FWT Food Wine Travel Magazine Issue Two Winter 2015/16

explore! savor! live!

ISSUE TWO WINTER 2015/16

europe & beyondfwtfood wine travelfwtfood wine travel

Tirana Cologne SalzburgIzmir Vitoria-Gasteiz AthensUmbria Costa Brava SavignoBurgundy Valencia NaoussaMstair Valley South India

europe & beyond

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deptsContributors 4

First class reporting from around the world.

From the Editor 5Welcome to Issue Two

Gear 6The Road Warriors Secret to Staying Connected Abroad

Bon Apptit 7Salami and Strawberries in Hilly Nemi, Italy

Wines & Spirits 8Wines, Wiener Schnitzel and the Viennese Heurigen

My Home Town 9St. Augustine, Florida

Last Shot 100Parc Guell, designed by Antoni Gaud.

On the Cover Val Mstair, photo by Tom Fakler

10 Time Travelin Switzerlands Mstair Valley

16 Whats Cooking in Burgundy 22 India with Intention

Engaging to Embrace Ancient New Notions

28 From Zeus Daughter to Jesus Mother,Ephesus Has Always Known How to Draw a Crowd

34 A Visit to the Greek Aegean SeaWe Explore Three Enchanting Islands

40 NEW HotelHip Luxury in Ancient Athens

46 Discovering Naoussa A Trip to the Land of the Xinomavro Grape

52 An Insightful Tour of Umbria and Tuscany 58 Jaume Marin

The Guy Behind Costa Bravas Tourism Success

64 A Visit to SavignoThe City of Truffles

68 (shhhh) Vitoria-Gasteiz!My Contender for Europes Top Secret Destination

74 Paella WarsValencia Wins!

80 Salzburg, Austria Half a Century Later Secrets from The Sound of Music Revealed

86 Roaming about SalzburgA Walking Tour of The Sound of Music Sites

92 AlbaniaThe Welcome Mat is Out

96 Colognes CathedralYou Really Cant Miss It

contents

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contributors

Sarah JohnsonSarah Johnson is a Minnesota-based freelance writer who covers history, sports, food and travel for a vari-ety of publications.

Christine TibbettsChristine Tibbetts is a veteran journalist with 40+ years in news, editorial, marketing and travel writing, bridging classical journalism with social media.

Susanna StarrSusanna Starr is a well-traveled and published travel writer, photographer, author, entrepreneur, speaker and artist.

John LamkinAn award-winning journalist and photographer, he started travel writing as an escape from the drudgery of being an aerospace engineer.

Cori SolomonMy writing epitomizes write what I know and I share my experiences and joy with my topics in a passion-ate, candid, caring and entertaining way.

Barbara Ramsay OrrAn amateur artist, a former art teacher, and a bit of a museum addict, so many of the stories she writes have a cultural angle. And then theres food.

Linda FastesonLinda Fasteson views travel as a way to to better un-derstand the people, places and events of our world.

Debi LanderDebi Landers articles and blogs highlight her adven-tures as an international freelance travel writer and photographer.

Anita BrelandAnita Breland is an avid traveler who delights in shar-ing her discoveries of culinary traditions and experi-ences around the world.

Elizabeth WilloughbySince the late 90s Elizabeth Willoughby has been writing professionally about travel, food and wine internationally.

Maurie OConnorMaurie OConnor loves jazz, oysters, books, films and craft beer in no particular order.

Kristin HenningKristin Henning is a writer and constant traveler. Read her stories at TravelPast50.com.

More information and links for indivudual authors at the end of each article.

Trisha MillerTrisha Miller is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Travel Writers Exchange, for travel writers, bloggers, and journalists.

Christine SalinsChristine Salins is one of Australias most highly re-garded food, wine and travel writers.

MLiss HinshawMLiss is a native San Diegan and has been exploring old restaurants from her youth which thankfully are still in existence.

Melanie Votaw Melanie Votaw is a freelance writer based in New York who has visited more than 40 countries on six continents.

Janice NiederJanice Nieder could be the love child of Indiana Jones and Julia Child.

Amy Trotter HoustonAmy is a travel writer and editor who loves to take armchair travelers along for the ride.

Irene S. LevineIrene is an award-winning journalist and blogger who produces MoreTimeToTravel.com for the over-50 traveler.

Sandra ScottSandra and her husband, John, have been explor-ing the world for decades, always on the lookout for something new and unique to experience.

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W elcome to Issue Two of the quarterly FWT Maga-zine. It gives us great pleasure to bring you another issue, this one themed Europe & Beyond.In this issue you will visit Cologne; Salzburg where we

find out about the filming of The Sound of Music; are wel-comed in Albania; enjoy the culinary delights of Italy, Spain and France; see Vienna, of course. We interview the Mar-keting Director of Costa Brava, Girona, Tourism and find out what makes Catalunya such a draw for tourists. Then we fol-low the route of Alexander the Great from Greek Macedonia (and check out the wine while were there) to Athens, through the islands of the Aegean Sea across to Turkey, then still with Alexander down into India. And, in our Gear Column we will share the road warriors secret for staying connected abroad.

I hope you enjoy this issue and send us letters!Cheers from the snow-covered landscape of Northern

New Mexico USA,

John Lamkin,Executive Editor

Traveling it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.

Ibn Battuta

We travel, some of us forever, to seek other places, other lives, other souls.

