Fassolakia Ready To EatFassolakia is a meal that’s made pretty often in Greek families, one because it’s so easy to make and two, all the family enjoy it! Here in Greece you can find either the fatter looking runner beans or the skinny ones, my preference being the latter.

Ingredients:
1 kilo green runner beans
1 large onion
3 medium sized potatoes
1 clove of garlic
1 cup of olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 spoon of tomato paste
2 stock cubes

Given that lemons and oranges abound on Hydra, it amazes me that so many people have been missing out on this delicious treat. Making lemon curd is so easy that a child could do it with their eyes closed. Neranja oranges from the streets and squares planted around the island can also be used, here's how.

Ingredients:
1 large juicy lemon (washed)
2 large eggs
75g (3oz) fine white sugar
50g (2oz) butter, preferably unsalted.

Since I have just picked and cured a batch of black olives, I remembered an old poem I wrote about buying the tree, which is five years old now. If you are interested in gardening and bringing up an olive tree...

I am somewhat pleased with myself after preparing the six litres of olives that I picked yesterday, spending a couple of hours up on a ladder under the large olive tree. Some investigation showed that the best method for these kind of olives is the salt and water mix, no vinegar and no slicing, just mix ten litres of water with one kilo of salt.

This is a favourite with my children and is so easy to make. The people on the island make it with different herbs, so the recipe isn’t standard in my books. Trying every which way over the years getting the taste just right, I finally found a good recipe that’s simple and really delicious.

Ingredients:
1 kilo of minced meat
1 medium onion
1 clove of garlic
Fresh parsley
½ cup of olive oil
Salt and pepper
Breadcrumbs (1/2 of a packet)

07-Aug-08 Remembering as a child picking fruit and vegetables from my parent’s vegetable patch was always the thrill of summer holidays. My mother would then make raspberry, gooseberry and plum pies. What a treat.

Having just finished building a home in Hydra but not having yet fixed the garden, we made space for a small veggie garden to begin with. Getting my children involved by throwing seeds in rows and teaching them to leave enough space in between so things wouldn’t suffocate each other, was a real pleasure.

22-Sep-06 The tavernas and restaurants on Hydra each have a unique atmosphere and character but are all fairly similar in what they offer on the menu with one or two notable exceptions that I'll mention later. The range of menus have generally become broader over the last decade but they're still quite limited to variations of traditional Greek dishes. You won't find Chinese or Indian restaurants here. So if you like your food spicy, you should probably bring your own Tabasco sauce!

Even with the advent of the supply boat to the island acquiring cold storage to keep things from going off during delivery, there are still certain food items that the Greeks regard with suspicion. You'll find advocado pears in the grocers because there's demand from the foreign residents but not in the restaurants because ... well the Greeks don't like them, so why would anyone else!

22-Sep-06 There are six places on Hydra Island Greece where you can have a dance in a place that could be called a Night Club. Hydra doesn't have the huge clubs that you'll find on other islands such as Santorini or Mykonos. But we still have a choice of venues and most people end up bouncing between them during the early hours as they're all so close together. All have dancing inside and a few bar stools with lots of tables and chairs outside. Note: in the evenings you’ll get your drinks quicker if you order from the waiters and waitresses rather than standing at the bar hoping to be noticed.