This is a list of my top-5 foods ever, in order.

1. Greek Easter lamb (one of the best things in life, possibly because it’s only served once a year traditionally)

2. Barbecued pork fried rice (as prepared in this restaurant in Surrey, UK)
3. Lamb Biryani (Indian, when well-prepared and not too spicy)
4. Greek Patsas (my mother’s version, with avgolemono and lots of garlic)
5. Seafood-bean salad or Greek Yuvarlakia (can’t decide which)

Best dessert: Tiramisu (Italian)
Best drink: Orangina (French)

Special mention: Pita souvlaki (Greek)

Τίς κοιλοίας ή αγαλίασιν…

This is the definition of “Greek” that I just found online among other similarly sarcastic definitions. I thought that it was a very smart definition that positively surprised me and made me smile. Soon afterwards I found that it was written by Nikos Dimou, one of the few Greek people that I truly respect for their opinion and works:

“Έλληνας (ο από 3.000 ετών): Ο τυπικός Ρωμιός είναι λεβέντης, μερακλής, τσίφτης, ασίκης, χουβαρντάς, ντόμπρος, μάγκας, βλάμης, μπεσαλής και καπάτσος. Καμιά φορά τεμπέλης, το ρίχνει στο χουζούρι και στο ραχάτι – μαχμουρλής, στο ντιβάνι, κοιτάει το ταβάνι. Του αρέσει ο παράς, το μπαξίσι, το κέφι και το γλέντι. Άμα τον πιάσει ο σεβντάς ή ο νταλγκάς για καμιά νταρντάνα, γίνεται νταής (μπελάς, ο γρουσούζης!) και άμα τον χτυπήσει ντέρτι και σεκλέτι, γίνεται μπεκρής και τον πονάει ο ντουνιάς. (Όλα τα ουσιαστικά ονόματα αυτού του κειμένου είναι ξένα. Είκοσι πέντε τουρκικά, τρία αλβανικά, δύο ιταλικά και ένα σλαβικό).”

To non-Greek readers: the interesting thing with his definition of “Greek person” is that the definition itself is written using 25 turkish, 3 albanian, 2 italian and 1 slavic nouns — words used a lot in the daily Greek language (most Greeks live under the illusion that they are immaculate in every way, especially when it comes to their genetic origins).

You probably remember my last week’s post about saving Blake Lewis from a demanding, under-paying contract by not voting for him to win “American Idol”. Blake –thankfully– was a runner up to winner Jordin Sparks, but he has also met my expectations regarding his intelligence: “I’m kind of glad I didn’t win just because of contractual reasons. […] I want to set my own path… it’s my music“. Well said Blake!

“The US appears to have rejected draft proposals by Germany for G8 members to agree tough measures in greenhouse gas emissions, leaked documents have shown.”

This shows how isolated into their own little corporation-led world the US government (and a big chunk of its citizens) really is. Pathetic. As an international (non-chauvinistic) citizen, I expect more from the most powerful nation in the world.