Post image for Hands-On Leek and Feta Phyllo Pie Cooking Class

Our Leek and Feta Pie will be a hands-on class, on August 23rd, from 11:30-1:30.
This is one of my most popular appetizers and everyone will take home a 1/2sheet pan of their own to take home and cook. Featured in the photo is a full tray, you will be takin home a 1/2 tray. You will learn how to work with phyllo and make the filling for the pie. It will make 12 small pieces or 6 large pieces.

Registration is on Eventbrite. – CLOSED>

 

Please bring an apron and wear casual clothing with closed toe shoes. Everyone will be cooking so safety is important.

Chef Mary
Ethos Culinary -Owner

 

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Post image for Plant-Forward Greek Summer Cooking Class – Aug. 18th

Plant- Forward Greek simply implies adding more fresh produce to your diet.

Being a Greek Chef, our plates are commonly prepared with garden vegetables with the freshest ingredients. We visit the farmer markets weekly for our classes.

Many farmers markets are brimming with beautiful summer vegetables this month and Chef Mary will prepare her dishes with locally gathered produce.

Registration Here at Eventbrite – closed

Greek Menu

Thyme- Infused Artichokes with Greek Basil Pesto

Zucchini Boats with Fresh Herbs

Homestyle Greek -Lemon Potatoes

Spinach and Feta Spanakopita

Fruit Phyllo Strudel

 

I hope to see you in Carlsbad, at our new culinary school!

UPCOMING CLASS – FETA AND LEEK PIE HANDS ON CLASS  – AUGUST 23RD

Chef Mary

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Post image for Discovering the Greek Islands Culinary Class

Welcome to Ethos Culinary!

 

The Greek Islands are famous for their summer foods, beaches and hospitality. You will be invited into Chef Mary’s Home and Kitchen as we prepare a Greek Menu from local ingredients. Chef Mary Papoulias-Platis has traveled throughout Greece experiencing many of her favorite dishes. The chef will demonstrate and prepare several dishes that will introduce you to this incredible healthy Greek Diet.

In August, the first class will be Saturday, August 12th, Discovering the Greek Islands from 6:30-9:00. We will enjoy a summer night in the patio with drinks and as appetizer. From there, we will be seated to begin cooking demonstrations with Chef Mary as she describes the meal and her experiences in Greece.

Tickets are online at Eventbrite. Registration Here. 

Menu:

Grilled Marinated Shrimp Skewers with Yogurt Herb Sauce

Arugula Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes , Watermelon and Feta

Stuffed Summer Tomatoes with Herbs and Rice

Walnut and Honey Cake

We will be seated for a lovely dining experience with Greek wines and cold Beverages. Mary invites everyone to her dinner table as we exchange travel memories and the love for fine and organic foods of Greece. Pre-registration is required.

We hope to see you in the kitchen!

Chef Mary 

 

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Explore the World of Greek Olive Oil with Ela!

July 28th 6:30-8:30

Dinner, Olive Oil Tasting, Cooking Demo, and Dinner

Join us for an unforgettable evening of culinary delight at Etho’s Culinary. Indulge in a unique dining experience with Brothers Jason and Michael Lakis, owners of Ela! extra virgin olive oil from Crete. Experience an olive oil tasting, a cooking demo, and a delectable dinner, as we learn more about the story behind their product. Prepare your taste buds for an extraordinary journey as we showcase a delectable menu using olive oil curated by Chef Mary Platis. From a tantalizing appetizer to mouthwatering main course and a divine dessert, this event promises to be a feast for the senses.

Don’t miss this opportunity to savor the culinary creations of these esteemed guests. Book your spot now and get ready to embark on a gastronomic adventure like no other! OPA!

Menu: 
Poached Wild Salmon Fillet in Ela! Olive Oil
Marinated Summer Vegetables in Olive Oil
Roasted Local Vegetables in Greek Herbs
Ouzo Olive Oil Ice Cream with Olive Oil Biscotti

Buy your tickets Below:

Tickets Available on Eventbrite at Ethos Culinary

 

The Lakis Family of Ela' Olive Oil

One of my favorite ways to use Ela! For more information visit Ela! Olive Oil.

