Dear Food Lovers
There is a scene from my childhood I think of often, a food memory. It’s being at the kitchen table, standing beside my Grandmother, watching her skilled hands effortlessly working the pastry dough she’s making for the freshest spanakopita, patiently rolling it out till it’s paper thin, the pastry expanding in size so much that eventually it would take up every inch of space of what seemed like our giant sized round wooden kitchen table and me by her side, watching in awe. I remember in detail the lines in her hands, the folding of the dough, the dusting of flour across the front of her apron and the love, care and effort that she put into making this pastry.
In that moment, there was nowhere else I wanted to be – not playing at the park across the road, not running amok with my friends on our bikes, not distracted by cartoons or toys. There was a magic that surrounded my grandmother whenever she’d step into the kitchen and I was always entranced by whatever that magic was that evoked so much curiosity within me.
Here’s the thing about food memories, no matter how many years go by, it’s ability to instantly transport us back in time is so powerful. It is a rich, emotive language and has the capacity to stir our emotions and pull at out heartstrings. A wafting smell, a glance at an ingredient, the taste of a particular dish will have us instantly sorting through our memory archives and taking us back to a moment fueled with emotion.
Food memories link us to the past and weave a tapestry of our story. Who we are, where we’ve come from, how our experiences have shaped us and how we choose to pass those experiences on. Food for me is always associated with love and Love is the essential ingredient that went into the cooking I ate at home and how I cook today.
A meal is something to be cherished. It is what brings us together. Food memories will always be with you, forever. For me, food gatherings have always been about having a big feast, everyone coming together and the table overflowing in abundance. Everyone being made to feel welcome and connected. That is the Mediterranean way.
This September, as part of the Emerge Retreat, we will be celebrating all things Food. From delicious, rustic home cooked feasts and dining under the stars, to meeting some of the best local producers that the beautiful island of Serifos has to offer. If your food passion is yearning to be stirred and you’d like to experience some of the best food and wine in the Cyclades, then the chance to join us and be nourished by the warmth, love and passion of Mediterranean dining is waiting for you.
To take part in this September’s Emerge Retreat, click HERE or email me: paula@mediterraneanwanderer.com
Happy Eating,
Paula x
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