Foraging for Flavor Greek Herbs/Bean Cuisine / Spa ... - Kerasma

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
From juicy watermelon to Greek salad revisited, our sixth issue of the
GreekGourmetraveler is overflowing with the delicious flavors of a sun-drenched
Greek summer.
In this issue, we visit islands and savor the cuisine and pantry of the Aegean, but
we also take you on a delicious, healthful journey to some of Greece's most extraordinary
travel destinations, its world-class spas, in an article written by Time magazine
reporter Anthee Carassava. She interviews spa chefs and nutritionists and
illustrates how our ancient Mediterranean cuisine is still relative and apt for the
healthful needs of contemporary spa cooking.
Health and flavor have always gone hand in hand in Greek cuisine. It's no wonder
that a country with over 6,000 edible plants should also have one of the most profound
relationships to herbs, as veteran GGT writer Diana Farr Louis reports.
Tradition abounds in every aspect of the Greek kitchen, but so does innovation, and
nowhere is it more evident than in the iconoclastic approach modern chefs have
taken to the most recognized icon of the Greek table: Village Salad. As well-known
Athenian restaurant critic Dimitris Andonopoulos writes, Greek chefs are putting a
new spin on this timeless classic.
In this issue we also pay homage to cuisine in its broader social and cultural terms,
with a visit upon one of Greece's most renowned literary figures, Nikos
Kazantzakis, whose works provide a mirror to the food lore of his native Crete.
No Greek summer table would be complete without a bite into a wedge of cool,
ripe, succulent summer fruit, from ruby-red cherries to mouthwatering watermelons.
Greece produces some of the most desirable fruits in Europe, as seasoned GGT
contributor Diane Shugart relays.
Arguably, though, no other product of our considerable gastronomic heritage has
surpassed ethnic boundaries as successfully as our wines have, able to pair up to a
whole new world of international foods. Oenologist Sofia Perpera pours forth a
fascinating vintage of Greek wine knowledge, offering valuable advice for how to
marry the distinct wines of Greece with the global gourmet table.
This is a strong issue, perhaps our strongest to date, filled with sunny pictures,
great, informative articles, inspired recipes and more. Enjoy it all summer long, no
matter where you are!
Kali Orexi!
Diane Kochilas
Editor-in-Chief
9 GREEKGOURMETRAVELER