During the summer months, when it rains in Assisi, it pours. Literally. Narrow Medieval streets turn into warm fast-moving rivers as the water gushes down from the top of the hilltop town to the very bottom. I remember very clearly once standing atop the Rocca Maggiore, the ruined castle which has dominated, for more than eight…
Tag: Chilli Flakes
Greek Spelt, Roasted Red Pepper and Chickpea Salad with an Oregano & Lemon Dressing
Picture yourself sitting at a table for six on chairs painted in a faded shade of Aegean blue, its white cotton cloth billowing in the warm breeze, the sea slowly lapping onto the beach just yards from your feet. Women, invariably dressed in black, sit on a bench cracking pistachio shells as they gossip about…
Provençal Haricots Blancs en Salade, a White Bean and Tomato Salad
This salad is perfect. It’s so simple to make and yet it’s capable of delivering a zing-fresh, punchy hit that is hard to resist, especially on a hot summer day served alongside a plate of light, creamy cheese, a freshly baked baguette smothered with tapenade and a glass of chilled rosé or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc….
Greek Goddess Herb and Olive Oil Hummus
Here’s a lovely thing, it’s a super green version of my classic hummus which delivers an explosion of flavour due to the addition of traditional Greek herbs including fresh oregano, thyme and mint highlighted with a feisty punch of garlic and lemon juice. It’s a cute deviation from the norm that I first tried on the…
Turkish Ezme Salad
Eager to shake off the cold of an early spring evening, we literally fell through the doorway of Asmalı Cavit, a treasured wooden-fronted traditional meyhane (tavern) in the centre of Pera in Istanbul. Here, the raki flows like the waters of the glittering Bosphorus; never ending and always a sight to behold. Our friends are known to the…
Italian Herb-marinated Bocconcini
In spring, the meadows of Parque del Monte Subasio near Spello in Umbria are smothered with a carpet of flowers and aromatic herbs; over 80 specimens of them in fact. It is here that peasants used to come after the harsh winter to forage for seasonal pops of flavour to brighten their soups, stews and rustic…
Tuscan Borlotti Bean and Vegetable Soup
Our favourite time to visit Italy is during late Spring just before the searing heat of the summer. Not that I’m averse to sitting in shady cloisters with an icy beer, it’s just that we can do so much more when we’re not overcome with the heat. Even in the summer though, the clouds above Assisi gather…
