It is great to be back.......sorry I could not reply sooner.
We unpacked, washed and dried clothes, straightened out, took clothes to the dry cleaners and ate out at a French Restaurant.
Then came home and played a bit of catch with the dogs, and decided to take a short nap....next thing we knew it was close to 7:15 am on Sunday morning.
Hi RedTop .....Happy New Year back at you too, and many thanks for your kind words.
Hi qualitygal....Many thanks for your kind words too, had a great time and it is nice to be home safe and sound.
Spud188 Happy New Year and thanks so much!
Hi Poodlepet2, Thank you for your kind wonderful thoughts. We did hear about the ferry incident and it was devastating and so sad. Happy New Year and hugs back to you too! I answered your questions below my friend!
Hi house_cat. Thanks for the welcome home....unfortunately no we did not pick up any new recipes in our travels this time which I can post ingredients for, and we only ate and wrote the names of what was popular on the menu's and what we tasted along with a slight description of the dish in case we wanted it again. (I did post many of those foods below which may entice your taste buds).
General Travel Information:
We again visited Greece, Italy, France, and Spain during our travels. This was a most enjoyable longer trip we looked forward to.
Upon our Athens Hotel area arrival we did witness some unrest and troublesome encounters for the overnight night stays, but we did expect that, and it is also prevalent in many other major Greek cities, but not too much in the outer islands.
In the outer islands of Greece it tends to be more non political since they really depend on tourism, mainly since they are ocean villages and towns, and need tourism to survive well.
We did a personal specific fly/cruise tour/smaller ships to shore/ and private car rental itinerary since we went for a prolong visit abroad, and were accommodated very well in accordance with our travel preferences and personal desires. We also rented cars everywhere we stayed, so we did our own thing.
We did tour the Greek outer islands and stayed at various hotels on the ocean fronts, where the Mediterranean diet is quite popular, and many of the foods we ate were from the Mediterranean diet. We also ate whatever our hearts desired as guests visiting in homes of relatives, friends we know, as well as eating in various restaurants both in hotels, and in the surrounding areas.
The outer islands of Greece offer the most picturesque scenery like the islands of Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, Crete, and many of the beaches offer pink sand and warm inviting emerald water, as well as private lagoons. The water is crystal clear so you can view everything below.
Everything was extremely picturesque, friendly, and filled with so much to experience and enjoy. (No matter how often a person comes back to their favorite place, there is always something new to do and see).
BTW the Greek Islands are a collection of over 6,000 islands and islets, that belong to Greece. Only 227 of the islands are inhabited, and only 78 of those have more than 100 inhabitants. The largest Greek island by area is Crete, located at the southern edge of the Aegean Sea.
Poodlepet2 you asked about various cuisines, so we listed everything below.
Below are samples of what foods are served not only on the famous widely used Mediterranean diet well known throughout Europe, and now catching on in the U.S.A., and other places, but also the listing below is of foods served in general, and readily available everywhere we traveled.
(The Mediterranean Diet is very popular abroad in the Mediterranean countries, and you do not miss processed foods at all, as it consists of eating all natural and lite nutritous foods).
Foods served in all countries traveled to:
Beef, lamb, veal, pork, chicken, turkey, quail, frogs, pigeons, doves, partridges, duck, ostrich, various seafood, wild game, and all of these foods are readily available for purchase and also served in homes, restaurants and hotel's.
