My favorite meal has always been breakfast.
No matter what time I wake up, apart from my daily prayer, thanking the Lord to have returned my soul back to my body, the first thing that comes to my mind is a simple question: What am I going to eat for breakfast today?
At Mykonos Blu spacious ‘Aegean Poets’ room that features outstanding Mediterranean cuisine open for breakfast, a la carte lunch and dinner , the question is easily answered as the choice of Continental and Greek delicacies is immense.
The spectacular geographical set up surrounding our table on a suspended terrace is a rocky hill with tiny sanctuaries directly overlooking the beach of Psarou under my feet.
The shade of small olive trees in ceramic pots surrounding wide wicker armchairs one can hear small birds sing against a dark blue sky while pretty waitresses wearing blue cotton aprons wave to us with large smiles and a welcoming ‘Calimera “.
I know I am on earth, and not in heaven yet because I am sure in heaven no one eats anymore and at the moment I am very curious to check the elaborate and at the same time very simple looking buffet in the air-conditioned room behind us.
Champagne in a large ice bucket and several freshly squeezed fruit juices in clean glass bottles are assembled on the first table as one enters the room filled with traditional Aegean 19th century white patina wood furniture. The simplicity of this creative decor is impressive. Home -made selection of breads is carefully organized in large pristine linen napkin on the vintage- flayed cabinet drawers.
The most unpaired selection of also home-made jams and jellies with flavors that vary from roses, watermelon, bitter oranges and berries all having big chunks of real fruit inside them showcases another elegant kitchen cupboard.
In the room centerpiece, several kinds of Greek cheese including Fetas, Calamata olives mixes and smoked salmon are replaced by the efficient waited every few minutes. My favorites of all are the Greek yogurtS, this time not light but extremely thick and fresh. Mixed with berries , olive oil or herbs they are the protagonist of the best melange with fresh fruits, pumpkin seeds, and all sorts of fresh nuts including small apricots.
Well done Mediterranean Fritattas with onions, green and red peppers and cheese, Feta -filled Croissants and small Pains of Chocolat are to be added in the daily breakfast menu. We enjoy a bit of everything in very small quantities, except the baked breadsticks in a variation of Filo topped with sesame seeds, a rare memory of my maternal grandmother ‘s exquisite Mediterranean cuisine at the time she lived in Izmir, Turkey .
I know for a fact that soon I will walk down the hundreds of steps leading to the hotel private beach crossing the grandiose infinity pool. Although there is a small restaurant there that features wonderfully grilled catch of the day, I will not touch food until this evening. Will spend the day drinking lots of water, and swimming in attempt of burning those extra luxury calories. But Dolce far niente until 12.
Joelle’s Tips:
CROISSANT MEHFEHTAH RECEPEE
In Greek: pronounced croo-ah-SAHN meh FEH-tah
These delightful croissants are not sweet, and make a wonderful addition to the breakfast, brunch, buffet, or cocktail table. Use commercial croissant dough, or make your own for a light, delicious taste.
- 5 packages of croissant dough (8 croissants each) or
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- For the croissant dough:
- 2/3 teaspoon of dry baker’s yeast
- 2/3 cup of canned evaporated milk
- 2/3 cups of water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 egg, beaten
- 4 cups of bread flour (approximately)
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- For the filling:
- 2/3 pound of feta cheese, mashed with a fork
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- For the glaze:
- 1 egg, beaten
If using packaged croissant dough, preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and skip to step 2.
Step 1: Make the Dough
Combine condensed milk and water in a bowl. Add sugar, yeast, salt, and oil and stir with a wooden spoon or hands until yeast dissolves. Stir in beaten egg, and add 4 cups of flour. Knead in the bowl with hands, adding flour if needed, until the dough is smooth and does not stick to hands (about 4 minutes). This is a fairly firm dough, however it will start to rise quickly.
On a floured work surface, knead the dough to form into a long loaf shape. Cut into 5 equal parts. Roll each piece of dough into a 12-inch diameter circle, using flour to keep the rolling pin from sticking. Cut the circles in quarters, and cut the quarters in half to make 8 triangles.
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Step 2: Add filling
Take a teaspoon-size piece of the mashed feta with fingers and squeeze to compress. Place 1/2 inch in from the wide end of the croissant triangle. Roll the dough toward the narrow end over the cheese and pinch outer edges. (This will prevent the cheese from oozing out during baking.) Continue to roll to the end and place on an oiled or nonstick cookie sheet, with the end of the dough tucked under.
Brush the tops of the croissants with beaten egg and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 15-20 minutes until nicely browned. If the tops darken too quickly, cover with foil.
Yield: 40 small croissants
Notes:
- To increase the recipe, increase all ingredients equally.
- To make larger croissants, divide the dough into fewer pieces, roll out to larger circles (about 1/16th of an inch thick) and increase amount of filling per croissant.
Alternative fillings: Try these croissants with your favorite filling. Some of my favorites are chocolate (Nutella type), preserves and jams, and other cheeses.