Ela' Olive Oil with Avocado Toast

My signed cookbook will be available for purchase the night of the event.

Cooking Techniques with Olive Oil

 

See you soon at Ethos,

Chef Mary 

 

A sneak peak into our August Classes at Ethos Culinary.

More information will be out for saving yourself a seat!

Mary

 

 

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July Classes Moved to August

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

Post image for July Classes Moved to August

Welcome to Ethos Culinary!

July Classes have been moved to August due to family visits and celebrations, and private events.

If you would like to  sign up for classes, please come back in a few days as I develop the August Classes. I use Eventbrite for sign-ups and will link all my classes to this site: Ethos Culinary.
Any groups that would like to have a special event, please call me at 525-2274. Groups can add on to any of the August Classes. 

If this is your first time here, we are so thrilled you are interested in our cooking events and classes. We are closed in June, family is arriving and it’s time for a few weeks off for vacation. Our classes are currently being scheduled for July. Please check back with us or leave your email below in the comments, so we can send you an update.

 

 

We are excited about our Summer Events, we hope to see you there!

Mary

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Post image for The San Diego Union Tribune Visits Ethos Culinary

Remember in-person cooking classes? You know, the ones held at the late great Great News! Cookware and Cooking School, Sur La Table, Macy’s and Williams-Sonoma. Then there were the ones chefs taught at their restaurants.

We lost those experiences, as a result of store closings and, of course, the pandemic. Instead, we made do with classes taught over Zoom. But gone were the flavors and aromas of the in-person classes and the ability to make new friends as we learned.

In-person cooking classes are starting to make a comeback, and among those who have launched them is Mary Papoulias-Platis of Ethos Culinary in Carlsbad. She and her husband Mike Platis, an architect, built a new spacious and bright kitchen as an extension to the front of their home. With three islands and a long dining table, the space provides plenty of room for students to gather and learn not just Greek cooking, but also plant-forward cooking, since Papoulias-Platis is a certified plant-based chef.

 

Mary Papoulias-Platis grew up cooking Greek food. She worked on weekends at her mom’s and aunt’s deli in downtown San Diego as a child. Once she met and started dating her husband in the 1970s, she became deeply involved in working at his mother’s booth at the San Diego County Fair, making baklava, pastries, spanakopita, Greek salads, lamb shanks, and hummus bowls with pita. The Greek Gourmet booth expanded to three trailers that also traveled to the Orange County and Pomona fairs.

Mary Papoulias-Platis chose a different route for her career, though — teaching kindergarten and first grade for 12 years before running The Reading Patch bookstore in Encinitas. She did all this while still tending to The Greek Gourmet.

Eventually, she closed the bookstore and the couple’s three kids left home. At that point, she decided to take a job at Sur La Table, where she worked her way up to teaching classes and also took those skills to Great News!, the San Diego Culinary Institute and private homes. She then briefly ran Sur La Table’s cooking school.

“That’s how I learned the business,” she said. “I learned how to hire cookbook authors and chefs and how to deal with setting up classes and promoting them.”

Eventually, Mary Papoulias-Platis was hired by the Ecke family on their North 40 Urban Farm project, an effort to expand the seasonal programs at The Flower Fields in Carlsbad to a year-round mix of agriculture and culinary tourism. After five years of development, however, the project wasn’t approved by the city of Carlsbad. But that period gave her a deep education in how to build a commercial kitchen, which she put to good use during COVID, once she decided to run a cooking school from her home.

Mary Papoulias-Platis speaks from behind a counter at her cooking school. She was heavily involved in The Greek Gourmet booth that operated at the San Diego County Fair, among others. She taught classes at Sur La Table and other cooking schools and now runs her cooking school from her home.

The class I took during a recent visit to Ethos Culinary was “Everyday Greek.” Papoulias-Platis immediately dispelled what non-Greeks assume is basic Greek cooking, based on the restaurants where they dine.

