Culinary Diplomacy Through Spanakopita in Meteora, Greece

For the past five nights, we’ve been staying at a quaint guesthouse overlooking the mystical Meteora rock formations in northern Greece. Six mighty monasteries sit atop the unusual rocks. Some of the structures date back to the 14th century. As if things couldn’t get any better, our hostess and Greek mother for the week has been surprisingContinue reading “Culinary Diplomacy Through Spanakopita in Meteora, Greece”

Gluten-Free Goodness in Dubrovnik (& Two Must-Try Recipes)

Life has a funny way of shaking things up and throwing in surprises that often lead to unexpectedly-delightful outcomes. Let me introduce you to Dubrovnik restaurateurs Gildas and Ružica, who epitomize this idea. When this couple visited Dubrovnik several years ago, they intended to visit for a single day. However, when they arrived, they decidedContinue reading “Gluten-Free Goodness in Dubrovnik (& Two Must-Try Recipes)”

A Lesson in Cooking Peka, the Signature Dish of Croatia’s Dalmatia Region

One of the most popular meals in Croatia’s Dalmatia region is peka, a blend of vegetables and meat drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with herbs, and then baked to perfection under a bell-like dome, or ispod čripnje. You’ll see it listed on menus throughout the region, and if you are lucky enough to be invitedContinue reading “A Lesson in Cooking Peka, the Signature Dish of Croatia’s Dalmatia Region”

Foraging for Wild Asparagus in Croatia’s Dalmatian Countryside

When spring returns to Croatia, residents do what they’ve done for centuries: take to the fields and forests in search of wild asparagus, known in Croatian as šparoga. The asparagus-hunting season has just begun here in central Dalmatia, and last weekend, we were lucky enough to be invited by Croatian friends to go foraging forContinue reading “Foraging for Wild Asparagus in Croatia’s Dalmatian Countryside”