Brendan Pelley of Pelekasis at Wink & Nod
Destination: Greece
Sure, growing up in a Greek-American household helped Brendan Pelley learn to appreciate the flavors of his forefathers—but traveling to their homeland truly inspired him.
“Everywhere you go is crazy-beautiful,” he says of recent Mediterranean adventures that included a stay in Athens and island hopping to Mykonos, Santorini and Crete. “Each island has its own culinary style, but Crete was so varied. Strategically, from a military standpoint, it’s a great spot in the middle of the ocean, so it’s got influence from Turkey, Northern Africa, Phoenicians… it’s really exciting food.”
In the same vein, Pelley is applying his classical French and Italian training to put his own spin on Greek classics at new South End pop-up Pelekasis, which features his family’s original surname. Since cucumbers aren’t currently in season in Boston, Pelley gets creative and instead uses apples for a tart tzatziki with a bright crunch. He’s roasting local beets for horiatiki salad with citrus, pickled onion, hazelnuts and feta, and he’s importing tomatoes for a classic Santorini fritter. He did, however, stay mostly true to his mom’s recipe for spanakopita, searing the spinach pie in butter to evoke the crisp corner pieces that were his favorite growing up.
As for other “mom and pops,” wandering off beaten paths to family-run tavernas was Pelley’s favorite part of his time in Greece. “Mykonos is great for the party atmosphere, but you’ve kind of got to ‘follow your nose,’ ” he says. “The best stuff is where the locals eat—half the time they’ll invite you back to peek your head into the pots to see what’s cooking… rustic goat stews and braises and lamb and slow-cooked dishes that are some of the most intoxicating smells ever.”
Chew Your Own Adventure
For globe-trotting toques, inspiration is often the best souvenir. Here’s a look at how the stamps on their passports impact what’s on your plate.
By C. Dimiti | Photo Credit: Holly Rike | Feb. 12, 2016
Brendan Pelley of Pelekasis at Wink & Nod
Destination: Greece
Sure, growing up in a Greek-American household helped Brendan Pelley learn to appreciate the flavors of his forefathers—but traveling to their homeland truly inspired him.
“Everywhere you go is crazy-beautiful,” he says of recent Mediterranean adventures that included a stay in Athens and island hopping to Mykonos, Santorini and Crete. “Each island has its own culinary style, but Crete was so varied. Strategically, from a military standpoint, it’s a great spot in the middle of the ocean, so it’s got influence from Turkey, Northern Africa, Phoenicians… it’s really exciting food.”
In the same vein, Pelley is applying his classical French and Italian training to put his own spin on Greek classics at new South End pop-up Pelekasis, which features his family’s original surname. Since cucumbers aren’t currently in season in Boston, Pelley gets creative and instead uses apples for a tart tzatziki with a bright crunch. He’s roasting local beets for horiatiki salad with citrus, pickled onion, hazelnuts and feta, and he’s importing tomatoes for a classic Santorini fritter. He did, however, stay mostly true to his mom’s recipe for spanakopita, searing the spinach pie in butter to evoke the crisp corner pieces that were his favorite growing up.
As for other “mom and pops,” wandering off beaten paths to family-run tavernas was Pelley’s favorite part of his time in Greece. “Mykonos is great for the party atmosphere, but you’ve kind of got to ‘follow your nose,’ ” he says. “The best stuff is where the locals eat—half the time they’ll invite you back to peek your head into the pots to see what’s cooking… rustic goat stews and braises and lamb and slow-cooked dishes that are some of the most intoxicating smells ever.”
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