Ode to My Greek Mother + a Special Recipe!

I was very fortunate to start my belly dancing career with one of the Seattle greats: Zaphara.  I started completely on a whim, lucked out by landing in Zaphara’s class right out of the gates, and soon found myself roped into dancing with her troupe.  (Though, let’s be honest, it really didn’t take much arm-twisting.)  Through her loosely structured but inspiring classes, numerous performance opportunities, her unbridled enthusiasm for the dance and unstoppable sense of humor, I fell deeply, hopelessly in love with belly dance.  I’m not sure what I loved more: all the girl time with fabulous women in her classes, the midnight gigs with Kultur Shock, or her endless stories of belly dance adventures (far too many to list here).

I ate it up, and 17 years later, I’m still at it, trying my darndest to carry on her traditions with my own troupe.  She is my Greek Mother, my Madame Z, and she and I share a passion for chickens that I often don’t discuss in public for obvious reasons.  I recently sent out an email with a honeydew smoothie recipe.  True to form, Zaphara quickly wrote back: “I love it however, I have one complaint: you forgot to put in the vodka!”  So, here is Zaphara’s recipe.  More fun, to be sure – just like Zaphara.

Zaphara's Special Smoothie

2 cups cubed honeydew

1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and cut up

1 or 2 kiwi fruit, peeled and cut up 

2-3 tbsp sugar (or stevia)

1 tsp lemon juice (or lime)

1 cup ice cubes

Garnish : slices of kiwi or honeydew

In a blender, blend everything, except the ice until smooth. Add ice, blend until cubes are crushed and the mixture is smooth.

To Serve:  Start with a BIG splash of the smoothie, add vodka to taste! Or: in a large martini glass or mason jar, add cut fruit, before blending, add vodka and a topping of smoothie!

After a couple of the above drinks:

Heck, throw the ice in the blender, add vodka, heck with the fruit!!!!

~*~

Thank, Z.  I love ya lots.

My early days with Zaphara's Middle Eastern Dancers