There are cookbooks you bookmark for recipes, and then there are cookbooks that make you feel something. My Greek Mom’s Recipes: She Died. I Wrote This Cookbook by comedian Gus Constantellis is in the latter category. Part cookbook, part memoir, part comedy special, it is a heartfelt tribute to his late mother and the immigrant kitchen that shaped him
You may already know Gus from his wildly popular “Greek Mom” videos on TikTok and Instagram, where his loving impersonations of his mother have reached millions.
But beneath the humor is a meditation on grief, family, and the way food keeps people alive in our memories long after they are gone. The book itself has been described as “My Big Fat Greek Funeral meets Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat but with punchlines,” which honestly feels exactly right. You laugh, you get hungry, and somewhere in the middle, you unexpectedly get emotional too.
For this bonus post, I’m sharing two recipes that immediately called to me: Tirokafteri, a spicy feta dip that I could happily eat with absolutely everything. The dip takes just minutes to make, but delivers huge flavor from feta, roasted red peppers, garlic, and chili. It’s the kind of thing you set out for guests and suddenly everyone is hovering around the bowl.
And Horiatiki Salad - a classic Greek Village Salad that instantly transports me to the brightest of blues and whites that is Greece in June. Together, these recipes feel exactly right for this time of year. Bright tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, briny olives, creamy feta, warm pita. Casual, abundant food meant for gathering around a table outdoors.
Tirokafteri: Spicy Feta Dip
Prep time: 10 minutes
Yield: 8 to 10 servings
