Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Greek Islands Taverna’s secret to tender octopus
Our favorite Greek restaurant is Greek Islands Taverna. Everything on their menu is great, but the grilled octopus is the best we have ever had. We have tried to make it at home, but it never comes out tender. How in the world do they make it so tender? Can you please see if they will give you their secret recipe?
Tamarac A. Q. — Shelley Lieggi,
Owned and operated by brothers Sotiri “Sam” and George Kantzavelos, Greek Islands Taverna (3300 N. Ocean Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, 954-565-5505, greekislandstaverna.com) has been the favored Greek go-to restaurant among locals and tourists since 1999. I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with Sam a few times for this column. Each time he is kind, helpful and passionate about the food of his native country. He never hesitates to share a recipe and always does so at the drop of a hat with no reference to a written recipe. It flows right off the top of his head. The octopus is no exception and relies not on a list of lengthy expensive ingredients but on technique and experience needed to get the dish “just so.” According to Sam, Greek Islands Taverna is one of the largest sellers of the eight-armed sea creature in South Florida, weighing in at more than 400 pounds sold per month. Wow! Octopus vary in size, which affects cooking time, so you may need a few attempts to nail this signature dish. As you know, it will be worth the effort. Check out today’s tip for achieving the perfect cephalopod.
A 1988 newspaper recipe for Old Time Cinnamon Jumbles calls for pecans but does not list them in the ingredients. With 2 cups of sugar and 4 cups of flour, would one cup of chopped pecans be the correct amount?
Q. A. — John Schlotter, Fort Lauderdale
After researching online I found two versions of Old Time Cinnamon Jumbles but none of them listed pecans as an ingredient. The recipe sounds very similar to Snickerdoodles, a simple cinnamon cookie with a cakey texture.
One version I found is from the 1920 archives of the Gold Medal Flour company when their Home Services Department made recipe boxes filled with cards as giveaways to home bakers. The second recipe, that I’m sharing for others to enjoy too, comes from a 1950s Betty Crocker cookbook. The book praises the recipe’s ease for the girls in Home Economics classes. That’s a class I feel should make a comeback in school curriculum and be offered for girls and boys!
The recipes are almost identical aside from the additional fat – one using sour cream, the other buttermilk. Both call for shortening. I’d prefer butter or a combination of the two. If you want to add pecans, John, go for it. Usually one cup of chopped nuts should do it for most cookies recipes.