Some of what was served in Greek Cuisine:
Fresh fish of different varieties, anchovies, smelts, escargot, octopus, baccala, shrimps, rice and couscous, Greek macaroni with brown butter, plenty lamb entrees, veal entrees, meatballs of lamb, veal or beef, fried in olive oil and served with Greek dipping sauces named tarama which is a fish roe spread,, skordalia which is a potato garlic spread, tzatsiki which is a cucumber dill yogurt spread, pork charcoal broiled shish kebobs, steaks, Greek Moussaka, and Greek Pastitsio, which are like lasagna casserole dishes and Moussaka also has eggplant, ground beef or lamb, and potatoes with a thick bechamel sauce made casserole style. pastitsio is a macaroni and ground beef or lamb casserole dish. Stuffed grape leaves stuffed with rice and meat and served with an authentic Greek egg lemon sauce. Flaming Saganaki which is a Greek cheese appetizer. Spinach pies and cheese pies are made with buttered layers of phyllo dough. They can be made in the shape of triangles or baked and cut into large squares. These are usually served for lunch with a Greek salad. Veal and rice with various seasonings, smothered in a rich egg lemon sauce. Greek spinach and rice dishes, Roast leg of lamb with roasted lemon potatoes. Whole Roasted pigs and Roasted whole Lambs are usually roasted for holiday events.
Earlier yesterday I forgot to add the listing of the Greek sweets and desserts so here it is, and I must thank my wonderful husband for the notes and references he took while we traveled, because we just realized I never included the Greek Desserts in this post.
Greek desserts are also extremely plentiful and include the following:
Skaltsounia which crescent shaped pastries which are walnut filled and topped with powdered sugar. Melomakarona which are Greek honey with walnuts cookies. Kourabiedes which are divine and are made usually for holidays and at Christmas. They are butter cookies with either almonds or walnuts shaped as crescents, or round balls, baked and topped with fluffy white powdered sugar. Syrupy Tulumba which is a very sweet fried dough dipped in sugar, water and lemon juice, left to cool and eaten when cool. Koulourakia cookies which are soft and fluffy melt in your mouth take along anywhere and enjoy type of dessert. Greek Diples which are a traditional Christmas pastry painstakingly hand made and rolled out so paper thin that you can actually see through the dough. Then it is formed into thin long strips and deep fried. Sweet syrup is then poured over it before it cools. The end result is a buttery sweet dessert that makes you crave more and more. Greek Galaktoboureko which is buttered phyllo dough sheets between a Greek Custard Pie with sweet syrup. Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts, Rizogalo which is fluffy Greek style rice pudding, sweet and very creamy. Baklava needs no explanation other than heavenly Greek dessert made with buttered phyllo dough and walnuts, with a sweet syrup poured over the top to soak in while still red hot from the oven and served in precut diagonal pieces. There is an endless variety of other foods and desserts too numerous to keep listing, but one was more delicious than the other, and remember that saying "Bet cha can't eat just one".....well they are so right because when it comes to Greek sweets and desserts you can't........so we didn't...... we ate plenty!
Some of what was served in Spanish Cuisine:
Seafood, fried or baked baccala, veal dishes like Veal cheeks cooked in red wine with La Serena mashed potatoes is a well known dish loved by many.
Delicious Spanish Garlic Chicken, Croquetas, Tortillia Espaniola which is a Spanish Potato Omelette, Pulpo a la gallega which is an Octopus dish marinated with paprika, Olive Oil and rock salt, Various veal dishes, and for dessert fried milk which is a milk pudding fried and delicious, and of course Flan, Tapas and Paellas. You could lose your mind over them. Plenty of veal, beef, pork, poultry, seafood, as well as game meats also served, and available.
