Bon Appétit

Dacquoise sounds very fancy, but it's just a dessert made of giant flat meringues layered with mousse, whipped cream, or buttercream.

Graham crusts typically start with crushed graham crackers. Here, graham flour gives the crust a nutty flavor and hearty texture.

Pavlova is Australian for "big meringue topped with stuff" (typically berries and whipped cream).

About seven minutes of beating is all it takes to turn water, sugar, egg whites, and cream of tartar into a fluffy, soft marshmallowy frosting.

This easy dinner is special enough for company.

Before making this dish, call your fish market. Octopus is available at some markets, but it may need to be ordered several days ahead.

The anchovy butter would also be terrific on grilled meats or steamed green beans.

Serve the lamb with your favorite tzatziki (cucumber and yogurt sauce) and horta (sautéed greens tossed with red wine vinegar and honey).

The beauty of this basic recipe is that it can be tweaked in numerous ways. For a spicy version, add some sriracha sauce. Try swapping out the lemon juice for lime juice and use feta cheese instead of Parmesan and mix in some chopped fresh cilantro and chopped red onion or shallot. For a curried chickpea salad, leave out the Parmesan and add curry powder to taste, dried currants, sliced green onions, and shredded carrots.

These zucchini fritters are the perfect way to start the meal. Serve the keftedes, grape leaves , octopus , and feta and olives as mezedes (appetizers).