What's a Yiayia?


Book Description

A beautiful children's book about grandmothers and embracing diversity When Eleni tells her friend Luca about her Yia-Yia, he has no idea what she's talking about. That is until he realises he has one too - a grandmother! Only his is called Nonna. In fact, all their friends have a grandmother - the only difference is the special name they have for her. What do you call your grandmother?




Yiayia


Book Description

"A joyful, delicious celebration of Greece's Yiayias and the wonderful food they quietly, skillfully cook. This book will transport you, warm your soul and make you a better cook. I love it." – Rosie Birkett Yiayia: Time-perfected Recipes from Greece’s Grandmothers showcases regional Greek cookery and features sharing and feasting dishes, mainly vegetarian, from the kitchens of grandmothers across Greece. Think Stuffed Courgettes from Lesvos, ;a Cycladic Fourtalia, Corfiot spicy Bourdeto Stew, Ionian pasta dishes, Cretan Dakos salad, Watermelon Cake from Milos.Yiayia maps out the diverse dishes of Greece — far beyond the most commonly-known Moussaka, Greek Salad, and Tzatziki dip – through the fascinating recipes and stories of its Yiayiades. Follow Anastasia's journey through Greece as each yiayia welcomes you into their home – cook with them in their kitchen, learn their time-perfected techniques and read the memories that season this book. With stunning location photography and heartwarming interviews, you can discover the true food of Greece and the characterful grandmothers behind beaded curtains in white-washed homes.




Eleni


Book Description

"A devoted and brilliant achievement." The New York Review of Books In 1948, as civil war ravaged Greece, children were abducted and sent to communist "camps" behind the Iron Curtain. Eleni Gatzoyiannis, 41, defied the traditions of her small village and the terror of the communist insurgents to arrange for the escape of her three daughters and her son, Nicola. For that act, she was imprisoned, tortured, and executed in cold blood. Nicholas Gage joined his father in Massachusetts at the age of nine and grew up to be a top investigative reporter for the New York Times. And finally he returned to Greece to uncover the story he cared about most -- the story of his mother's heroic life and tragic death.




Lemon, Love & Olive Oil


Book Description

A New York Times Best Cookbook of the Year from the author of the cult-favorite Cooking for Artists—with eighty new recipes that celebrate her Greek heritage. Growing up in a close-knit Greek-American household, Mina Stone learned to cook from her Yiayia, who taught her that food doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious—and that almost any dish can be improved with judicious amounts of lemon, olive oil, and salt. In this deeply personal cookbook, Stone celebrates her grandmother and the other influences that have shaped her life, her career, and her culinary tastes and expertise. Lemon, Love & Olive Oil weaves together more than eighty Mediterranean-style dishes with the stories that inspired them. Stone offers home cooks a taste of her heritage with healthy, flavorful, and uncomplicated dishes such as Syrian Bulgur and Yogurt with Brown Butter Pine Nuts; Persian Figs with Cardamom and Rosewater; Baby Lettuces with Toasted Sesame Seeds, Mint, and Meyer Lemon Yogurt; and Braised Chickpeas with Orange Zest and Garlic Bread Crumbs. These recipes use fresh, flavorful ingredients to create elegantly simple dishes, complemented by beautiful, minimalist photography and original art throughout. A fresh and unconventional fusion of art and food, Lemon, Love & Olive Oil is an engaging (and delicious!) cultural and culinary tour, all complimented by the design of world-renowned artist Urs Fischer. “This is delicious ‘grandma’ cooking at its best—fresh, flavorful, simple, and seasonal, but with a modern twist that makes it exactly what I want to cook right now. I can’t wait to make everything!” —Lisa Gross, Founder/CEO of the League of Kitchens




