Summer Love

Every summer I do realise how much love a man can give to nature.
I get curried away staring at the sea,
listening to cicadas's resistant songs,
loosing the horizon's line from my sight,
feeling the hot sand into my toes
tasting pure summer flavors.

This is what I call a summer love.
Deep green, crunchy and breezy cucumber.

The picture is taken from my new friend Effie P. a brilliant photografer, in our trip to Parga.

Catari...non te scurda

What I crave for, during summer is pizza nights, not in front of the dull TV, but in a flowery, calm garden of a quite restaurant in the islands.
Catari (apart from the napolitan nickname for Caterina) is what I was looking for.
A brand new italian trattoria in Mykonos, where I could eat multiple times if only closer.  

This handsome man is Nikos, one of the two owners, who was more than kind and friendly. Open hearted.

Hippie chic ambiente, traditional vietri mosaic, musica anni '80 

with

Lollobrigida, Cardinale, Loren
the female mediterranean trinity, giving its blessing and beauty all over. 

Frisella con speck, gorgonzola e carciofini.
Salty, creamy, crunchy. Yum.

p.s. This is where I discovered my favorite pizza topping:
Mozzarella, carpaccio di manzo e crema di tartufo.

You can read my article in gastronomos.gr

Catari: Agia Anna, Yialos Mykonos, +30 22890.78571

Belvedere ^^ Bello da vedere, ma anche da vivire

If Mykonos is the place to be during summertime, Belvedere Hotel is the place to stay in. And not only because Nobu Matsuhisa is situated next to its pool. 

 In fact, there are so many star hotels in the island, that only few do differ.
 I was invited and I spent three days in a rather "working" weekend. 

 

My "sweet" welcome to the room, homemade brownies, soft cookies and fresh strawberries dipped into chocolate. 

In between pleasure and job,  I did found some time to get tanned, to enjoy walking in the pure white streets and buy traditional products like luza and kopanisti  (great greek meze, even greater when accompanied with ouzo). And of course, Liontis handmade sandals. 

Felt like tourist!

Apart from the excitement I felt when tasting food in four restaurants, I trully relaxed, thanks to the glorious service at Belvedere. 

I promised to visit them soon. 

Those cute men made my day.

Arnaud Bignon au chocolat.

It was the first time I burrowed in a Michelin star awarded kitchen. A Wednesday morning I drove up to Spondi and participated to one of the cuisine lessons that take place weekly. Chocolate was the theme, so the motive was strong enough. 

Impressed by the utensils, the accurate moves of the chef, Arnaud Bignon and his marvellous technique that made everything look so easy. Simple food steps.

A three course menu based on the magical, brunette substance- dark chocolate. 

The chef  used it mainly as a spice, to give a pint of sweet flavor in a green apple- roka salad and then to underline the soft texture of a boeuf, filling a won ton dough ravioli. Shiitake mushrooms in a light broth were swimming all around it. Delightful. 

Dessert was a masterpiece, consisting of  six different mixtures and compounds. So complex taste. Chocolate sablé pâte, meringues in straw shape, chocolate ganache, crispy rice, lemon confit, matcha chiffon.  

After the masterclass, the menu was served in a luxurious table were the students enjoyed the blessing of eating and drinking. Every lesson costs 70 euros and it includes 3 hour tutoring, the recipes and a full meal. The classes are mainly in french or english. For further information you can call 210-75.64.021. 

Here you can read the article in greek.

"Sunny" Gourmet 2011

New Greek Cuisine, promising chefs, simple ingridients. 

In simple words, what we want to eat in greek restaurants. 

A tribute interview with the chefs that participate at Sani Gourmet Festival is published on the next Γαστρονόμος that is out Sunday coming. 

Down in the kitchen.

Last week I entered the kitchen of a prestigious restaurant. 

Tutoring was the reason.

An honoured chef, some chic francophone ladies craving for learning and a three course menu, based on chocolate.

True pleasure.  

Guess where I was...

So many utensils, so little time to clean them

Coming up posts referring to the glorious menu and extra photos

A magical substance

 

Trying to make a complete guide to brown sugar, today I visited supermarkets and food shops to collect the different types and brands . 

When I finish my research,  I will be able to reveal the secrets and understand its multiple uses. For now, I will just whisper Mary Poppins' sweet lyrics

"A fullspoon of sugar, makes the medicine go down, the medicine go down".

Our Sping issue.

"Glykes Istories" vol 10.

We love Spring and this is how we show it.
Fresh, light, colorful pages with more than 60 recipes.
 I already love it.
What about you?