“Greek restaurants tend to use more holiday dishes than home cooking,” she explained. “We’re talking moussaka, pastitsio, the gyro sandwich and the mezzes. And they tend to serve more meat than the average Greek eats. But as you travel beyond Athens to the islands or the countryside, the food shifts. You’re going to see more garden-driven meals and seafood. Fish is one of the basics to Greek cooking — from shrimp and snapper to mussels and sardines.”

Mary Papoulias-Platis and her students serve themselves dishes from the cooking class.

Mary Papoulias-Platis says many Greek restaurants use dishes that are more often served for the holidays. Her class focused more on food that would be eaten at a typical Sunday dinner at home.

Our class menu reflected what Mary Papoulias-Platis described as a typical Sunday dinner. We started with melitzanosalata (Greek roasted eggplant dip) that she served with slices of nutty, firm Kefalograviera sheep cheese, pita slices and crackers. She told the class to use round globe eggplants, puncture them in several places, and wrap them in foil to bake for an hour. Then once cool to the touch, halve them lengthwise and scoop out the pulp into a bowl where you’ll add garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix and refrigerate before serving.

Sticking to the vegetable-forward theme, Mary Papoulias-Platis also showed us how to prepare radikia, a boiled greens salad packed with lemony flavor. The dish involves chopping and boiling the greens, straining them (keep the cooking water), then adding back some water along with olive oil, lemon juice from a zested lemon, and salt and pepper. Top with the zest and serve. While making it, she sweetly recalled her mother foraging for greens near their La Mesa home.

Another side dish Mary Papoulias-Platis prepared was patzaria — roasted beets accompanied by skordalia, or potato garlic dip. “Don’t throw out the greens!” she told us as she cleaned and trimmed the beets. “They’re full of nutrients. And after the beets are roasted, rub them with paper towels to remove the skin.”

In this dish, the beet greens can be either boiled or sauteed. The beets, once cooked and skinned, are quartered or sliced and mixed in a bowl with garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar and salt and pepper. Let them marinate briefly before serving them in a bowl with the greens alongside them. The rich, garlicky skordalia is made with peeled, boiled russet potatoes that are mashed with olive oil and minced garlic. Blend with vinegar (Mary Papoulias-Platis used champagne vinegar), salt and pepper. Mary Papoulias-Platis said that shallots would work well in the dish and that if the potatoes are too dry, add a touch more olive oil. Skordalia, she said, also goes well with other dishes.

The main course was a lovely Psari Plaki — baked fish with tomatoes and onions. Here she used halibut, but any thick white flesh fish, like cod or bass, will also work well. Cut the fillets into large pieces and place in an oiled baking pan. To make the sauce, heat oil in a frying pan and saute minced garlic and horizontally sliced white onions until soft, then stir in chopped seeded Roma tomatoes, parsley, cinnamon, Greek oregano, salt and pepper, and red wine. Cook the mixture and then pour over the fish, which will then bake for about 45 minutes, uncovered.

The ingredients  Mary Papoulias-Platis used are likely to be in your pantry. Olive oil is a must, but not just any oil. She prefers oil made from fruity Koroneiki olives, recommending a new local purveyor, Éla (elaevoo.com), operated by San Diego brothers Jason and Michael Lakis; or Bragg olive oil sold by Walmart.

You can learn about Mary Papoulias-Platis’ class schedule at californiagreekgirl.com. Basic lunch classes cost $55 and include a two-hour demonstration class with drinks and a sit-down lunch.

Baked fish with a sauce made with onions, garlic, tomatoes, spices and red wine.

Baked fish with a sauce made with onions, garlic, tomatoes, spices and red wine makes a great main course. Halibut is a good choice, but any thick white fish, such as cod or bass, works well for this dish.
(Eduardo Contreras / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Psari Plaki: Baked Fish With Onions and Fresh Tomatoes
Makes 4 servings

2 pounds skinless, boneless cod, halibut or bass fillets
½ cup olive oil, divided in half
4 onions, peeled and thinly sliced horizontally
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups freshly chopped tomatoes or 1 cup tomato puree diluted with 2 cups water
½ cup parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste
½ cup red wine

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Rinse fish with cold water and pat dry. Oil baking pan with half the oil.