Just Our Luck


Book Description

From the author of Words on Bathroom Walls—now a major motion picture—comes a romance in the spirit of Dear Evan Hansen about overcoming anxiety—and about finding love and friendship in unlikely places. ★ "A masterpiece" —Kirkus, starred review "Bad luck follows lies." That was the first rule for life that Leo's Greek grandmother, Yia Yia, gave him before she died. But Leo's anxiety just caused a fight at school, and though he didn't lie, he wasn't exactly honest about how it all went down . . . how he went down. Now Leo's father thinks a self-defense class is exactly what his son needs to "man up." "Leave the Paros family alone." That was Yia Yia's second rule for life. But who does Leo see sitting at the front desk of the local gym? Evey Paros, whose family supposedly cursed Leo's with bad luck. Seeing that Leo is desperate to enroll in anything but self-defense class, Evey cuts him a deal: she'll secretly enroll him in hot yoga instead—for a price. But what could the brilliant, ruthless, forbidden Evey Paros want from Leo? Sharp, honest, and compulsively readable, Just Our Luck is as funny as it is heartwarming. "A feel-good story, with shades of Holes and The Karate Kid" —Bulletin




Naptime with Theo and Beau


Book Description

The only thing better than naptime is naptime with a friend. Theo the puppy (part-Boxer, part-Shepherd, part-Labrador, part-Sharpei) was rescued by Beau, a twenty-three-month-old toddler, and his family from an animal shelter in Santa Cruz. The two of them instantly became best friends. And every day at naptime, Theo waits for Beau to fall asleep, then curls up next to him. Theo and Beau were already a viral sensation thanks to the "unbearably adorable," "utterly charming" photos that author (Beau's mother) Jessica Shyba has been posting on her popular blogMomma's Gone City. And now, she's matched the very sweetest of them to a charming bedtime text to make a board book that is (as Alyssa Milano said of the blog) "so cute it hurts."




We Could Be Something


Book Description

A wonderful emotional rollercoaster of a novel about two young men, each on a journey of discovery. It's part coming-out story, part falling-in-love story, part relationship breakdown story, part extended Greek family story. It's warm and funny, a little bit heartbreaking, and completely satisfying. WINNER: 2024 Prime Minister's Literary Awards, Young Adult Literature NOTABLE BOOK: 2024 CBCA Book of the Year, Older Readers SHORTLISTED: 2024 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards, Prize for Young Adult Writing SHORTLISTED: 2024 NSW Premier's Literary Awards, Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature SHORTLISTED: 2024 Queensland Literary Awards, Young Adult Book Award 'The enormous heart of We Could Be Something beats with a rare, thrilling authenticity. Every funny, smart, tough word of it rings true. I loved this book.' - Patrick Ness, bestselling author of A MONSTER CALLS and the CHAOS WALKING series Part coming-out story. Part falling-in-love story. Part falling-apart story. Harvey's dads are splitting up. It's been on the cards for a while, but it's still sudden. Woken-by-his-father-to-catch-a-red-eye sudden. Now he's restarting his life in a new city, living above a cafe with the extended Greek family he barely knows. Sotiris is a rising star. At seventeen, he's already achieved his dream of publishing a novel. When his career falters, a cute, wise-cracking bookseller named Jem upends his world. Harvey and Sotiris's stories converge on the same street in Darlinghurst, in this beautifully heartfelt novel about how our dreams shape us, and what they cost us. 'Vivid and exquisitely written... Kostakis weaves a sparkling tale of hardship, heartbreak, identity and the universal struggle of finding your footing in the world.' - Books & Publishing




