Raised in Canada’s Greektown by food-loving parents who grew their own produce and cooked up a traditional storm with all their heart, it comes as no huge surprise that Samantha, Betty and Eleni Bakopoulos became passionately food-oriented adults. From an early age the trio was enchanted by the many accounts they heard of Greece’s great natural bounty and beauty, and when they finally visited the country, meeting their loving extended family and welcoming compatriots, seeing the seascapes, landscapes and tasting the foods, the love affair was sealed.

In 2010 they published their first book ‘Three Sisters: Around The Greek Table’, which received the Gourmand World Cookbook Award and “Best Cookbook of the Year Award” at the New York Book Festival, and three years later came a book about the emotional return to their family’s Peloponnesian village, where they restored the family home, titled ‘Three Greek Sisters: Back To The Beginning.’

As the title indicates the book deals with the return to their family’s culinary traditions, based on age-old cooking customs and pure, authentic ingredients.

The featured recipes center on feel-good, homemade dishes that any Greek feels powerful nostalgia for when reminiscing about their yiayia’s mouth-watering cooking, with many refreshing twists and innovations like French baklava toast, fennel ribs, lentil burgers, grilled lemonato chicken, chocolate walnut cake and yogurt mousse.

What is the Greek dish you can’t live without?

Betty: I truly adore yemista made with mint and rice; it is the quintessential summer dish. The secret is to caramelize the onions, and be generous with extra-virgin Greek olive oil. It reminds me of beach days and sunshine. The best part of this meal is that it tastes even better the next day.

Eleni: This answer keeps changing for me. I used to say stifado, but lately I am enjoying ladera dishes, like Briami, lemon chicken and potatoes, fasolada bean soup. The classics.

Samantha: I have a winter meal and a summer meal that I can’t live without: during the summer months I can’t live without a horiatiki salad, and during the winter months I find pastitsio to be my comfort meal. The smell of cinnamon and nutmeg fill the house and the creamy bechamel is just heavenly.

What was it like growing up in Greektown, Canada?

Betty: Greektown in the 70’s was a magical place; if you were a Greek immigrant, this was the place to be, and our parents felt like they found a home away from home. All the shops were Greek, the streets were lined with restaurants serving Greek food and there were butcher shops, bakers, clothing stores, all owned by Greeks and selling Greek products. Even our family physician was Greek. It was a wonderful way for our parents to start their new life in Canada, where they were able to speak their language freely with other immigrants, smell and eat the foods that are reminiscent of home, while at the same time being exposed to common cultural practices in Canada.

How has your relationship with Greece changed throughout the years?

Eleni: Greece was an idealized faraway land that we heard of through our parents: the beautiful weather, the sunshine, the flowers, the fruit, and the food. We would hear about the people there who loved us even though they had not yet met us. When we actually went for the first time, that love was confirmed, the beauty was confirmed and the freshness of the food was unforgettable. Greece has and always will have a very special place in our and minds and our hearts. We have a love for it that only grows stronger with each visit, and with each sad farewell.

Has writing your two cookbooks changed your lives?

Eleni: We have always been close, but this experience brought us even closer because we are committed to the same cause: promoting the Greek kitchen. We have met amazing people; we have traveled across North America together, teaching about Greek cuisine along the way.

You also run culinary tours – can you tell us about them?

Betty: Our tours are focused on the Peloponnese, where our family is from. On our trips we introduce our guests to Greeks who have a passion or a dream: exciting young chefs, passionate mill owners, innovative winemakers fulfilling their dream of owning a successful vineyard. Real Greeks, who respect the earth and its produce, and celebrate Greece’s gastronomic  tradition. One of the highlights of our last trip was the evening where all our guests came to our home at 1100 m above sea level, and ate on our balcony with our relatives: our aunts, uncles and cousins. The bouzouki players kept playing, the wine kept flowing and everyone’s bellies were about to burst. The night ended with tears of joy. Our guests left feeling like they were part of our family. Our mission was accomplished that night.

THREE GREEK RECIPES

Breakfast recipe: Baklava French Toast

Instructions:

In a shallow bowl whisk the eggs, milk and salt together. Set this egg-mixture aside. 

Coat the bottom of a frying pan with olive oil and heat over medium heat. 

Dip the bread into the egg slices of bread that it is coated on both sides.

Coat only enough slices of bread that can fit in your frying pan at one time to avoid having soggy pieces. Add the bread to the hot frying pan and cook until golden-brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. 

Remove the bread from the pan and set aside in a warmed 93C/ 200F oven, until ready to serve. Repeat with the remaining pieces of bread. Arrange the bread on a serving platter and sprinkler with the walnut, sugar, cinnamon and clove topping. Drizzle with honey and serve.

Briami

Instructions:

Preheat the oven. In an 11-inch (28cm) square roasting pain toss the vegetables with the olive oil.

Add the tomatoes and remaining seasonings.

Place in the middle of the oven, uncovered, for 30 minutes. 

Gently mix the vegetables to coat again with the olive oil and vegetable juices. 

Continue cooking, covered, for 1 hour or until the vegetables are soft and the juices have been reabsorbed.

Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Watermelon Feta Salad

Instructions:

Add the watermelon, feta and mint to a salad bowl. In a separate small bowl whisk the dressing ingredients together. Pour over the salad just before serving.