Cut fish into 4 pieces and place in pan.

Heat remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until onions are soft.

Stir in tomatoes, parsley, oregano, cinnamon, salt, pepper and red wine. Cook for 10 minutes, then add sauce to fish.

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.

Remove from oven and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Pour sauce over fish and serve warm.

 

A beet salad with mixed greens.
Served boiled alongside a beet salad, the vegetable’s tops are nutrient-rich.
(Eduardo Contreras / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Radikia: Mixed Greens With Olive Oil Dressing
Makes 4 servings

4 bunches of greens; select beet greens, mustard greens, dandelions, spinach, or Swiss chard
2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper
Reserve 1½ cups of water from greens
Juice from two lemons

Wash the greens in cold water and drain. Trim ends from the greens. If using Swiss chard, cut the inside rib out from the center.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the greens and cook until tender for 5 to 8 minutes. Remove and drain in a colander. Reserve liquid.

Add greens to a bowl. Mix with the olive oil, salt, pepper, reserved water and lemon juice. Serve.

Patzaria: Roasted Beet Salad With Skordalia
The beets and the skordalia (garlic dip) can each be made 1 to 2 days ahead.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

2 pounds of red beets with tops
3 tablespoons minced garlic
½ cup olive oil
½ cup red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Wash beets and cut off roots and tops. Wrap in foil and bake in at 350 degrees for 1 hour, until soft in the center.

Remove from oven; unwrap and peel beets. Cut into ¼-inch slices.

Place beets in a bowl. Add garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper. Let beets marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve warm or cold with garlic dip (recipe follows).

 

Skordalia: Garlic Dip
Makes 2 cups

3 to 4 russet potatoes, peeled
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup olive oil
⅓ cup red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Add the peeled potatoes to a medium pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until tender, around 15 to 20 minutes. Drain potatoes.

Place the cooked potatoes in food processor with the minced garlic and blend until smooth. Can also be done by hand with a masher or in a mortar.

Move potatoes to a clean bowl. Add olive oil and vinegar and continue to blend.

Add the salt and pepper. Blend thoroughly, and taste for added seasoning.

Can be served at room temperature or cold.

A Greek roasted eggplant dip served with sheep cheese, pita slices and crackers.
A Greek roasted eggplant dip is a starter served with sheep cheese, pita slices and crackers.
(Eduardo Contreras / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Melitzanosalata: Roasted Eggplant Dip
Makes 4 cups

2 to 3 purple round eggplants (see Note)
4 to 6 garlic cloves, minced
¼ to ½ cup olive oil
½ cup red wine vinegar
1 bunch of fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 to 1½ teaspoons salt
¼ to ½ teaspoons pepper
1 baguette loaf, 1 package of pita bread, sliced, or crackers

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash eggplants, pat dry, and puncture skin of the eggplants with a sharp knife in several places.

Place on a cooking sheet or sheet pan and bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

While eggplants are warm to the touch, halve lengthwise and scoop out pulp with a spoon into a medium bowl.

Place pulp in a food processor, blender or use a hand blender and blend until smooth.

Place back into bowl and add garlic, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and parsley. Mix gently.

Taste for added seasoning.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until cool or overnight. Taste and add more salt or pepper as needed.

Slice baguette and place around bowl, or cut pita rounds like pie-shaped triangles and serve alongside the dip.

Note: Use the large round eggplants, not the long skinny ones.

 

A big thank you to the San Diego Union Tribune along with writer Caron Golden (see information below) and photographer  Eduardo Contreras.

Recipes by Mary Papoulias-Platis.

Golden is a San Diego freelance writer and blogger.

Caron Golden
carondg@gmail.com
858-699-2635

goldenwriting.com

It was a wonderful experience and thank you for all who attended the class,

Mary 

Look for new classes in July at Ethos!