Some of what was served in French Cuisine:
French Soupe a l'oignon which is an Onion beef stock soup we know as French Onion Soup but it is much richer than what we eat here, and the aroma beckons to you. Boeuf bourguignon, baccala, Coq Au Vin, Quiche Lorraine, Escargot, Veal Tongue and braised veal shanks, Steak prepared grilled and stuffed with authentic blue cheese, Numerous Brie Cheeses so delicious, Confit de canard which is duck and the meat takes over 36 hours to prepare then it is grilled or fried with potatoes and garlic also served . Salad Nicoise made with eggs, tomatoes, lettuce and tuna. Chocolate souffles, truffles, caramels, and a visit to a French Patisserie and other Paris Chocolatiers for other delicious edibles too numerous to mention, Croissants, Kouglof which is a sweet dough cake like dessert, macaroons . Paris has the most unbelievable pastries, gelatto, and creme brulee. (The French are also fond of brunch and offer a fabulous menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
Some of what was served in Italian Cuisine:
Fiori di zucca which is zucchini flowers, fried artichokes, baked artichokes with buttered seasoned breadcrumb filling between each leaf. deep fried and filled with mozzarella cheese and anchovies. Suppli which is deep fried breaded croquettes made of rice in Bolognese sauce, filled with mozzarella cheese.(We know this as arancini fried rice balls and Arancini, are stuffed rice balls which are coated with bread crumbs and fried). Arancini are usually filled with ragù, tomato sauce, mozzarella, and/or peas. There are a number of local variants that differ in fillings and shapes. Plenty salamis and meats. Many various veal dishes like Veal and Ricotta meat dishes and Veal Saltimbocca Alla Romana, which is a Roman classic. Oxtail Stew, flavorful and delicious. Fried baccala which is also known as fried salt cod fish. Numerous pastas as well as the famous Pasta Carbonara. Gnocci which is a famous Italian dumpling made with semolina flour. Tripe stew which is lamb's intestines made with a rich flavorful tomato sauce. Of course an Italian pizza pie made with salami and tomato sauce with plenty cheeses, olive oil, oregano and other seasonings. Desserts are sweet, delicious and plentiful, and we especially loved the Ricotta desserts and gellato. (BTW a lot of italian dishes we think are true Italian dishes which are prepared here in the States, are not available in Italy as they are not true Italian foods originating form that county. Many of the Italian foods we enjoy back home are actually American Italian dishes not available in Italy, so if in doubt describe and ask what they offer which can be made comparable to what you desire, if you are willing to wait and pay extra.
Choice of numerous breakfast delights everywhere we traveled:
Cereal, oatmeal, orange juice, coffee, (black and brown espresso coffee) American coffee, tea, hot chocolate, buttered rolls, croissants, tarts, macaroons, jams or if really hungry bacon, sausages, eggs, buttered toast and jams, french toast with maple and marmalade syrups, pancakes with maple and marmalade syrups., Fresh fruit salads with choices of with or without yogurts, plain or fruited, or cottage cheeses. There are so many breakfast choices in all places we traveled to that one can lose their mind. Many also offer breakfast buffets in the hotels, if one is so inclined.
Below are listings of availability of very fresh foods, also served where we traveled:
Couscous, rice, pastas, chickpeas, garbanzo beans, lentils, hummus, almonds, walnuts, pine nuts, vegetables of fresh carrots, parsnips, squash, celery, eggplant, tomatoes, green peppers, garlic, leeks, chives, onions, artichokes, spinach fennel, endives, asparagus, a lot of olive oil, and olives.
Mediterranean diets meats are only consumer 3-4 times weekly, then they make casserole type foods, macaroni casserole type foods, fresh fish like whole fish, calamari, octopus, and a variety of shellfish is caught and served in different ways, with plenty fresh salads and evoo.
Eggs are eaten occasionally on the Mediterranean diet but not daily, and for breakfast only.
Mediterranean diet desserts consist of dried fruits, apricots, dates. Plenty wine with meals red and wine, and lots of water. (We stayed on the Mediterranean diet for a bit then we branched out and ate a bit of this and that, according to our moods and tastes).
We also rented cars so we drove to many quaint country type places and stayed overnight and toured the areas as well as ate very well out in the country side, with plenty fresh foods available.
Dairy:
Milk, fresh cheeses galore all we tasted were really fresh and delicious. Freshly made yogurts also laced with fresh fruits and nuts.
Desserts:
Greek Baklava and everything else in all countries labeled sweet desserts.....delicious..... and many were made fresh that day, and/or made in front of you.
Wines and other liquors, liquor, etc., are served in all countries but also known specifically for their very distinct regions.
Of course you can also find McDonald's, KFC, and Pizza Hut almost everywhere now.... and Telepizza in Spain which also delivers pizza .
Well that is about it for now, and again it is so nice to be home chatting with our favorite QVC pals.
Catch up again later today, and Happy Sunday my friends.
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