I’ve been to the island of Santorini, Greece twice. The second time I went on a winery tour and cooking lesson in a local restaurant. The island is known for their cherry tomatoes that grow in abundance. The have tough skins to resist the heat and wind on the island, but the fruit is so sweet and juicy. 

There is nothing like fresh pita hot out of a piping hot oven! I watched a woman in Nazareth quicky roll and bake the soft dough into pillowy mounds of the best bread I’d ever eaten. She let me try to make it myself, and she kindly showed me I was rolling the dough too thinly.

This traditional Lebanese salad made from bulgur wheat is a refreshing way to enjoy fresh vegetables and herbs that are in season. I've eaten tabouli in Israel, Greece, and Turkey. Some cooks prefer to use less wheat, while some use a variety of herbs, including cilantro and dill. Combine the ingredients you like the best, and make it your own recipe!

In the heat of summer, sometimes the only relief is biting into a beautiful ripe tomato. I like to stuff them and bake until they’re juicy and blistered. You can fill them with just about any ground meats or vegetables, but I like to use rice or other grains mixed with a variety of roasted vegetables, cheese, and nuts.

When I was in college I studied abroad for a semester. One weekend, my friend Piper and I went to Greece. We spent a day on a boat visiting three Greek islands. When we were at Hydra we found a small estiatório serving fresh bread and fried feta. It was covered in sesame seeds and honey that had been harvested on the island.

There are many pedestrian streets in Athens lined with travernas selling grilled meats and souvlaki. If you venture off the beaten path you’ll find quieter places where the pace is much slower, and the food is prepared with a bit more care. At one such place, I had the most delicious mint sauce, made in a mortar and pestle at the table.

Peloponnese is a region of Greece about an hour’s drive from Athens. There are coastal villages and rustic villas on cliffs overlooking the Aegean Sea. The cuisine is simple and fresh, with lots of fresh fruits, nuts, and some of the best wine and olive oil in Greece. While visiting the area, I had my share of baklava in various cafes and restaurants, and was eager to try something new for a sweet snack.

The Italians made lasagna famous with their hearty dish layered with rich ragu and sheets of pasta. But the Greeks’ ziti and spicy meat sauce tastes equally outrageous. It is a savory pie wrapped in pastry that originated in Italy but was adopted by the Greeks in the 1800’s by a chef who created his own version using cinnamon and cloves in the meaty layers.

This is a delicious smoky dip that is from Lebanon, but common in most middle eastern cuisines. It is used to spread on bread, meats, or vegetables. Some of the best I ever had was in a small bar in Jordan near Petra. It was a cave that had been converted into a bar with the most delicious snacks.

One of my favorite memories of strolling along the streets of Athens was the smell of grilled meat and vegetables wafting from the souvlaki shops. Inside were open fire pits where men were turning long skewers packed with spicy meat over the coals. As the kabobs cooked, peppers and onions sizzled on iron plates next to the fire, waiting to be topped with fresh bread and seared meat.

In Athens, near Monastiraki Square, the streets are lined with restaurants serving gyros, kebabs, and platters of grilled meats. I’ve spent several afternoons sitting in wooden chairs at small tables eating platefuls of grilled lamb topped with French fries and tzatziki, the yogurt sauce flavored with garlic and fresh dill.