THE ART OF GREEK COOKERY

In 1950 the Mr. and Mrs. Club of a Hempstead, L.I., church issued a privately printed cookbook- The Grecian Gourmet. Demand exceeded supply and this is the answer, in an expanded, hardcover cookbook in one field not over-supplied. The church calendar and the year 'round feast days provide a sort of framework for traditional menus, dishes and wines. There is something of this in the book, something too of what the world of cookery owes to Greece (the cyster as an edible delight, the basic recipe for white sauce, the culture of the onion and cabbage, the first pastry). The main dishes in Greek cookery are unique, when not close kin to Turkish, such as shish kebabs, stuffed grapeleaves, fabulous pastries. The fish dishes are tempting; meat balls (keftaides) are vastly different from the familiar kind; there are good suggestions for casserole dishes and many new ways of cooking lamb. A dual value of this book is use by travellers before going to Greece, where meals can be very good or very bad, depending on knowing what you are offered and what you will enjoy.