or whatever seemed to be a chocolate bar! You run out off candy and want something fast to get over your depression. Here's a fast, easy and delicious recipe for a full carb dessert. Recovers hope in you. Try it.

CONDENSED MILK AND COCONUT BALLS

-1 tin of condensed milk
-2 bags of trimmed coconut

Put the milk in a bowl and mix all the coconut in. Using a wooden spoon, mix everything up until u have a thick paste. You can add some more coconut if the mixture isn't thick enough. Now, roll small balls, using your hands. Put them in the fridge and it's ready.

SPECIAL VARIATION FOR ANTHONY

Make a chocolate ganache. Bring to boil 250 gr. heavy cream. Chop 230gr. bittersweet chocolate in a large bowl and mix the cream in. Stir until chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Add small bits of butter (60gr) in 2 additions. When the butter is fully incorporated, the ganache should be smooth and glossy. Now put one by one, the balls, into the ganache and using a spoon let them be covered. Put them in a plate using a piece of waxpaper and refrigerate them until chocolate is firm. Now u have coconut and chocolate balls.

Cook Your Way (Defense Against the Vampires)

We use garlic very often. It gets boring pealing and choping garlics all the time. There is a better way of having fresh garlic all the time in your fridge and using it in cooking, making mayonnaise, bruschettes, in sauces and in so many more things. We'll make a sweet garlic mash. It's great for people that garlic causes stomach aches. This mash has all the garlic aromas and no side effects. It can also be use for Vampires. Just rub it on you.

-2 garlic heads
-30gr butter
-50gr. olive oil
-salt and pepper

We peel and boil the garlics. We boil them 3 times. Each time for 2'. Every time we boil the garlic cloves we change the water. We keep a small amound of the last water we boiled the cloves. We blend the cloves along with the butter, water and salt, till we have a mash. Then we add the olive oil in a steady row. Ready!

Cook your way

Hello my friends. I’m going to inaugurate this new column for everyone of my friends leaving alone, away from their families. For everyone that hasn’t a skill in cooking. Here you will find many easy and delicious recipes for every occasion. Starting from today, I will give a recipe for lamb chops. Because today in Greece is “Tsiknopempti” so everyone eats meat. Hope you enjoy and support this idea. Lets start.

LAMB CHOPS WITH HONEY AND ROSEMARY MARINADE

- 1.5kg lamb chops
FOR THE MARINADE:
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon salt
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 200gr. honey
- 2 springs rosemary

Wash the rosemary springs and cut the leaves. Pill the garlic cloves and crush them with some salt in a pestle and mortar. Now mix everything up, except of the oil, and you will have a paste (the oil can prevent the acidity of the lemon juice or vinegar from penetrating the meat). Rub the marinade all over the lamb. Then pour the oil and leave to marinade for a minimum of 1 hour, turning occasionally, or in the fridge overnight so the flavours really get into the meat. When u are ready to cook, season the lamb well. Place under a hot grill, or a smoking pan or barbecue, for about 5-8 minutes, either side for pink, turning once or twice. Romove it and leave it to stand for a minute or two before serving.
As for the garniture, u can have a salad or rice or potatoes. But I will give u a garniture recipe in our next "Cook your way". Till then, Enjoy!

Στο παρα 5'

Κατερίνα μήπως είδες τα επεισόδια που σου δωσα? Έχω "κολλήσει" με τη σειρά και περιμένω πως και πως κάθε δευτέρα το νέο επεισόδιο. Πολύ έξυπνο σενάριο!
Ερώτηση προς τους fun της σειράς :
Έχετε σκεφτεί ποτέ ότι η Αμαλία μπορεί και να είναι ένας καλός άγγελος που τους βοηθάει?
Μήπως ήταν και αυτή στο αεροπλάνο? (κάνει αναφορά για ένα ταξίδι που έκανε κάποτε και της άλλαξε τη ζωή) Και ήρθε τώρα για να τους βοηθήσει να αποδωθεί θεία δίκη?
Λέτε να υπάρχει μεταφυσική ανατροπή στη πορεία?
Αναμένουμε με αγωνία. Περιμένω τα σχόλια σας πάνω σε αυτή τη σκέψη.

LORD OF THE EARING

It is the time for alternative reactions. I never thought in my life, till now, that I would like to have a piercing. Lately, though, this idea is coming again again. So, on Friday morning, while I was going to the airport to pick up my friend Katerina, coming from the UK, I decided that I want to have my ear pierced. It was time. She also motivated me so we went straight back to the center of Athens, at Plaka, where we found out there was a good piercing and tattoo place. I was a bit anxious but Katerina was trying to relax me. So did the piercing boy! He was very gentle and I didn't fell any pain when he made the piercing. But as soon as I got up from the chair, I started feeling dizzy and I almost fainted. It was a bit of a shock. Some minutes later we were off that place, trying to get used to this new, small thing I was carrying with me on my ear. We went to Monastiraki for coffee and lunch. We were lucky because it was a sunny day in Athens, and that means that Monastiraki is the ideal place for coffee. We enjoyed our time there, having fun and planning our weekend, and not only! Our next bog thing is to get a tattoo. Both of us. And that is a promise Katerina!

Virgin Blog

Hello everyone. Let me introduce myself to u guys. My name is Constantinos and I come from Greece. I'm 29yo, born on the 8th December 1976. It's my first time creating a blog, ( pls excuse me for any possible mistakes, first time in the blogging business) thanks to my friend's, Katerina, incentive. So that's from where the title comes, inspired by the well known coctail. I hope that u'll always have a good time visiting my blog and hope it'll be leaving u with a nice taste of a fresh and cool cocktail. Sour and sweet. Enjoy...