If we leave our cooking to deliveries of boxed and chopped ingredients, traditional recipes are going to disappear. Recipes for Oregano Potatoes and Oregano Lamb
Always get off the beaten track and eat where the locals eat. We did an impulse trip to Venice years ago (caught the train from Bologna first thing in the morning, spend the day wandering the back streets of Venice, and then the train back in the evening). It was the most memorable experience, working out what to eat from Italian-only menus, ordering food in very broken Italian. It was the same in Florence - you learn much more and meet people that are just doing their everyday life, rather than supporting tourism. Even in Bangalore, it was a relief to walk out my hotel, and cruise the back streets and alleyways, where interesting enough, I was never hassled, unlike on the main streets, or in my work-provided chauffered car (I will admit to not eating in Bangalore without a guide).
I couldn't agree more! I envy in particular your Venice experience. While once I crossed the Rialto I got away from most of the flag bearing tour groups, I didn't manage to penetrate deeply enough to find the local hangouts. If you're ever planning any SE Asia trip, check out the Around The World in 80 Scrapes Substack that, like you, does just that.
If I see another lobster bisque I might scream... I live in one of those touristy places that feels culturally devoid yet physically beautiful. But head inland or further north and there are people making jam and tapping maple trees. I made soup and dropped a pint of it off with my green grocer. Do I wish we had a communal bakery ... sure. But I'm glad of my central heating cause our winters are cold. Don't despair there are plenty of us scratch cooks out there. We just don't have the same amount of vacation time. Americans really need to embrace the idea of making the bridge.
Addressing the second part of your Comment, I lived almost 20 yeas in the States and I never could understand why vacation time for Americans was so ungenerous. In Europe, we begin our working lives with a regulatory 2 weeks then build each year from then, up to 4 weeks and a maximum of 6 weeks a year. (Not in the gig economy of course...) Holidays refresh and make working staff happier and more productive - along with cementing families who can spend more time together than Labour Day weekend in Orlando or turn to expensive summer camp for babysitting duties. And of course, they provide more time for tourists, loved and loathed as they can be, a better chance to express curiosity and to make a greater effort at integration - and dispense more money locally, on t-shirts and more, and perhaps to begin to expect greater variety from the menu options if they stay long enough to dig in a bit.
The only thing to do after reading this week's post and looking at the photos, all I can thinking is to jump on the internet and seek the first plane out to the Aegean ... Lovely!
To all of this I say yes, yes yes!!! At least three times over if not more! And not just the sunny isles of the southern Aegean (I was there too a couple of years ago) but to the whole entire Mediterranean. It's not just ingredients, not just recipes, but a whole way of eating, of celebrating food, that we should all be following. Thank you, Julia!
Nancy, I'm really honored! We seem to have created a challenging 'issue' of food and cooking. The people of the Mediterranean take so much more relaxed an approach, making everything to do with it so much more joyful than most of us, in what we consider sophisticated nations, manage. How can we put Joy back into the Joy of Cooking (that was a terrific title!), and take away fear and despair?
I found your remark regarding fish quite striking. When I first visited the Greek islands almost 50 years ago (!), fish was definitely part of the traditional fare in tavernas in the towns and also on isolated beaches. I remember being shocked at the use of explosives for fishing. I’m not sure but I believe that was in Naxos. I wonder if over-fishing caused a change in availability and thus local cuisine. Also Interesting that potatoes, not introduced in Europe until the early 16th century (I think), became part of traditional cooking.
Greece has the fastest deteriorating environment and the poorest marine conservation in Europe, according to a 2020 EU report..As much as 34 percent fewer fish are being landed. Pollution, climate change and overfishing are cited. And local kaikies compete with commercial trawlers dragging the seabed. The fishermen of Amorgos (one of my favourite islands) have begun an initiative with government to reverse overfishing and clean up the seas, which with any luck will spread beyond that small island.
Always get off the beaten track and eat where the locals eat. We did an impulse trip to Venice years ago (caught the train from Bologna first thing in the morning, spend the day wandering the back streets of Venice, and then the train back in the evening). It was the most memorable experience, working out what to eat from Italian-only menus, ordering food in very broken Italian. It was the same in Florence - you learn much more and meet people that are just doing their everyday life, rather than supporting tourism. Even in Bangalore, it was a relief to walk out my hotel, and cruise the back streets and alleyways, where interesting enough, I was never hassled, unlike on the main streets, or in my work-provided chauffered car (I will admit to not eating in Bangalore without a guide).
I couldn't agree more! I envy in particular your Venice experience. While once I crossed the Rialto I got away from most of the flag bearing tour groups, I didn't manage to penetrate deeply enough to find the local hangouts. If you're ever planning any SE Asia trip, check out the Around The World in 80 Scrapes Substack that, like you, does just that.
If I see another lobster bisque I might scream... I live in one of those touristy places that feels culturally devoid yet physically beautiful. But head inland or further north and there are people making jam and tapping maple trees. I made soup and dropped a pint of it off with my green grocer. Do I wish we had a communal bakery ... sure. But I'm glad of my central heating cause our winters are cold. Don't despair there are plenty of us scratch cooks out there. We just don't have the same amount of vacation time. Americans really need to embrace the idea of making the bridge.
Addressing the second part of your Comment, I lived almost 20 yeas in the States and I never could understand why vacation time for Americans was so ungenerous. In Europe, we begin our working lives with a regulatory 2 weeks then build each year from then, up to 4 weeks and a maximum of 6 weeks a year. (Not in the gig economy of course...) Holidays refresh and make working staff happier and more productive - along with cementing families who can spend more time together than Labour Day weekend in Orlando or turn to expensive summer camp for babysitting duties. And of course, they provide more time for tourists, loved and loathed as they can be, a better chance to express curiosity and to make a greater effort at integration - and dispense more money locally, on t-shirts and more, and perhaps to begin to expect greater variety from the menu options if they stay long enough to dig in a bit.
The only thing to do after reading this week's post and looking at the photos, all I can thinking is to jump on the internet and seek the first plane out to the Aegean ... Lovely!
BUY THE TICKET!! Kalo taxidi - Bon voyage!
To all of this I say yes, yes yes!!! At least three times over if not more! And not just the sunny isles of the southern Aegean (I was there too a couple of years ago) but to the whole entire Mediterranean. It's not just ingredients, not just recipes, but a whole way of eating, of celebrating food, that we should all be following. Thank you, Julia!
Nancy, I'm really honored! We seem to have created a challenging 'issue' of food and cooking. The people of the Mediterranean take so much more relaxed an approach, making everything to do with it so much more joyful than most of us, in what we consider sophisticated nations, manage. How can we put Joy back into the Joy of Cooking (that was a terrific title!), and take away fear and despair?
I found your remark regarding fish quite striking. When I first visited the Greek islands almost 50 years ago (!), fish was definitely part of the traditional fare in tavernas in the towns and also on isolated beaches. I remember being shocked at the use of explosives for fishing. I’m not sure but I believe that was in Naxos. I wonder if over-fishing caused a change in availability and thus local cuisine. Also Interesting that potatoes, not introduced in Europe until the early 16th century (I think), became part of traditional cooking.
Greece has the fastest deteriorating environment and the poorest marine conservation in Europe, according to a 2020 EU report..As much as 34 percent fewer fish are being landed. Pollution, climate change and overfishing are cited. And local kaikies compete with commercial trawlers dragging the seabed. The fishermen of Amorgos (one of my favourite islands) have begun an initiative with government to reverse overfishing and clean up the seas, which with any luck will spread beyond that small island.