Eat the Page with A Tasty Beverage

Eat the Page

Detroit’s Greektown has spawned generations of lovers of Greek food, from flaming saganaki to grape leaves and Avgolemono soup to Greek salads and shish kebab and moussaka and pastitsio and, of course, grilled lamb chops, all with a side of garlicky tzatziki.

Jim Botsacos, chef of New York’s Molyvos restaurant, has written The New Greek Cuisine ($29.95 Broadway Books). With an emphasis on pies, appetizers and mezedes, bite-sized hot and cold foods, there are also recipes for entrées, sides and sweets. Go Greek!

A Tasty Beverage

Speaking of Greek, there is the often-ignored drink that is a natural with a Greek meal, especially with mezedes, and can spice up a coffee.

The Greek national drink, Ouzo, a spicy, anise-flavored liqueur is made from a combination of pressed grapes, herbs, berries and spices, including star anise, coriander, cloves, angelica root, licorice, mint, wintergreen, fennel, hazelnut and cinnamon and lime blossoms.

The drink is distilled in copper stills. The best is said to be made on the island of Lesbos. If you don’t like licorice, beware.

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