Today I told M to meet me at Syndagma Sq. so we can do our errands in town. The day turned out to be warm and we just toddle off around town with the direction towards Omonia, passing through the main market.
I love this walk because these are the back streets in central Athens. On these streets are shops that sell but nothing but beads, further down, just boxes, ribbons and plastic bags. One street has nothing but lights, ELEKTROAGORA,(wished I have Greek fonts!).
And these are the streets that I have not gotten tired of taking photos of. As you see, Greece is a blend of the West and East, it may be European but it still has a provincial feel. Cosmopolitan Athens,may have become, it still full of little shops that you thought have ceased to exist.

Along Praxitoleos St, there is a small tavern (you can’t even call that tavern) called DORIS . It used to be just a LOUKOUMADES place. Loukoumades are the Greek donut with a difference –they are about the size of an American donut hole, served hot, drenched in honey, and covered with cinnamon. Delicious! ( I will eventually post more of Loukoumades because this is my routine… I visit either Doris or Aegina for loukoumades before I leave Greece again).

Doris (apo 1900 ) from1900, serves ladera food. Common dishes like the green bean, eggplant, potato or zucchini stew, cooked in lemon or tomato sauce are called ladera (i.e. cooked in olive oil). Doris serves Makarones me Kima (MACARONI/SPAGHETTI WITH MEAT SAUCE), nothing special isn’t it?We all can easily cook meat sauce, can’t we all?

But, Greek meat sauce has a beautiful aroma. Greeks put cinnamon sticks on this sauce. Either you use minced meat, chicken or beef, try adding cinnamon stick!Ok there is more to it, some red wine then!

1 Onion; chopped fine
1/2 tsp tomato paste
1 Stick cinnamon
1 lb Lean ground beef
1 Bay leaf
1 Garlic clove Salt & Pepper
1/2 c Dry red wine
Chopped parsley
1 can tomato sauce or if you have a lot of fresh tomato use them!

Saute the onion, garlic,add the meat.
Stir in the tomato and tomato paste.
Put the cinnamon stick.
Simmer for 30mins or more,the longer the better!
Add parsley few minutes its done.
Take the cinnamon stick out, before serving

The cheese on mine is not Parmesan but the Greek cheese called mitzithra. M had meatballs and roast potatoes. We also ordered 1/4 kilo of white wine, yes kilo!