My Big Fat Greek Cookbook


Book Description

2020 finalist for the prestigious Next Generation Indie Book Awards! 65 Deliciously Authentic Recipes Straight from Mama’s Kitchen My Big Fat Greek Cookbook is a comprehensive, contemporary overview of Greek food, recipes, and family culture as documented by the son of a Greek immigrant as his mother neared the end of her life. “This Greek eating tragedy has a beginning (appetizer), a middle (main course), and an end (dessert),” Christos shared. “As my Mama is in her final act, it’s fitting that a quarter of her recipes are desserts. Bon appétit! Kali Orexi! (Insert the sound of breaking plates here . . .)” This is more than just a list of ingredients or series of steps, of course. It’s filled with simple recipes, gorgeous photographs, traditional meals, memories, and tidbits of information that draw family and friends to Greek tables time and again. It has everything from iconic egg-lemon sauce to rich soups, sweet pies, and traditional delicacies like rabbit stew and octopus with pasta, accompanied by tales of Greek history and insight into cultural nuances. Recipes include: Meatballs (keftedes) Lentils (fatkes) Stuffed vegetables (gemistra) Spinach pie (spanakopita) Tzatziki Spaghetti with cheese (makaronia me tyri) Roast lamb (arni sto fourno) Moussaka Apple cake (milopita) Ride pudding (rizogalo) And more! With stunning photographs throughout and 65 deliciously authentic recipes, this book is a peek into a Greek family that has achieved what so many of us yearn for: a fuller, more meaningful, and joyful life, lived simply and nourished on real, delicious Greek meals that you can access anywhere with this cookbook on hand.




Bravey


Book Description

The Olympic runner, actress, filmmaker and writer Alexi Pappas shares what she’s learned about confidence, self-reliance, mental health, embracing pain, and achieving your dreams. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY REAL SIMPLE • “Heartbreaking and hilarious.”—Mindy Kaling • “A beautiful read.”—Ruth Reichl • “Essential guidance to anyone dreaming big dreams.”—Shalane Flanagan • “I couldn’t put it down.”—Adam Grant run like a bravey sleep like a baby dream like a crazy replace can’t with maybe When “Renaissance runner” (New York Times) Alexi Pappas—Olympic athlete, actress, filmmaker, and writer—was four years old, her mother died by suicide, drastically altering the course of Pappas’s life and setting her on a search for female role models. When her father signed his bereaved daughter up for sports teams as a way to keep her busy, female athletes became the first women Pappas looked up to, and her Olympic dream was born. At the same time, Pappas had big creative dreams, too: She wanted to make movies, write, and act. Despite setbacks and hardships, Pappas refused to pick just one lane. She put in a tremendous amount of hard work and wouldn’t let anything stand in her way until she achieved all of her dreams, however unrelated they may seem to outsiders. In a single year, 2016, she made her Olympic debut as a distance runner and wrote, directed, and starred in her first feature film. But great highs are often accompanied by deep lows; with joy comes sorrow. In Bravey, Pappas fearlessly and honestly shares her battle with post-Olympic depression and describes how she emerged on the other side as a thriving and self-actualized woman. Unflinching, exuberant, and always entertaining, Bravey showcases Pappas’s signature, charming voice as she reflects upon the touchstone moments in her life and the lessons that have powered her career as both an athlete and an artist—foremost among them, how to be brave. Pappas’s experiences reveal how we can all overcome hardship, befriend pain, celebrate victory, relish the loyalty found in teammates, and claim joy. In short: how every one of us can become a bravey.




Grand Dishes


Book Description

This is not a book about what it’s like to be old. It’s about what it’s like to have lived. There is no food quite like a grandmother’s time-perfected dish. Inspired by their own grandmothers – and the love they shared through the food they served – Anastasia Miari and Iska Lupton embarked on a mission: from Corfu to Cuba, Moscow to New Orleans, and many more in between, they set out to capture cooking methods, regional recipes and timeless wisdom from grandmothers around the world. The result is Grand Dishes, a journey across four years of cooking with the world’s grandmothers, a preservation not just of recipes but of the stories – told through the dishes – that have seasoned these grandmothers’ lives. Featured alongside are contributions from celebrated chefs and food writers, each with their own grandmother’s recipe to share. Rich with the insight that age brings, elegant portraits, diverse recipes, and techniques unique to a region, a grandmother and her family, this is a book to pass down through generations.