 

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Ethos Culinary May Lunch Series

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

Post image for Ethos Culinary May Lunch Series

Ethos Culinary invites you to our three-part May Lunch Series, “Cooking Outside the Lines”, from 11:00-1:00 on May 3rd., May 16th, and May 26th. These classes will be taught by me, introducing Cooking Techniques with no recipe required.  In other words, you will leave the class knowing how to master a dish, without using a recipe. You will be given ideas on vegetable selections, how to shop for vegetables, a pantry list, and how to bring this cooking method home to prepare your own meals. To clear up the definition of Plant-Forward, it simply means adding more vegetable-inspired meals to your diet. These culinary classes will include a sit-down lunch, drinks, and a two-hour observation class. 

Note: My love for vegetables grew and grew as I started this cooking blog and bringing you many options for keeping a clean and healthy diet. I completed a program several years ago and became a Certified Plant-Based Chef through the Rouxbe program. Now, I’m ready to pass on several tips and cooking skills to you through my Ethos cooking classes, so you may begin your own journey preparing yourself for a more healthy lifestyle. I selected these three classes as beginning classes, for they are my favorite weekly meals to prepare.

Explore the Flavors of Vegetable Paella –SOLD OUT! 
Wednesday, May 3rd 
Time 11:00-1:00
R.S.V.P. only  $55.00

Vegetable Paella

 

The Art of Creating Risotto – Cancelled
Tuesday, May 16th
Time: 11:00-1:00
R.S.V.P only $55.00

 

Let’s Toss NEW salads and Vinaigrettes – SOLD OUT!
Friday, May 26th 
Time:  11:00-1:00
R.S.V.P only $55.00

 

All payments will be registered at Eventbrite. If you would like to contact me for more information or for payment, at ethosculinary@gmail.com, or 760-525-2274.
I do accept Zelle or Venmo.

 

Let’s Do Lunch and Celebrate Spring!

Chef Mary 

 

 

 

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Ethos Culinary Events for March 2023

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

Post image for Ethos Culinary Events for March 2023

THIS CLASS IS SOLD OUT!

This month Ethos Culinary is kicking off with three events, bringing you together for a new education experience, conversation and hours of laughter. Our classes run for 2-3 hours, including recipes and a nice fresh lunch/dinner for you to all enjoy with old and new friends. You are more than welcome to introduce a friend to our new event space, have a date, celebrate a birthday or come alone to engage with us in a unique culinary experience. We are located in Carlsbad North County, San Diego. The exact address will be emailed to you at time of registration.

Ethos Culinary Greek Meze

SOLD OUT!

March 31st – 6:30-8:30

Springtime Greek Meze Table with Chef and Mary Papoulias-Platis.

I will be teaching my traditional and flavorful Greek Meze small plates, which are appetizer size bites, that are so popular in Greece today! These are fast and easy to prepare for your next celebration or holiday party. Serve them alone with drinks, or bring your Meze out early for your guests to enjoy before dinner. Greeks are known for their Meze Table, as they can be the meal in the Greek home! Come together at the table with these traditional Greek bites and let’s break bread together!

Menu

Artichoke Basil Feta Spread
Shrimp Scorpio
Tomato Fritters with Garlic Sauce
Yellow Split Peas Spread
Roasted Peppers with EVOO
Herbal Lamb Meatballs
Served with Greek Wines

$125.00 per person.



We are offering three classes, please take the time to read and select your event, and pay below through Paypal, or email me for more information or payment at ethosculinary@gmail.com. I also accept Zelle, Square or a personal check made out to Ethos Culinary. We ask you pay in advance, and cancel if necessary within 5 days prior to the class date. Reservations only. Address will be handed out once we receive your reservation.

