There is a story about Suleiman the Magnificent and red wine that goes like this…. During the 1550s, Suleiman the Magnificent was preparing for the siege of the Eger Castle in the Beech Mountains of northern Hungary. The castle was defended by some 2000 soldiers and civilians led by a Captain Istvan Dobó,...
Here is a piece taken from the wonderful book “The Artist’s Lunch” by Alice McCormack and Sarah Rhodes on the thoughts of Anne Zahalka on an artist’s lunch. Read slowly and immerse in the imagery…… “If I were to develop an idea around the artist’s lunch myself, I would...
Last night my husband and I were discussing colours and the colour chartreuse was mentioned. I should mention that my husband is colour-blind so we do have some interesting conversations about colour! Anyway, that got me thinking and I went to the liqueur cabinet and sure enough, two bottles...
One of my many loved books in my library is a translated copy of The Opera of Bartolomeo Scappi (1570) subtitled The Art and Craft of a Master Cook. Who was Bartolomeo Scappi and why does he hold my fascination. Here is a little insight. Bartolomeo Scappi is thought to have been born...
The green lentils of Puy, France are a unique lentil, very flavoursome and do not need to be soaked before cooking. They were traditionally known as ‘poor man’s caviar’ due to their excellent flavour and their reasonable cost. They do have some interesting characteristics. Firstly, they are exceptionally small,...
The inclusion by Michaelangelo in the painting of the Sistine Chape of The Drunkeness of Noah is both fascinating and somewhat curious. During the Middle Ages, the drunkenness of Noah had been a popular subject for artists, but the Renaissance era saw less of an interest in Noah and...
Crocus sattivus is the botanical name given to the wonderful spice ‘saffron’, a prized spice by Greeks who used it as a cosmetic, the Romans who drank a saffron broth as a service to Venus, the God of Love, and Phoenicians as well as Buddhists, both of whom used it...
Pecorino cheese is a generic name for the pale sheep milk cheese of Italy, and Percorino is a staple of the Sardinian diet. Sardinia is the only region to produce 3 pecorino cheese with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) appellation – Pecorino Sardo, Fiore Sardo and Pecorino Romano. Pecorino Sardo PDO...
The unusual Cos D’Estournel lies just north of the Château Lafite-Rothschild in the famous Médoc district of Bordeaux, and in its own right produces arguably the finest grapes grown in the Saint Estèphe commune. However, it is not the quality of the wine or the grapes that is the...
I have spent quite a bit of time over the last few days thinking through my blog and facebook page, and I have bombarded my patient husband with random ideas and he has tolerated and been supportive of my out of the box thoughts. This experience has really been...
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.
