Skorda's Seaside Taverna: tsoureki

Skopelos and Virgin

-by Skorda

Swallow that campari moon
when first you see it
across the water,
rising round and new above the mountain.
Open your mouth and swallow
while youth holds its roundness near,
and you are running fearless in the dark.
Hold it inside, it is still warm
and you will need its light,
there, inside you.

Down the road of time, somewhere
after you’ve aged, traveled,
Explored, discovered.
And the dust around your doorway
has been pounded hard and smooth under your feet.
When you find yourself growing weary and bored,
when your eyes see only ruins,
and your heart is empty.
You may believe, in your exhaustion,
that this is truth, at last.
That the mystery has unraveled,
leaving no wilderness to explore or tame.
All secrets have been shared,
the frontier has dissolved.
Know then, with these thoughts,
you have been swallowed.

The warm belly of the beast
comforts with confining darkness
and lulls with rhythmic sounds
Murmuring to you,
Curl up and sleep,
just go to sleep.

Shake your head,
stretch your legs,
do not sleep now.

Remember what you know.
You swallowed the moon,
you hold it inside you.
Not as a magpie hoarding shiny things,
or wearing the moon for beauty
or bartering the moon for wealth.
You swallowed the moon for this moment.
When you will walk to the water’s edge,
open your mouth, release the moon
and let its light build you a pathway
across the wine dark sea.
©Skorda 2008

Saturday, April 26, 2008

tsoureki

(image from about.com)

I am not baking today! It is a beautiful day- not one to spend indoors baking. But it so good to have fresh bread for Easter, here is a recipe that originated in "The Complete Greek Cookbook", by Theresa Karas Yianilos
Tsoureki (Greek Easter Bread)
-Ingredients:
2 T dry yeast dissolved in 1/4 warm water
7 c flour
3/4- 1 c sugar (depends on how sweet you want it!)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c hot milk
1 stick butter (or 8 Toil)
3 eggs
- for flavoring add
1, tsp. EACH cinnamon, anise seeds, orange peel
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. mahaleb
4 grains mastic (or 1 ounce ouzo)
-for topping
egg yolk
1/4 c. sesame seeds
red hard boiled egg(s)
Procedure:
-Dissolve yeast in water, set aside.
-Put flavorings in pan with 1/2 c water, bring to boil then set aside to steep.
-Heat milk, add butter (or oil) , then remove from heat.
-Put flour in bowl, make a well in the center and add eggs, yeast milk and flavorings (having first removed bay leaf!).
-Push flour into center and knead until smooth. This will take about 20 minutes.
-Place in oiled bowl, cover with a clean cloth dampened with hot water and let rise in warm draft- free place until doubled, 4-6 hours.
-When doubled, punch down and knead for about 5 minutes, then shape dough.
-Divide dough into six equal pieces, roll each into a "snake".
-Lay three snakes side by side,pinch ends together and braid.Pinch ends of braid together. Repeat with other three portions of dough.
-Tuck 1 or 2 red hard boiled eggs amongst the braiding on each loaf.
-Place each loaf, uncovered, on oiled sheet in draft-free area for about two hours.
-Before baking, glaze each loaf with egg yolk wash and sprinkle with sesame seed. -Bake at 350F for about 1 hour. or until bread sounds hollow when it is tapped on the bottom.
-Cool on racks. Enjoy!