THE MIGRATION CRISIS IN THE E.U.

                                         Many thanks to the B.B.C.for the map                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      The Greek interim government dispatched 60 extra police staff to Lesvos.  With the  help of United Nations High Commission for Refugees and local authorities, they managed, with incessant hard word, to sort out 20.000 migrants and hand them their documents in a matter of 36 hours, an epic achievement.    With extra ships, the migrants and refugees, arrived in Athens, from where the Syrian nationals continued their long, arduous journey, through F.Y.R.O.M., Serbia and Hungary to Austria and Germany.


The migrants of other nationalities, after being registered, reach Athens and are, now, living on  the city’s squares, by the thousands, under very difficult conditions.

*12^th September, 2015

Mrs. Merkel, demanded that Greece, struggling with a profound economic crash, make further efforts to protect the E.U.'s external sea borders.

*13^th September, 2015

At least 45 unfortunate people, including 15 children and babies, were drowned in the Aegean Sea, when their overcrowded, wooden ship capsized, off the island of Farmaconisi.  One more sea tragedy.  68 migrants were saved by the Greek coast guards, and 34 reached, swimming, to the shore.  We wish to thank our brave, hard-working coast guards, who, although understaffed and underpaid, save thousands of people, every day.

*On the 14^th September, Germany, despite the Schengen Treaty and following Hungary's example, temporarily closed their borders with Austria,  thus, forbidding migrants to enter their country.   Austria, Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia quickly followed suit.   Also, France is contemplating of shutting off their borders with Italy.   Apparently, Italy and Greece, both being gateways to the European Union, will be the only states who will have to cope and deal with this unprecedented migration crisis, the largest since World War II.      

My beautiful, talented granddaughter, Joy, came to see me before she returned to London,   We drank Bellini cocktails, that she had  prepared, and talked endlessly about situations, friends, films, her holidays on the Peloponnese, strictly keeping away from distressful  topics such as the credit crunch or the migration problem.

Here is a recipe for a Bellini cocktail.

                                                  BELLINI COCKTAIL

                                                              Prunus Persicus

This is considered to be the best Champagne cocktail in the world.  It was first prepared at Harry’s Bar, in Venice, in 1938.   It was named after Giovanni Bellini, the Venetian painter, because the colour of the cocktail resembled the painter's luminous skies.

4 doughnut peaches, peeled and stoned

Icing sugar to taste

1 tsp lemon juice to enhance the taste

Sparkling wine (I use Amalia Brut)

Iced Champagne flutes

Blend the peaches with the icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth, do not over blend.   Pour into a glass jug, cover and ice for three hours, at least.

When ready to serve pour 30 ml (1 fl oz) peach pulp in each iced Champagne flute and slowly top with sparkling wine.  Let it settle a little, then stir to mix well together.

                                             SMOKED SALMON CANAPES

     

                        

Bread must always be slightly buttered when making canapés, to prevent it from becoming soggy.

1 loaf of brown sandwich bread, sliced and cut into rounds

A little butter, at room temperature for spreading over

360 g (12 oz) thinly sliced smoked salmon

One 200 g tub (almost 7 oz) cream cheese

A little cream, if necessary

I spring onion, very finely sliced and chopped

A little lemon juice to taste

1 heaped tsp finely grated lemon rind
1 tsp horseradish sauce (optional)

1 tbsp finely chopped dill

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Garnish:

Small dill sprigs and

Tiny triangles  made out of lemon slices.   Cut each slice into 16 pieces with a very sharp knife

Prepare the cream cheese mixture, by blending all the ingredients together until smooth.  Pour in just enough cream to make the mixture spreadable. 

Spread the bread rounds, lightly with butter.  Then spread each round with the cream cheese mixture and place a strip of smoked salmon attractively on top.  Garnish with dill sprigs and tiny lemon triangles   Place the canapes on a serving dish, cover with cling film and refrigerate until ready to serve.



                                                    PRAWN CANAPES

  

When I was young so many years ago, no cocktail party was perfect without prawn canapés.

500 g (1 lb) boiled prawns, shelled and de-veined

1 loaf, or more, brown sandwich bread, sliced and cut into rounds

Butter, at room temperature

2 cups homemade mayonnaise or use a well-known commercial brand, mixed either

with

1 tbsp Metaxa brandy

2-3 tbsp tomato ketchup and

1 small sweet gherkin, very finely chopped

or

1 large avocado, peeled, stone removed and blended with

Lemon juice to taste

Salt and pepper to taste
a litttle Metaxa brandy 

Spread the bread rounds, first with a little butter and then, either with thousand island sauce (mayonnaise + brandy + tomato ketchup + sweet gherkin), or with the mayonnaise/ avocado mixture    Place the prawns attractively over and top with very little sauce.   Arrange the canapés on a serving dish, cover with cling film and refrigerate until ready to serve.

                                              CHEESE FRUIT AND NUT PLATTER

Most people love cheese and fruit with a glass of wine.   It is an easy, gourmet presentation that can be a full meal.   Until about a year ago, I used to offer my family and friends excellent Greek cheeses like a graviera from Crete or Naxos, San Mihalis from Syros, Katiki from Domokos, a delicious goat cheese from the Metsovo Dairy Farm, quince chutney, biscuits and fruit.   Now, due to the credit crunch, my cheese basket is frugal but tasty.  Homemade bread, a delectable kaseri, feta and wonderful seasonal fruit,