Lady Luck has been on my side lately with a winning streak of radio prizes including numerous movie tickets complete with swag, entries to local events, and the most glorious prize of all…2 tickets to see John Mayer, complete with VIP backstage passes.  I spent 2 hours on the internet googling “what to say to John Mayer” just in case I would be lucky enough to have a conversation with him.  All I ended up with was a hand shake, a sexy smile and his arm around me for a picture.  I guess you could say that I should feel lucky I got even that much from such a big deal of a guy but I went home and told everyone that he kissed me.

I grew up thinking that I was “that” girl.  The one singled out in the crowd with a single glance.  The one pulled up on stage the way Bruce Springstein did with Courtney Cox in the Dancing in the Dark video.  This is the kind of delerium that leads a young, crazed girl to purchase the perfect white, strapless dress just in case she runs into a gorgeous pop star.  That’s the dress that I wanted to be wearing when I ran into George Michael on the beach in Greece when I was 14 during the summer of 1987.  Born Georgios Panayiotou, George Michael and I have at least one thing in common; both our fathers were of Greek decent.  To me, this meant that there was a slight chance I would run into him on the beach, in the moonlight.  That white dress would stop him dead in his beautiful tracks the moment he laid eyes on me.  This is what I dreamed of so many nights as I stared at his poster on my bedroom wall. 

I wore that white dress on the beach in Greece but I never did run into George Michael.  Instead, I met a boy named, Μίκης, which is short for Michael in Greek, but that was the closest I came to getting lucky with George.  Lady Luck gave me a second chance for meeting George on August 29th and 30th of 1988.  The Faith World Tour was coming to The Palace of Auburn Hills in Detriot for two consecutive nights and one of the local radio stations was giving away tickets to a few very lucky callers.  I spent 2 whole days on the phone, hitting redial over and over, as I sent every ounce of positive energy through the phone.  There couldn’t possibly be anyone else in the world that loved George as much as I did.

Those two days came and went, but not without the million tears I shed at the fact that there was another girl (or boy) in the front row during those two shows that caught his eye.  I’ve never wished for luck to come my way more than I did in those two days and it was one of the few times in my life that I ever felt desperate.  I would have done just about anything to get my hands on those tickets.  Luck is crazy like that.  At first it can feel like positive energy or hopefulness but can quickly turn into dark desperation.

Over the years, George has been through his own ups and downs.  I’ve silently supported him through it all, always cheering him on when he emerges with a new album or goes back on tour.  There will never be another crush quite like that one for me.

Pork Souvlaki: Photograph by Andrea Karapas

These recipes are a tribute to my love for George Michael.  They are three of my Greek culinary favorites.  Souvlaki is lamb, pork or chicken on a skewer grilled with greek flavors like olive oil, lemon and oregano.  I usually make souvlaki with pork and have made every effort to make it exactly like my brother-in-law, Panagiotis.  Mine has never quite turned out as good as his but it is still a favorite among my family when I make it. 

Greek Village Salad: Photograph by Andrea Karapas

The salad is a traditional Greek Village Salad and is prepared with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, Kalamata olives, and feta cheese.  This salad traditionally does not have lettuce in it and it’s truly how a Greek salad should always be made.  A Greek dinner is never complete without Tzatziki.  Tzatziki is a Greek yogurt sauce served with Souvlaki or Gyros (you don’t pronounce the “G”, people) made with Greek yogurt, of course, along with cucumber, garlic, dill and lemon.  Some use mint but I absolutely hate mint so it never makes it into mine. 

In two days I leave for Las Vegas!  This is my first visit to Sin City and I’m taking Lady Luck with me, or Tyche as she’s referred to in Ancient Greek mythology.  Tyche, Greek Godess of Fortune and Luck, will be by my side as I try my hand at the live Texas Hold ‘Em tables and slots.  I wouldn’t be surprised if I came home with a million dollars or if I heard a “hey, beautiful” while I was fully engaged in a winning hand of pocket rockets only to turn around and see George himself smiling at me…even without that stupid white dress on.

A Tribute to Greek Cuisine: Photograph by Andrea Karapas

 

Pork Souvlaki
Ingredients
1-3 lbs pork shoulder, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
3-5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
Coarse salt and ground pepper
Instructions
In a large zipper bag, combine pork, oil, lemon juice, garlic and oregano.  Season with salt and pepper.  Toss in bag to combine.  Refrigerate at least 1 hr or up to 8 hrs.
Heat grill to med-high.  Thread pork cubes onto 8 metal skewers.  Grill until brown on all sides and cooked through, about 12 minutes.  Serve Souvlaki with Tzatziki sauce.

Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients
10-12 oz Plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cucumber, peeled and grated with the water squeezed out
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried dill (1 tsp. fresh)
1 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
Combine all ingredients together and serve with Souvlaki or warm pita bread. 

Traditional Greek Village Salad (Xoriatiki)
Ingredients
4 Roma tomatoes, seeded and cut into large chunks
2 English cucumbers, halved and sliced thickly
1/2 med red onion
8 oz Feta cheese, cubed or crumbled
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, whole
2 Tbs white wine vinegar or fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fresh oregano, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Combine all ingredients together and serve at room temperature.