I’ll see you in class, 

Chef Mary 

 

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Ethos Culinary – A Chef’s Kitchen

by Mary Papoulias-Platis

Post image for Ethos Culinary – A Chef’s Kitchen

I haven’t been active on my blog, because we started construction on a 900 square foot culinary kitchen space on our property in Carlsbad, California. It’s been a long road and we are finally opening Ethos Culinary, a space for events, meeting, classes and special events. We started the project February 2019, and we had many ups and downs throughout the pandemic years. I started an Instagram account called Build to Cook, the Chef (me) and the Architect (my husband) archiving every step in the building process.

My husband Mike drew up the plans after hours and hours of rethinking the flow of the room, the width of the islands, lighting and hundreds of other concerns. We had many companies involved supporting this crazy dream of mine.
Pirch in San Diego, worked with us throughout the project, and a big shout out to Fred who worked with us in selecting our appliances, sinks and fixtures.

Here’s a brief look into the beginning of our construction project. Demolition Day!

Construction was just beginning, as the crew began digging the foundation, what a mess! Our entire front of the house was taken down leaving us with an open cold living space. Then  the rain came.

Pouring of the foundation fascinated me as I had no idea how much work was needed prior to this day. The plumbing and the electrical took days to prepare before the work crew and trucks arrived.

The framing was coming together nicely, and again I was shocked to see how tall these ceilings became. I guess I’m not very good at reading the plans. Of course many more steps were taken before this but take a look at Build to Cook for more details.

The plaster company was a wonderful family business my husband has worked with for years. It was such a skillful job, taping and mudding this tall ceiling. I fully appreciated every moment as these skilled workers completed the room.

After the plaster, came the beams. We decided to stain them dark which gave the walls a nice contrast. There were a total of five beams, the others are hidden. The stain we used was “Espresso” by Varathane. We repeated the color again for the front countertop.

I’m jumping ahead, to the installation of all the appliances, marble countertops and cabinetry. My son Nick Platis at Central Fabrication and Millwork and his crew built all the cabinets and my front door. I chose white oak stained, and the wall cabinets an all white color. My Fisher and Paykal appliances were purchased from Pirch in San Diego ,a large eight burner stove, two wall ovens, a steam oven, and their large double-sided refrigerator. We ordered two sinks, the Executive Chef and the Heartland performing different tasks from Kohler Sinks also from Pirch. We chose two very clean and modern Litze faucets by Brizo. I chose two different styles, one single for the hand sink, with an easy pull down head, and a double faucet with hot and cold handles for easy washing of dishes for the larger sink.

I chose an Italian marble from Tutto Marmo in San Diego, with the help of the owner, Masimo! He had to special order them since my islands were 10 ft. long. The order came in, site-unseen and I loved them! Masimo’s company, did an incredible job delivering on time and so appreciative of their impeccable service.

The countertops arrived with 6 men for the installation process from Russo Marble and Tile in El Cajon. I couldn’t bear to watch them as they installed them. They did an outstanding job, fitting it perfectly onto the countertops. The large backsplash tile is clean-looking and beveled, to fill the entire back wall. The tile came from Daltile in San Diego.

Our kitchen is completed, except the flooring that was delayed and out of stock. Flooring was eventually delivered  months later. I chose an all white interior for the space, a concept Dick Lund advised me on, an architect I once worked with years ago. It’s ideal for filming which we plan to do in the future.

I had a few small events to introduce the space to many of our friends and family. I had enough seats for 15 people which is a good size for classes and events. As you can see its a very large room, which will be filled in March as we begin the official opening of the space, and hopefully with many wonderful culinary enthusiast. A March Event calendar will be posted soon.

The front yard was designed for outside entertaining, using quartz stone as a design concept from RCP in San Diego, and the white brick, Casa Blanca, wall from Modern Builders in San Marcos, as a textured addition to the house. The light fixtures were chosen in a large scale to bring a statement to the front, as well as lighting strength to light up the entire patio. We found them locally at Black Whale Lighting. 

 

 

But with all that behind us, we are finally opening our Chef’s Kitchen and looking forward to having you join us in our home, for an intimate setting and delicious food! See you all soon for a bite to eat!

Let’s Get Started!

Mary

If you are interested in our Event Calendar, please email us at Ethosculinary@gmail.com.

 

 

 

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