Bouliourdi - A Hot Dish for a Fall Holiday.

Summer lingers so long in Greece the fall can't help but be a shock. Sometimes there's not not a week between the last chilly swim and the first crackling fire. In Thessaloniki, we have two holidays at the end of October to bring a little joy to the sudden season of wet leaves- the National holiday of October 28th - "No" day (the concise answer to the Axis in WW II), a celebration of a proud entry into the war. Two days before this, we have the Holiday of our patron Saint, Dimitrios, a day that coincides with the end of another war: Thessaloniki was liberated from five centuries of Ottoman rule on this day in 1912, marking a day of civic and sacred glory both.

A wonderful custom of the southern Mediterranean is the celebration of name days - along with Agios Dimitrios, we celebrate all the Dimitris and Dimitras, and in Thessaloniki there are a lot- the city will be aglow with festive gatherings - at cafes, bars, restaurants, and private homes. And the city's crowning church will be aglow from hundreds of candles, thronged from the pre - dawn hours until late into the night by a crowd far more joyous than solemn.

What to eat on this most Thessaloniki of days? A dish that sums up a rich and exotic history, hot enough to warm us on a crisp fall day, and quick enough to not keep us long from celebrating. Bouliourdi is a dish of feta, tomato, and hot peppers, spiced just as you like, broiled until bubbling and slightly charred, fragrant and filling.This is a perfect light lunch, part of a mezze table, or impromptu snack with wine when friends drop by. Nothing could be simpler or more satisfying.

We will need:

A large thick slice of feta, or two

olive oil

1 sliced tomato

1 sliced hot green pepper

some dried red chili if you want it really hot

oregano

a splash of ouzo

Simply oil an oven - proof dish arrange everything in it (except for the ouzo), and broil it close to the heat until the feta browns on the edges. It will have a nice crust and yield like a soft pillow. As soon as it comes out, douse it with a little ouzo- the sweetness cuts the heat and adds a perfect counterpoint to  the saltiness. Serve with more ouzo if you like, or in the cool weather, a glass of red wine.

Happy holiday and happy fall.