I’m at a traditional olive farm, lying in the green grass dotted with yellow wildflowers. The sun filters out through the dense foliage of the boughs of the olive trees and their sharp aroma tingles my nose. An almost salty breeze hits my skin as I stare at the pale blue Mediterranean sky, lost in the comfort and warmth of Greece. I am soaking in this feeling of absolute euphoria as I gently surrender myself to the hands of an afternoon siesta, only to wake up in my kitchen with a can of olives held up close to my nose...
On my journey of discovering food, I have come across various cuisines that have, since their introduction, left a huge mark on the world around them. Arguably the healthiest world cuisine, it was quite a haply event which led me to recreate this facet of the world cuisine, changing my outlook towards food all over again. The best part about world cuisines is that every time I come across one of them, I’m swaying in their direction and every instance makes me think differently of food. For instance, my confrontation with the Cantonese cuisine some time ago made me open to the fact that even the simplest of ingredients can deliver heights of complexity, but this time, the tables have turned drastically.
You see, sometimes food does not have to be rich and unctuous to deliver fulfillment and its the brightness of some dishes that brings contentment in waves. So, stumbling upon some fresh herbs and bright veggies was what it took to make my first step towards the Mediterranean.
When Mediterranean first hit me, all that came to mind was white sandy beaches and still turquoise waters, but never had I known what these beaches sequestered all along. What lied beneath came out to be a package of culture, tradition, freshness, humility, respect and health, and it wasn’t long before I had to take a step in this direction of optimum fulfillment and nourishment.
Though traditional Greek platters flaunt simplicity in each of their component, these platters come out to be centuries of old tradition woven along with the best of indigenous produce ranging from citruses, wines, cheeses, olives, capers, herbs and a whole lotta love! Trying out my hand at this vivacious cuisine, has resulted in a redefined Greek platter (mezze or meze) from which I hope to promote love for fresh food and healthy eating habits.
Here is my platter: The first featuring a wonderful Greek salad aka horiatiki with a fresh tzatziki, and the second; the ultimate Greek gyro pita pockets with a roasted bell pepper tirokafteri and a classic chickpea hummus. Topped off with a generous dash of olive oil, the dishes have been made complete with loads of inspiration from native Greece and an out pour of Greek meraki.
The ultimate Greek gyro pita pockets with a roasted bell pepper tirokafteri and a classic chickpea hummus!
As I already said, sometimes it’s not about what all you keep on wearing. No. All that matters is how beautiful you are to the core. Life might be merry and prosperous with all those layers you wear, but talk to somebody’s flesh, bones and skin and you’ll know what I am saying. A spiced up meal smothered in ingredients isn’t bad, never, but somewhere along the line, it’s celebrating the ingredients to their authenticity. Believe me when I say this, the same goes to us, humans.
It has been a week of serendipity and as food unravels itself, I hope you enjoy feasting with your eyes. Just as the Greeks say it, ” Καλή όρεξη!” Seems too Greek eh? Let me try again…”Bon apetit!”
Sui Generis 
Wow mast!!
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Thank you!
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Truly inspired! Yassas 🙂
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🙂🙂
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Wow very interesting post! And lovely pictures 😇
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Thank you so very much!
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Looks yumm ❤️
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Thank you so very much!
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Who knew Greek food looked this DELISH ohmygosh ❤❤🤤🤤
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I hadn’t known either. I guess it is what it is. I hope you get to taste it some day.
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Oh such a lovely description of the food, and the feelings associated with it! The dishes look really tempting!
Love,
Ishita.
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Thank you so very much Ishita dear. I’m so glad you like the dishes. I hope you get a chance to have Greek cuisine.
Always
Shanyu
🧡
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Most welcome Shanyu.
Let’s see if my destiny holds Greek cuisine for me!
xoxo
Ishita🧡
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I hope it does.
Always,
Shanyu.
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Authenticity is something we just cannot do away with. But these pictures, wow. Now I’m salivating and hungry🙄😅. Lovely post Shanyu!💚
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I agree. I’m so glad you like the pictures. Enjoy mate! I hope I could teleport it to you. You’d enjoy it. Cheers.
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I know right. Scientists better find ways for us to teleport then. Yum!
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They very certainly must!
