Grecian urge: real Greek cooking

The sticky, honey-soaked pastries generally thought of as Greek desserts have a strong Middle-Eastern influence and are actually more often served as ‘anytime’ snacks with coffee. At The Real Greek Kyriakou serves up some inventive takes on the traditional Greek sweet tooth: warm filo pastries are stuffed with soft bitter chocolate and served with pistachio crème anglaise; mangoes are poached with lime and served with pan-fried kefalotiri and black pepper or mature feta; and Greek ricotta is served with preserved sweet green pistachios; all of which go perfectly with Greek honeyed muscat wines.

Recipes from Real Greek Food by Theodore Kyriakou

• Purée of Aubergines
• Chicken Thighs braised in Walnut Sauce
• Salad of Green Peppers and Peaches

• The Real Greek, 15 Hoxton Market, London N1 6HG. Tel: 020 7739 8212. www.therealgreek.co.uk
• Real Greek Food published by Pavilion, £25.00
• For a wide range of genuine Greek foods by mail order (gigandes beans, rice, olives, olive oil, thyme honey, roasted red peppers, preserved vine leaves), contact Odysea, tel: 020 7251 0404 (they supply The Real Greek with much of their produce).
• The Greek Connection has a stall in Borough Market each Friday and Saturday, selling authentic olive oil, olives, good cheeses including a fabulous Cretan Graviera, jars of roasted vegetables, ready-prepared purées, salouka sauce and pastries. Tel: 020 8694 8067.
• Harvey Nichols Foodmarket, Knightsbridge, London SW3, has a good choice of Greek products. Tel: 020 7235 5000.

Stop Press there will be A Taste of Greece event at Cantina Vinopolis (No.1 Bank End, London SE1 9BU) on Tuesday 5th June, offering a summer four-course menu cooked by Theodore Kyriakou of The Real Greek, accompanied by top Greek wines. The all-inclusive price for the evening is £75.00 per person. Additionally, signed copies of Real Greek Food will be available for the special price of £15.00. Reservations can be made on: 020 7940 8333.