If you love making preserves as much as I do then this little titbit from Lawrence Durrell in Prospero’s Cell will ring a chord with you…. “Now that the robola is safely on the way, the Count can turn his attention to the kitchens with their gleaming copper ware and dungeon-like ovens. Here he busies...
A little quote from Arrigo Cipriani of Harry’s Bar, Venice on choosing a wine glass…. “As for the shape and colour of the glasses, they deserve a whole treatise to themselves. Two years ago I remember seeing some small glass amphorae at the Museum of Gallo-Roman Civilization in Lyons,...
One of my favourite books is Elizabeth David’s A Book of Mediterranean Food, first published in 1950. This is a wonderful extract…. enjoy! “All culinary tasks should be performed with reverential love, don’t you think so? To say that a cook must possess the requisite outfit of culinary skill...
“Winegrowing involves aspects of craft which is not necessarily dependent on the achievement but the process. If there’s anything wrong with modern life from my perspective, it’s that people want a result…they think that by acquiring things they’ll be happy… But happiness comes from giving and receiving service. If you find that...
I was reading the Feb-March 2014 edition of France Today and came across this interesting piece of ‘wine trivia’ (trivia in the nicest possible way) about wine corks written by Linda Johnson – Bell and I thought I would share it with you. “Around 340,000 tonnes of cork...
“When you uncork a bottle of mature fine wine, what you are drinking is the product of a particular culture and tradition, a particular soil, a particular climate, the weather in that year, and the love and labour of people who may since have died. The wine is...
I love the relationship between wine and food. When the right wine meets the right food, something magical happens. Here are a couple of quotes from Jean-André Charial of Provence fame which those of you who appreciate this relationship should enjoy, as much as I do. “A good wine demonstrates the personality of the...
I first came across this wonderful book when in Athens. I had wandered into an antique/curios store, as is my habit, and caught sight of a small pile of books in the corner on the floor – irresistibly intriguing. Right on the bottom of the pile was this book and as...
(Sunflowers, circe 1888 – Vincent Van Gogh) “Cooking is an art and patience is a virtue… Careful shopping, fresh ingredients, and an unhurried approach are nearly all you need. There is one more thing – love. Love for food and love for those you invite to your table. With...
I was doing some reading this afternoon and came across this quirky piece about the how to taste wine written by Pietro de’ Crescenzi at the beginning of the 15th century. Pietro de’ Crescenzi was a Bolognese author who wrote an important treatise on agriculture called the Opus agriculturae of Rutilus Taurus Aemilianus...
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.