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I love Greek food simple but very nourishing, a good combination of freshness and caring in the cooking and preparation. As should life be.
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You captured the soul of it in two lines straight. Yes, finally someone who gets Greek cuisine. I am blessed to have tasted it and I am sure you must have felt it too. Freshness and caring, just as life should be. Perfect.
Thank you for stopping by.
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Your welcome, good to revisit memories
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Likewise.
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So Beautiful and it makes me want to get back to Greece and see our relatives. Lovwe your pictures and delicious food Shanyu. Thanks for sharing!!! ❤️ Cindy
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Thank you so very much C! It’s wonderful to know you have relatives in Greece. They sure are blessed to be living in that beautiful sun kissed country. Where in Greece are they from?
Hope you are having a great day.
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You are sooo welcome!!! I’m just married with the name lol.. My husband is a 1/4 Greek but my FIL 50 %. I am actually the one that connected us all and they are sooo amazing. They have a house in Athens and one by sea and they still have the house that their father grew up in in the village (not sure what village). We do need to get back. It is so gorgeous for sure. So far so good and I hope you are having a good one as well! ❤️
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That is wonderful Cindy. What a beauty it indeed is. Peace.
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That’s an amazing description along with the pictures that are making me hungry again 😊😍
They look delicious 😇
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Thank you so much A! I’m so glad you like it. Thank you for stopping by.
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Such amazing , colorful dishes with the view of the turquoise Mediterranean….you. My friend are in heaven…or already the closest you can get to it while on earth🤗💕
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Thank you so very much friend. Means so much to me. Greece is indeed beautiful, and praiseworthy.
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Yum 😋 Glad to travel virtually via your post. Would love to revisit Greece.
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Thank you so much. You are welcome to join my friend! I hope you will be able to go. Peace and greetings.
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Wow! I loved your initial description. Makes me feel like going to Greece meself!
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Thank you so very much friend. That was the purpose all along! Thank you for stopping by. Have a wonderful day.
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It’s my pleasure! You have a wonderful day too☺️
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Cheers.
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Looks inviting. Lovely pics, I enjoyed reading your thoughts on celebrating the ingredients.👏👏
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Thank you so much Ramya. I’m so glad you caught that. Peace and greetings.
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What beauty Greece is!
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Sure is, my friend!
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Greek food is amazing! I’m tempted by all of these photos 😍
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It sure is. I’m so glad you like the pictures. Have an epic day.
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Thanks and you too, my friend 😊💫
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Cheers 🥂
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😊😊
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Wonderful! I love Greek food.
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Thank you Nico! Nothing beats Greek!(perhaps, Italian does, but today it’s Greek 🙂)
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Yes!! Blessings. 🙂
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“We eat with our eyes first” the old saying. Your pictures are the temptation itself even before eating and your beautiful illustration making it much alluring as well. Great post with sumptuous photographs ❤️❤️❤️
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So well said. Thank you so very much my friend. It means everything to have this kind of response. Thank you.
Have a fantastic day 😊
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Wow. This is simply and deliciously Amazing (to Read and Eat). Food for thought, body, heart, and soul. Thank you for writing and sharing such a sustainable, filling, healthy, culturally rich, serendipitously, traditionally and mythologically lasting, visually chromatic recipe. I am lost for more words (though it may not appear so …). τα λέμε σύντομα 🙂
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Ah! 🙂 Can I ever thank you enough for this my friend? You continue to make me smile. Thank you so much for that. I hope you found it interesting. I was just on my way teleporting it to you.🙂
See you soon.
Btw, have an epic week.
Shanyu.
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Thanks for teleporting that to me, really kind
…and interesting. 🙂
Yeah, see ya.
have a good Greek non-tragedic week.
Anna
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See ya! I wish you the same.
Shanyu.
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Thanks dear S. I hope to soon brew up some dark loving new poems of my own making, to teleport over. Stay safe and good luck with your assignments this week!!! Looking forward to reading you as usual, Anna
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I can’t wait to read from you Ann! A dark loving poem sounds just a treat. Stay safe and good luck with your life! Ditto.
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Good luck with my life sounds like a “parting” message 🙂 hope tis not and it is just my dark mind reading it this way 😀
Take care!
