Two of the most famous Greek wines have been produced on the North Aegean island of Samos and Limnos since antiquity. Samos has one of the best-known vineyard areas in Greece. The 3700 acre (1500 hectare) area of cultivation produces one of the best Muscat wines in the world....
Tycho Brahe (1546-1601), the famous Danish astronomer had a fascinating life and much has been written about him. There is however, one fascinating theory about him – that he was the father of Christian IV and the source for Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Tycho Brahe lived on the island of Hven from...
You will all have heard of the goddess Aphrodite but here is a little piece about her and her relationship with Cyprus…. It is said that wherever Aphrodite wandered, sweet-smelling roses grew at her feet. Many ancient myths have been woven about the birth of this goddess. Cronos,...
Do you know the story behind the black cat with the arched back that appears on the label above? Well here it is….. In the town of Zell, which is nestled on the upper Mosel River in Germany, there is a story told of a black cat and a superstitious...
Emperor Rudolf II (18 July 1552 – 20 January 1612) was an introvert, a lover of life and the ladies, an erudite scholar of the arts, and a supporter and protector of the occult – as well as a manic depressive. In 1563, the young Rudolf was sent with...
I love reading historical travel accounts and diary entries, especially about the Mediterranean and here is a small extract from Goethe about Sicily which I wanted to share with you…. Towards the end of the 18th century, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who loved travelling in Italy, kept a...
Agios Oros, the holy mountain of the Orthodox world, is a place of peace and reflection, geared totally to a monastic way of life. In actual fact, it is ruled over by a woman, even though it is now only accessible to men. The Holy Mother of God is...
We have all heard the comments that a piece of two of dark chocolate are purportedly good for one’s health, but did you know that in 1775 a Venetian published a dissertation praising the health benefits of chocolate? Well, here is a little about that dissertation…. In 1775, Giovanni...
With some nostalgia, Rome occasionally commemorates Angelo Valiani, a character who made his name at the end of the 19th century as a master of the cold buffet, first at the station of his native town of Orbetello, later in Grosseto, and finally also in Rome. His speciality was...
This piece is attributed to Francesco Michele Tramezzino, Venetian printers, as well as friends and publishers of the famed Bartolomeo Scappi on the publishing of his 1570 Opera – The Art and Craft of the Modern Cook – and is worth sharing… “To the Readers The main purpose of good...
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.
