“Txakolí is an acquired taste,” Basque wine buffs will say with a smile. The strange name conceals a slightly sparkling, sweet and lively white wine with fresh acidity and rather restrained fruit. The name Txakolí (Spanish Chacolí) is derived from the Arabic, chacalet, which means something weak, light, or thin. The fresh, light...
Armagnac has the reputation of being as individual and unique as are the people of Gascony. Individual vintners, distillers and éléveurs who age, assemble and offer this golden liquid are, in the main, responsible for its creation. Rather than asking for a particular brand, restaurateurs and sommeliers select a specific...
One of the best-known ambassadors for French gourmandise is a tiny, egg-shaped pure white candy known as anis de Flavigny. The fact that it appears in the French version of Trivial Pursuit is probably the clearest indication of how well-known it is. Its origins can be traced by to 1591, when...
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...
Corsica is a veritable paradise of distillers, macerators, mixers and blenders, and nature has bestowed on them an abundance of lemons, seedless tangerines, oranges, cherries, figs, myrtle berries and, of course, grapes. In the 16th century, when Corsican Muscadets were causing something of a furore in Italy, the...
Lentils are a very ancient cultivated plant that reached the Mediterranean region from the Orient. I have previously posted a piece about Puy lentils from France, well here I want to provide a little information on the lentils produced in the Castelluccio region of Umbria. Although the cultivation of...
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,...
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.
