Tuesday, April 9, 2013

H = Hydrangeas and Halloumi Cheese

a-to-z-letters-h

HydrangeasHydrangeas; I am very much in awe of anyone who can grow them. When we lived in North Carolina practically everyone had Hydrangeas, except us. No matter what, with advice from all kinds of sources, I could NOT grow Hydrangeas. I don’t know, Hydrangea2to this day, why not. Neighbours grew them, people all over the place grew them, I didn’t. I remember as a young kid that my grandmother had Hydrangeas, prize ones I understand. Being a kid, I picked them all and brought them inHydrangeas3 to her as a bouquet. She wasn’t best pleased!!! I couldn’t resist at least three pictures, looking at the one’s on the internet I was faced with a riot of colour. It made me feel good. One is supposed to be able to change the colours by pouring ink by the roots, or burying a rusty nail. Never had any to try it with.


I have mentioned before that I belong to a recipe group and have done for a number of years. We had one very good friend who is no longer with us, but she lived in Cyprus. She was always talking about Halloumi which is a cheese from Cyprus and which she always maintained it was best cooked. When shopping last week I happened to notice that the cheese counter, in the deli department, was selling Halloumi. No, I didn’t buy it, not then, but one of these days. I found this recipe and thought I would share it in case your deli also sells this cheese.


Halloumi Cheese Fingers

allrecipes.co.uk

Fry, grill or barbecue this delicious Cypriot cheese and serve with a Halloumi FingersGreek salad and crusty bread for a complete meal.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 170 g haloumi cheese, cut into 1/2 inch thick sticks
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

  • Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the haloumi sticks, and cook until the cheese turns light, golden-brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with lemon juice, oregano, and pepper. Serve immediately alongside a Greek salad and garlic bread.
Have a great day
Jo_thumb[2]

28 comments:

  1. Enjoyed reading your A to Z posts. I love Hydrangeas They are my mother's favorite plant. Can't wait to try your recipe.
    Be sure to visit my blogs too if you get a chance at http://mary-anderingcreatively.blogspot.com/2013/04/h-is-for-haiku.html and http://marykatbpcsc45.blogspot.com/

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are beautiful flowers aren't they?

      I will certainly pay you a visit.

      Delete
  2. I love hydrangeas. It's time for me to get out and put deer netting around my oak-leaf hydrangea before it starts to look like a ground cover.

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    Replies
    1. So do I Denise, but I cannot grow them.

      Delete
  3. I love hydrangeas too. You should go to the Azores islands they grow wild in huge banks there - all along the roads and all colors. Lovely recipe, I wonder if I can find that cheese?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't know that about the Azores. I do know how many grow in North Carolina, in profusion everywhere except my yard.

      Don't know where you live, but its only just appeared in my part of Canada, as far as I know.

      Delete
  4. Hydrangeas have such lovely blooms and I have shown some today too. Nowhere near as good as those in your photos, Jo.

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    Replies
    1. I'm not talking to you Bob. You are getting good kippers tonight.

      They are lovely aren't they? My grandmother's were a bit like the blue ones above.

      Delete
  5. Okay, here I am drooling again. I'll start making a custom of bringing a bowl, hahaha.
    Don't worry Jo, we can't grow them either. Mother Dragon went to buy a couple Hydrangeas (we call them Hortencias) and they just withered, which is very rare for Mother Dragon. She has a great touch with plants but no Hydrangeas.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. She and I must be the same because in North Carolina they grew abundantly all around us. Very annoying.

      Delete
  6. Ah man Jo,I really need to eat before I visit your site. Really enjoying your recipes.

    I can't grow a thing. But I would grown hydrangeas, if could. They are beautiful. I'm especially fond of the lavender color.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jaybird, glad you like them. Haven't tried the Halloumi yet, been trying to lose weight so guess I shouldn't try it yet.

      I don't care what colour the hydrangeas are, I just wish I could grow some.

      Delete
  7. We used to have an enormous hydrangea in the garden but one dry summer it died and we've never had luck with them since. I love halloumi cheese but I suspect it's high in cholesterol!

    Rosalind Adam is Writing in the Rain

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's sad. For some people they seem to be real easy to grow.

      Never even seen Halloumi here before.

      Delete
  8. I love that cheese, there is nothing like it.

    In a house I once rented, there grew the most beautiful hydrangea bush. People would stop their cars to look at it and ask me for clippings. I felt like a rock star, even though I was not responsible for it's grandeur.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I haven't yet had a chance to try it Laeli.

      How nice that people stopped to appreciate it though.

      Delete
  9. Replies
    1. One I love, the other I don't know yet.

      Delete
  10. I've never heard of that type of cheese.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had only heard of it because of my friend and I had never seen it in Canada before.

      Delete
  11. We had about a dozen Hydrangeas in Oregon. My mom loved them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So do I of course. They are such a lovely flower. But in NC, on the coast anyway, we used to see lots of them. Do they grow inland?

      Delete
  12. Hi Jo .. I love Halloumi and have done for years .. while the hydrangeas we had hundreds in Cornwall .. they were everywhere .. and are quite lovely ..

    Cheers Hilary

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    Replies
    1. I guess with the connections to Cyprus, its not suprising its in the UK. Only seen it here recently.

      I love Hydrangeas.

      Delete
  13. I've never tried to grow hydrangeas, but I'm a fan. So pretty. Halloumi cheese is on my list of can't-wait-to-taste foods.

    Jan at Website
    Beyond Acadia
    Swamp Lily Review
    Faith Talk

    ReplyDelete
  14. Me too, they are lovely to see.

    I've only just seen it in Ontario, so not sure where else its available.

    ReplyDelete