My mother Artemis, was a legendary cook and entertainer. Her mastery of Greek cooking was impressive and thorough. She was a self-taught cook who on most nights made food from scratch and we were very fortunate to enjoy great Greek food many nights of the week. The smoky eggplant salad and okra were some of my absolute favorites and continue to be personal favorites — mostly because they remind me of my mother’s kitchen and her beautiful spirit, but also because they simply taste delicious.

