Adventurous Spirit 11

Adventurous Spirit 11

Ari, Maria and Essie arrived at the rental next door to Nick early the next day to meet the movers.

The stove was in place and the new refrigerator was brought up the lift. The movers placed the old refrigerator in the smallest room Essie was calling the office.

Ari gave Essie a small ladies hankie bundled inside was a refrigerator magnet tied with a slim red ribbon.

“ This is from Sissie and I. It is out house warming gift to you. The hankie was our Mamas. Red ribbon Maria's. I bought the little gift from a little ninety year old vendor at the produce market last week.”

Maria said “Hurry up and open it.”

Inside was a refrigerator magnet saying”

There is food for everyone on this planet, but not everyone eats" - Carlo Petrini

Oh, Maria, Ari, it is perfect. I will place it right at eye level. She hugged them both. Ari took off to see Nick leaving the two ladies alone.

Oh, Maria, I am so happy the stove is a gas one.

Yes and Essie you asked me how to make proper Greek coffee. There is really no main set and tried recipe. All you need is a large wide rim heavy brass briki along with dark Turkish coffee and sugar.

Mama taught me that it is brewed about three to five minutes then another to let rest in the cups. The large pot makes two cups at a time if one wishes.

I stir the coffee as I drink it so I do not get so much sludge in the bottom. I know people look at me strangely because of the stirring but I can not stand to waste coffee or any foods or drink.

To make “Ellinikos Kafes” start with the right equipment. To prepare Greek coffee your briki and Greek coffee cups

to create the right amount of foam or“kaimaki” , which is a very important part of the process.

First of all make sure to use cold water. Use the coffee cup to measure the water needed for each cup of coffee, so that you have the right proportions. Also make sure that the heat is medium to low.

Do not to stir the coffee all the time, while it is roasting in the pot over the fire. Stir it only at the beginning and then let it heat through. Give a little bit more love and attention to create the right creamy foam on top to give characteristic texture.

It i is served with the coffee granules at the bottom of the cup, so give it a little time to rest after serving. And remember to serve with a cold glass of water and to sip slowly while enjoying it’s full aromas and blends!

The four main types are:

“Sketos” (plain, no sugar): If you like your coffee without sugar, then add only 1 heap tsp of coffee.

“Metrios” (medium sweetness) : 1 heap tsp coffee, 1 tsp sugar

“Glykos” (sweet) : 1 heap tsp coffee, 2 tsps of sugar

“Vary glykos” (extra-strong sweet coffee) : 3 teaspoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of coffee

"As you see I took a few notes. I'm sure I will figure it out as I go each day. Thank you for the lesson Maria"

The two ladies had just finished their coffee when Nick and Ari came up the stairs saying they were off to Archanghelos to see a man about a traditional wood oven.

“Sophia mentioned that Rasmussen has a birthday coming soon and now they will have a real home for the three of them she wished she could surprise him with an outdoor wood oven to make bread.

We will see if a craftsman will come build one for us as a housewarming gift for the three of them. Do you two want to come? It is a lovely ride and Essie has not seen this part of Greece.”

Essie went off to her soon to be her room and collected her hat, a small backpack to carry her phone,money and id. She put on a skirt and long sleeve blouse with a scarf around her neck came back saying she was ready to go.

“That was fast but why the skirt? You always seem to favor light weight clothes like those closed shorts you call skorts, heavy blue jeans or lightweight items you call capris. You know the easy to wash by hand ladies pants.” came from Maria.

“Ari said it was a place where time sort of stood still to traditional. I did not wish to offend the ladies of the village.

All my dresses are not arm covering or are sleeveless sun dresses. Do you think I have on too many clothes?”

“You look fine. Come on lets get in the

back seat where the women folk sit” said Maria rolling her eyes.

Nick and Ari looked at each other with grins not saying a word.

© Julia A Knaake