So much has happened since my last post I don't know where to start at ALL!
In a week I have gone from the French countryside, to the alleys of Paris, to the maniacle sidewalks of Athens, and now have settled on the small Greek Island of Patmos for around a month... Exhale.I'm sure you also realise that with all of that travelling also come heaps of food experiences, regardless of the limited time I spent at each destination.
To start, we'll go to Paris.
Picture a classic Brasserie down a side street off the metro, packed into the old buildings and surrounded by what to me (lets be honest Australian cities are tiny) seems like millions of apartments, each with their own peeping window and life behind.
I am eating garlic-parsley snails for a starter, thyme-roasted rack of lamb for the main and of course a tart tatin for desert. Please God, don't hold the creme fraiche.... The others are having camembert wrapped in pastry and fried until each is its own golden/crunchy/gooey package, served with a savoury cranberry compote and a fresh balsamic salad.Eaten on a hot night with a cool breeze (and that un-identifiable something else in the Parisian air), my sister and I both in our party dresses and great friends of the family - there couldn't be a better night to remember what life there is all about.
Switch to my first night in Athens- the day of the strikes that were keeping my Father and I there in the first place- and there was really no sense of rebellion or trouble in the air- or maybe I was just too busy thinking 'food' or 'shopping'.Of course I had to have my first Greek Greek salad of the trip... and how it was good. There is no feta like that found in Greece (guess there isn't too much surprise factor there), I could eat this salad for ever onwards simply because of its absolute freshness. Pair that with zuchinni, dill and a mild cheese fritter and thats just about right I'd say.
NEXT on the menu-Buffet breakfasts Greek style. Need I say more? To me, nothing has the same allure as that of a buffet breakfast. Its an utterly enchanting idea that I can have what I fancy as many times as I like, and change my mind along the way, and not have to do a thing but miander over to the other legnth of the table and pop it on my plate. I mean come on, you must admit you love the luxury of that too.So imagine that concept but with cheese and spinach pastries, lusciously thick Greek yoghurts with the sweetest Greek honey, walnut cakes, anise spiced loaves of fresh baked bread... Need I go on? Don't forget the strong Lavazza esspresso which starts and follows this meal, that's surely a not a touch that could ever be left out.
And now, to my favourite food memory in Greece from my last trip-nay from and for forever. I don't know why I can't resist this sweet, but I buckle every time. It's not the wickedest honey-nut-pastry delight, nor the rich blocks of Halva that get me. It's.... nameless? A simple street-vendor-sold ring of light, shiny bread coated in golden seasame seeds and filled with custard. Oh take me back Dr. Who, to even write of it is torture. In fact, this type of thing is sold everywhere, with sweet and savoury combinations (for example bacon and cheese, spinach, or chocolate ect.) but its ready availability could not tarnish its specialness to me. My favourite moment of the day was roaming up and down the main shopping strips peering into the iconic Greek jewelers, ripping off chunks and popping them in my mouth like a slave would feed a goddess a grape.
To conclude Athens, I must include a sexy dish. Try saffron-poached pears filled with Pernot cream and topped with honey roasted nuts. I do believe that's a good end to an incredible city...
And so for now I bid you farewell, I'll let you dream of your own food memories, but I do hope you got something from mine.
In a week I have gone from the French countryside, to the alleys of Paris, to the maniacle sidewalks of Athens, and now have settled on the small Greek Island of Patmos for around a month... Exhale.I'm sure you also realise that with all of that travelling also come heaps of food experiences, regardless of the limited time I spent at each destination.
To start, we'll go to Paris.
Picture a classic Brasserie down a side street off the metro, packed into the old buildings and surrounded by what to me (lets be honest Australian cities are tiny) seems like millions of apartments, each with their own peeping window and life behind.
I am eating garlic-parsley snails for a starter, thyme-roasted rack of lamb for the main and of course a tart tatin for desert. Please God, don't hold the creme fraiche.... The others are having camembert wrapped in pastry and fried until each is its own golden/crunchy/gooey package, served with a savoury cranberry compote and a fresh balsamic salad.Eaten on a hot night with a cool breeze (and that un-identifiable something else in the Parisian air), my sister and I both in our party dresses and great friends of the family - there couldn't be a better night to remember what life there is all about.
Switch to my first night in Athens- the day of the strikes that were keeping my Father and I there in the first place- and there was really no sense of rebellion or trouble in the air- or maybe I was just too busy thinking 'food' or 'shopping'.Of course I had to have my first Greek Greek salad of the trip... and how it was good. There is no feta like that found in Greece (guess there isn't too much surprise factor there), I could eat this salad for ever onwards simply because of its absolute freshness. Pair that with zuchinni, dill and a mild cheese fritter and thats just about right I'd say.
NEXT on the menu-Buffet breakfasts Greek style. Need I say more? To me, nothing has the same allure as that of a buffet breakfast. Its an utterly enchanting idea that I can have what I fancy as many times as I like, and change my mind along the way, and not have to do a thing but miander over to the other legnth of the table and pop it on my plate. I mean come on, you must admit you love the luxury of that too.So imagine that concept but with cheese and spinach pastries, lusciously thick Greek yoghurts with the sweetest Greek honey, walnut cakes, anise spiced loaves of fresh baked bread... Need I go on? Don't forget the strong Lavazza esspresso which starts and follows this meal, that's surely a not a touch that could ever be left out.
And now, to my favourite food memory in Greece from my last trip-nay from and for forever. I don't know why I can't resist this sweet, but I buckle every time. It's not the wickedest honey-nut-pastry delight, nor the rich blocks of Halva that get me. It's.... nameless? A simple street-vendor-sold ring of light, shiny bread coated in golden seasame seeds and filled with custard. Oh take me back Dr. Who, to even write of it is torture. In fact, this type of thing is sold everywhere, with sweet and savoury combinations (for example bacon and cheese, spinach, or chocolate ect.) but its ready availability could not tarnish its specialness to me. My favourite moment of the day was roaming up and down the main shopping strips peering into the iconic Greek jewelers, ripping off chunks and popping them in my mouth like a slave would feed a goddess a grape.To conclude Athens, I must include a sexy dish. Try saffron-poached pears filled with Pernot cream and topped with honey roasted nuts. I do believe that's a good end to an incredible city...
And so for now I bid you farewell, I'll let you dream of your own food memories, but I do hope you got something from mine.
