The foods of the Greek islands : cooking and culture at the crossroads of the Mediterranean, including some recipes from New York's acclaimed Molyvos Restaurant, owners, the Livanos family, executive chef, Jim Botsacos / Aglaia Kremezi ; photographs by Aglaia Kremezi.

Stretching from the shores of Turkey to the Ionian Sea east of Italy, the Greek islands have been the crossroads of the Mediterranean since the time of Homer and boast some of the most intriguing food in the world. Simple but never plain, the cooking of the islands relies on flavorful ingredients rather than complicated techniques, making extensive use of seasonal vegetables, fresh herbs, grains and beans, olives and olive oil, cheeses and fish. Inflected with subtle Italian and Eastern accents, the cuisine is at once straightforward and sophisticated. This is the first extensively researched cookbook in English to record the cooking of the Greek islands. Aglaia Kremezi has spent the past eight years collecting recipes from island women, fishermen and bakers and adapting them for American kitchens. Passed from generation to generation by word of mouth, most of the recipes had never before been written down.
These are fresh, approachable dishes for everyday cooking and special occasions:
* Blue Cheese and Tomato Spread
* Spaghetti with Lobster
* Meatballs with Rice and Herbs in Lemon Broth
* Roast Leg of Lamb with Potatoes
* Baked Chicken with Orzo
* Penne with Olive Oil, Onions and Spices
* Baked Mixed Vegetables with Fennel
* Lemon Cusard in Phyllo Pastry.