fall is bringing summer memories

Eating out in a chic restaurant might be ordinary or special event.Visiting one when on vacation, is common.

Me eating in one, when visiting Crete, is rare.

Mostly because there I enjoy rural, simple food more than stylish, new cuisine.

Isla is a bar restaurant in Gouves, Irakleion. 

We attended a sushi night, but just asian wasn't enough.

 So we added an italian saffron risotto,
a mediterranean fresh green salad,
a greek dip of feta cheese and juicy tomatoes, oregano and olive oil.
We were in Crete, afterall.
 Sharing dinner was better than food itself.

My Oly, a promising -producer- to- be.
(who I have to thank for taking those pictures, like a professional food photographer)

My Antonella, a young businesswoman,
full of joy.  And passion (about him). 

Vasilis, her guy. A pilates master.
Athletic ,adventurous and calm.

And me. Eating. With all my senses.
Feeling grateful about taste and friends in my life.

Hope next summer it will be all of us around the same table.

When friends come to visit...

at your own house. 

the one you made chosing one by one its colors, furniture, every detail,

so it would be "homy" enough to raise your newborn 

and keep forever alive the love of its family. 

To live happily in it ever after. 

Hapinness is all around.

Alexia is now a proud mom and we were so willing to see her cuddling her child. 

Such a caring mother. 

And now twice as beautiful. 

Ice cream macarons from Sucre,
a new pastry store in Irakleion. 

Oly's photos. Merci.

Blessing. Cretan food and People.

When it comes to summer vacation, 

Creta
is my number one on the list. 

 

Since 2005, when I visited the island for the very first time

 not even one year has passed without me

swimming in its deep, wild seas

wandering around its picturesque little villages with the extraordinary names

meeting the locals and hear the most weird stories about people and life

making new friends while choosing the sweetest watermellon

connecting with animals and nature while walking along its gorges

dancing in the naughty and playful sounds of lira

drinking crystal clear alcohol in tiny small shots till blindness

eating the real taste of every ingridient

filling my lungs with air without acidity

living pure life. 

I trully hope someday to call this everyday life. 

For Antonella and Creta I love, for its blessings. 

p.s. Photos taken by Olympia and Antonella, one night full of flavors and laughters. 

Bonnet et vin

Girls nights out usually include fancy dresses, sparkling wine and of course spicy comments about people and life in general- or just about boys. 

A decent dinner
in a mix & much, barock restaurant
in Chania inspired us for more.

We drunk my favorite Floara, from Katogi Averof,

bread and cretan olive oil to begin with,

chated about our winter plans,
commented like professionals about food, 

and we decided that  Vicky's shrimp and curry ravioli was overcurried and overcooked, so heavy taste. 

On the other hand, my wild mushroom risotto, although delayed,
was really smooth, creamy and oozy. 

 We left the restaurant full, with a slight dizziness and an untold will to smack the night.


And so we did.

ps. The pictures are taken by my best friends Antonella  and Olympia on our summer vacations in my favorite greek destination. Crete, forever. Thank you so much girls. 

ps2. Skoufos & Oinos, Kalergon 24, Chania, +30 2821050878

Let them EaT CaKe

Our coveted September issue is out now.

Eleven unique recipes for mouthwatering chocolate cakes. 

In Paris, where pastry is all around

Never been to Paris, but always Paris "finds me" in one or another way- round 2.
Lover both of food photografy ( yet not capable of making extravagant shots), and professional pastry (c.c eating sweets of any kind),
I couldn't pass by a marvellous idea like this. 

"Patisserie" reminders around  the City of  Light ( or maybe City of candy). I am glad I saw Fantasy Pallete in between the images.Susan Hochbaum is a rather creative designer, who's book is about to be published.
Great, sweet idea. We will be waiting.

ps. The rasberry macaron photo is taken from unefoisparmoi blog.

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