Tag Archives: baked

The Dish: Warm Country Feta

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Ambrosia & Nectar

Ambrosia & Nectar

Had an exceptional dish tonight that I needed to share. Up the hill from our villa on Santorini is a little place called Ambrosia & Nectar. Giada DiLaurentis beat us there and did a feature on this dish. The benefit is that we have the recipe to recreate it at home.

The cheese is just warm enough, but not too hot. The crust is flakey and the sauce is sweet. With the right Feta, the balance of saltiness and sweet play very well together. Sesame seeds and figs add layers that also work well. This could be an appetizer or a dessert. Amazing.

More thoughts on Santorini soon. I have conflicting feelings about the state of tourism and environmentalism here, though really appreciate being here in low season. I can only imagine the throngs of cruise-boaters in July and August filling the streets of Oia trying to grab that magical photo of the caldera and buy that special little trinket. Moreover, I can’t imagine what happens to all of the plastic bottles generated since there is ZERO natural potable water on the island.

Click here for Giada’s recipe courtesy of Food Network.

Warm Country Feta, Ambrosia & Nectar, Santorini

Warm Country Feta, Ambrosia & Nectar, Santorini

Insider’s Secret: John Campbell’s Irish Bakery [Geary @ 20th Ave]

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Twas the night before St. Patties Day and Gaspare’s was tasty, when we stumbled upon a store with crazy Irish pastry!! John Campbell’s was filled with pasties and scones and sausage rolls and mince pies. Who would’ve known??

If you haven’t discovered this mid-Richmond treasure, you’ll want to plan a trip to John Campbell’s Irish Bakery soon. This unassuming storefront at 5625 Geary Street has authentic Irish baked goods, which, quite frankly, I never knew were worth considering.

I’ve been to this block a million times, since Gaspare’s is right across the street. It wasn’t until dining with our friends, the Fletcher’s, who were prepping for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration the next day, that the place popped up on our radar. David, a dedicated foodie, came into to dinner quite excited: “Have you been to the Irish Bakery?”. ‘Is it good?”. “It looks wonderful!”.


Since then I’ve returned a few times and I must report that this place is the real deal. The scones are light and airy and not too sweet, the pasties are flaky and flavorful, the pies are sweet and have a distinct Irish theme with mince and other such jams. They have soda bread, potato bread and a few shelves with Irish dry goods.

John Campbell’s is just another reason to be thankful for living in a diverse city. They are also open late so you can hit their partner Irish Pub next door, The Blarney Stone (there is a door between them) and then stumble home with breakfast in hand!