The Hospices in Beaune, the Burgundian capital of wine, is one of the most beautiful structural examples of French medieval artistry. Work on this building began in 1443, on the orders of Nicolas Rolin, the Chancellor of Philip the Good. From 1452 onward, the poor and sick of the...
Whilst this is actually a recipe for a Brazilian passionfruit cake, Bolo de Maracujá, and so doesn’t fit into the Mediterranean theme of the blog, it is so wonderful that I had to share it with you. This is rich in passionfruit and so it decidedly sweet, but I...
(Portrait by Tintoretto, c,1575) Veronica Franco (1580-1625) was a poet famous in her own time who made her living as a courtesan. she received her training from her mother, who was also a courtesan until she married. The Franco family was of relatively high birth for Venice, coming...
A variety of taverns and inns in fourteenth century Venice catered to clienteles of differing social stations, offering clues about modes of socialisation. Prior to 1355 some taverns received state privileges to serve the most costly white wines that came from Romania and Candia as well as Ribolla from the Friuli....
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...
I have recently been reading in some depth about the life of the Renaissance painter and mathematician Pierro Della Francesca, and in particular have been fascinated by Larry Witham’s book called Piero’s Light. One painting of Piero has really captured my imagination, as it has done for many others...
I will soon be introducing you to a an wonderful Tuscan cookbook, but by way of a teaser I thought I would share with you a recipe from the cookbook for a melt-in-the-mouth Pistoria Chestnut Cake which is so simple to make but is so delicious that you will...
The quandong is a relatively unknown Australian bushfruit, treasured by Aboriginal Australians for centuries. It was dried or the fruit was eaten raw and it was discovered to be a valuable source of vitamin C. In her book Bush Food, Jennifer Isaacs describes how the Aborigines burnt the branches of...
When you are next planning a trip to the wonderful city of Naples, you must pay a visit to the extraordinary Museo di Capodimonte, one of Itay’s finest museums, which sits in the hilltop haven of Capodimonte. When Charles III of Bourbon became king, he gathered all the artworks...
The island of Korčula is one of the largest in the Adriatic, some 47km (29m) long and mountains run the length of the island, reaching 560m (1,837 ft) at their peak. It has been inhabited since prehistoric times. The Greeks named it Korkyra Melaina (Black Corfu) and it has 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.
