I know I have shared this dish with you before but as I will be including in my Christmas festivities, I thought I would share it with you again. This is a wonderful dish to serve as either an entrée or as part of a mezze. You could serve...
(Unknown Florentine Painter: Leon Battista Alberti, early 17th century, oil on canvas 63 x 45cm, Galleria degli Uffizi, Florence) Leon Battista Alberti was born an illegitimate, albeit recognized son, of one of the most high-ranking and wealthiest Florentine families. He received a comprehensive education, and obtained his doctorate...
Here is a wonderful pasta recipe from Donna Hay which I love to prepare – so simple and healthy – the essence of Mediterranean food. Try and enjoy! This recipe will serve 4. Pasta with mushrooms, haloumi walnuts 400g spaghetti 60ml extra-virgin olive oil 250g haloumi,...
If there is one food that represents summer and the Mediterranean it must be the tomato and as such it always is a key item on Christmas day, especially in the form of these fritters. Whilst I love a tomato, basil and mozzarella salad, when you have some very...
Sicilians learned the art of confectionery from the Arabs, for after their departure, their recipes for sweetmeats were adopted and improved in medieval monastery kitchens. Fortunately the occupiers had left behind their distillation equipment, which made possible the manufacture of an essence, called “orange flower water”, an essential ingredient...
Judith and Holophernes (c.1598 – 1600) – Caravaggio (Oil on Canvas, 145 x 195cm – Galleria Nazionale, d’Arte Antica, Rome). The deutero-canonical Book of Judith tells how Judith saved her people by seducing and killing Holophernes, the Assyrian general. Judith is invited into Holophernes’ tent and encouraged him to get drunk during...
It was with sadness that I heard of the recent death of P.D. James, the iconic and much celebrated British writer of crime fiction. I cannot remember when I first discovered her crime novels but it seems like they have been with me and part of my literary ‘history’...
I am increasingly turning to vegetables as the starting point of my menu planning and I am excited that my garden is flourishing so that I will soon be able to start picking the new crop of home-grown vegetables. At the weekend, I re-organised my overflowing recipe files...
The Church of San Giorgio at Montemerano is best known for a polytych by Sano di Pietro (1406-1481) – The Madonna and Child with Saints (below). But to the right of the high altar is another painting that is often overlooked but is worthy of attention. Now known as “La...
The Capilla del Obispo (Bishop’s Chapel) in Plaza de la Paja, Madrid, is a vertiable gem of Gothic art that has survived over the centuries. Now, after some years of restoration work and an investment of some 2 million Euros, visitors can finally view this small oratory, which...
Welcome to my love affair with the food, wine, history and culture of the Mediterranean, past and present. Here you will find not only recipes, drinks and fabulous products, but the history of the food and culture of the Mediterranean.
My purpose is to get you to explore and experience new tastes and along the way to immerse yourself in the wonderful history of this diverse and wonderful region – from Venice to Istanbul, Rome to Dubrovnik, Athens to Crete and all places in between and in the surrounds. Be prepared to be surprised, delighted and enthralled as you take this trip with me.