Anna
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Oh no. Came out wrong. Wasn’t really sure what you did so….ouch. it sure isn’t the last. In fact, we have a lot to discuss. Poetry buddies!
Abrazos.
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haha no worries. did not do much with my life this week actually. or at least nothing too productive. Discuss we poetically will!
Abraçada de retorno
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I guess it has been a laid-back, rejuvenation, but guess what, everybody deserves a break.
I hope will we poetically meet.
Bênçãos portuguesas.
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Mmmm i wouldn’t call it a rejuvenation. You would not have liked the sight of me. I do hope we poetically meet soon, too!
Nagy ölelés
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Well beauty is down to the soul, which I can assure yours is.
Nagyobb hatalmas, mint a tied🤗
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Next time i’ll write about Greece 😘
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I hope you do. It’s a jewel to write upon.
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💎
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WOW! This is really great Shanyu. Am I invited?
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Sure are my friend! Come over for some luscious Greek dinner. I believe you’re getting keftedes?🙂
Cheers 🥂
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Thank you for the invite. I am right behind you. Turn around 🌹
I brought them. I put them on the kitchen table. Can you see them? ❤️
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I can see them. They are delicious. Thank you.
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Great 🌹
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Cheers 🥂.
Btw, the cotton candy poem is out!
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Is it really? Yay! I am going to read it right now.
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It is my friend! I did tweak the phrase a little but it remains as sweet as it must be. Hope you like it.
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It’s a spectacular poem. My heart melted when I read it. I’m crying. I told you why.
xoxoxo
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Thank you so much G! You did tell me why, and I hope you find your answer soon. All I can say is that we can never always be one. Too much salt or too much sugar kills anyway.
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That seems so delicious 🥰🥰💝
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Thank you so much. I am glad it does.
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Yes it surley does..!🥰🥰
My pleasure 🌸🌸
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Cheers 🥂
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This is such an elegant tribute to Mediterranean cuisine! Your words make me curious to explore new dishes beyond the occasional olive-garnished spaghetti or pita sandwich. 😋
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Thank you so very much friend. I’m so glad you like the piece. It gives me joy to write about these less explored cuisines. The disheartening thing is how there is so much concealed in these layers of flavours but is seldom discovered. I hope you find it interesting, whenever you get a chance to have Greek.
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That’s fascinating
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I’m so glad you thinkso. Have you gotten a chance to have Greek?
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“All that matters is how beautiful you are to the core…” This post is filled with unbelievably talented writing, beauty, and wise help (with tastiness)! I long to visit Greece. And just love the heart behind these words💚
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Thank you so very much friend. Your kindest words mean so much to me. I’m more than glad to hear from you. May you find peace in the day,and get to visit Greece too!
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You’re so welcome! Peace to you and yes, I would love to visit. I’m glad to have found you!
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And I am equally glad to have met you. I hope to see more of you here.
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Thank you!
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Reblogged this on worldtraveller70.
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Looks delicious
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I hoped so!
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Amazing post 👍🤝
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Thank you so very much S!
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Beautifully written. Best wishes to you from🇧🇹
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Thank you so very much S! Your wishes mean a lot. Bhutan is a wonderful country. Greetings.
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Well, Well, Shanyu, I can see your second path emerging – a cookery writer. Your writing is poetic, colourful and seductive. Mediterranean food is the healthiest in the world. I am off to make myself a salad with fresh basil and olives.
Joanna
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You really think so? I cannot thank you enough for your insights. Thank you so much though, for all these kind comments.
I have fallen in love with Mediterranean and it is amazing nonetheless. The salad sounds delicious, send some over!
Shanyu.
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Beautiful as the Mediterranean is, please make sure you don’t miss the next week’s India – Empire of the Spirit, as it is the oldest civillisasion in the world, beating the Mediterreanean by far.
Joanna
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Here’s my mouth. Teleport!!!! 🤤🤤🤤🤣🤣🤣🤣
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Haha😂😂right on its way.
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It’s my dream to visit Greece once!
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And I hope it comes true!
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Lajwab
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Thank you so much.
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Yummy!
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Thanks!
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It’s my dream to visit Greece once!
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I hope it comes true!
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Yes. Thank you
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Pleasure.
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Reblogged this on By the Mighty Mumford.
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Thank you so much mate! YOWZA!
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