I have returned from Greece with my most precious import: Greek oregano plucked from the hillside of Corfu.
This spoonful is my secret to authentic tasting Horiatiki (Greek Salad). It is one of the differences between pasticcio and lasagna. And, it is the overall magic fairy dust of my Greek cooking. Each year, one of my father-in-law’s childhood friends from Corfu plucks Greek oregano from the hillside near his house and delivers the tied bundle to our door. We rub our hands together over the dry stalks, removing the stems and releasing the aromatic herb. I pack a small plastic baggy full, tuck it in a corner of the suitcase and smuggle it home for another year’s worth of Greek cuisine in my Chicago kitchen.
As I tuck the suspicious looking plastic bag full of green herb into my suitcase I always wonder if a search at the airport might cause any problems. The truth is I am never singled out. On the contrary. Once on an international flight into Detroit, I was pulled aside and asked if I could assist with the training of new dogs. The customs officers actually put a plastic bag of drugs in my purse and requested that I walk normally through the custom’s gate. The canine trainees were up to snuff indeed… they approached, sniffed and sounded the alarm. The custom’s officers removed their stash and rewarded both the dogs and me for our good performance. My husband on the other hand needs to shave within 2 hours of going to the airport to remove any shadow so that his dark looks don’t result in additional questioning and searches. Conclusion: Red hair, freckled face = innocent candidate to test drug dugs. Swarthy Greek = plan for extra time at the airport.
So, I am back in Chicago and have a good supply of Greek oregano. I would like to treat one of you to a little pinch of the good stuff as long as you promise to use it wisely! If you are interested, just leave any comment on this post. I will randomly choose a winner on Friday and will ship the lucky chef a small ziplock of my Greek oregano.