Anais Nin

From the Editor fwtfood wine travel

FWT Magazine: food wine travelPublisher IFWTWA Publications

Executive Editor John Lamkin

Associate Editor Rebecca RhoadesAssistant Editor Christine SalinsContributing Editor Susanna StarrContributing Editor Melanie VotawContributing Editor & Technical Adviser Trisha MillerEditorial Assistant MLiss HinshawCreative Director Dan Kuehn Dan Frank Digital DesignAdvertising Director Alexa HokansonPublications Adviser Allen CoxWebmaster Timothy Lack CharlotteCountyWebsites.comSocial Media Team

Rochael Teynor Mary Lansing Debra Schroeder Michelle Winner

FWT Magazine is published in English, however our audience is global as are our contributing writers. Each contributor writes using the form of English with which they are most familiar, thus you may see international variations on spelling, grammar, and phrasing. We

hope this eliminates any confusion.

Thank you. -- the Editors

FWT Magazine: food wine travelis published by IFWTWA Publishing ofInternational Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association ifwtwa.org

Contact:IFWTWA: [email protected]

FWT Magazine: [email protected]: [email protected]

Submission Guidelines

If you have a product you would like us to try [email protected] and Tania Akritidou, Marketing Manager, Halkidiki

Tourism Org.Greece - Trip Planning

SUSA

NNA

STAR

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Gear

The Road Warriors Secret to Staying Connected Abroad

A nyone who travels frequently outside of their home country knows how expensive not to mention challenging it can be to stay connected while abroad. Free and reliable high-speed WiFi is not as ubiq-uitous as wed like, roaming rates can be quite high, and buying SIM cards for multiple devices is both costly and cost-inefficient, lacking the ability to share data plans.

Enter GlocalMe, exit connection worries. Ive eliminated the stress of figuring out how to get online with my laptop, tablet, and smartphone (at the same time) and do it without breaking the bank.

The GlocalMe Mobile Hotspot uses cloud-based SIM technology without the SIM card, and it works in 108 coun-tries (and counting). Securely connect up to 5 devices at a time on its private, encrypted network, and choose from either pay-as-you-go or the more affordable pre-paid plans (if you use a lot of data, the latter is a great option, if you use very little, youll spend less with the former). Although I re-viewed the GlocalMe G1s, the company will soon be releas-ing its G2 model (shown in the photo), with a larger screen and faster (4G) wifi speed.

As if being a convenient, secure, compact travel WiFi rout-er were not enough, the folks at GlocalMe added in a power bank that lets you charge your mobile phone or tablet at the same timeallowing you to leave one less power adapter/charger at home (sweet!), and although its simple enough

Trisha MillerTrisha Miller is Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Travel

Writers Exchange (www.travel-writers-exchange.com), a resource for travel writers, bloggers and journalists. Active in the travel industry and travel writing community since 1990, Trisha writes about travel (generally with a tech twist), and also teaches and mentors other travel writers. Her mission is to help other writers develop their online presence and to find new opportunities in todays new media landscape.

Trisha also serves the IFWTWA as a member of the Board of Directors and acts as a Technology Adviser to the Board.

For a full author biography and profile, visit: http://ifwtwa.org/author/trisha

to manage directly from the device itself, my favorite feature is the smartphone app that lets you manage the router and easily add more data to your plan if you need it right from your smartphone.

At roughly the same size as an iPhone (albeit a bit thick-er), it takes up very little space in your bag, and although the built-in power bank gives it a little heft, its just a hair over 7 ounces so it wont weigh you down. Just like my American Express card, my GlocalMe is something I never leave home without!

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Salami and Strawberries in Hilly Nemi, Italy

I n ancient Roman times, the wealthy escaped the pol-itics and heat of Rome to relax in the village of Nemi, where sparkling water continues to pour freely from Lake Nemi into the community fountain. Perhaps they visited in the very places where men now sIt, talking and sipping espresso, while children gobble ice cream.

An appealing shop to the right of the village entrance enticed me with its arched doorway framed with bundled string-tied salami, hanging pepperonis and whole prosciutto hams. Inside I found a small path across the worn marbled floor, leading me through the vast selection of cured meats to a woman behind the counter who was freely giving away samples.

I recognized two items known in US markets: long, thin pepperoni, reminding me of Slim Jims, and odd-sized chunks of soppressa salami. All were salt cured, air dried and not sealed in a plastic bag from a big-name manufacturer. I antic-ipate these will taste more authentic than the ones at home, and am not disappointed. Another customer asks for pep-peroni and the woman grabs the meat, shaped like a rope, judiciously cuts some off and coils up the rest in a basket. She must be buying this for an antipasto platter, I presume, imagining that shed serve it with a block of Parmesan cheese.

Nemi is known for its sweet and tiny strawberries grown along the banks of the lake, and at the top of the hill there are many shops that sell the famous custard tarts exquisitely topped with these miniature strawberries. I ducked into a shop with a beautiful display case of tarts and quickly ate the small strawberry dessert with thick custard base and scalloped pie shell, more egg-rich than sweet. Though the workers spoke no English, I asked if the tarts were made in the shop by pretending to mix ingredients in a bowl they answered by smiling and pointing to their kitchen in confirma-tion.

Near the top of the meandering hillside road, local women at a table talked and gently laughed outside of La Casa del Pane pastry shop. I peeked inside to peruse the goodies and one of the white-haired women immediately came into the shop to welcome me. Wearing a white starched uniform dress and smiling easily, she said her name was Luigina and she introduced me to her adult son who had jet black wavy hair and spoke some English. Luigina has worked in the same shop for 31 years and her late husband was a third generation in the shop and began working there as a child. She told me each shop has the same tart shells but the cus-

tard recipe was a little different. It could be the eggs or cream or maybe the cook-ing method that distinguished one custard from the other. Luigina was proud of her bakery and said her ovens are very old and use chestnut wood to fuel the fire.

She went on to tell me how the strawberries represent the national colors of Italy the first color is white while young and growing, then green, and the last color is red as it ripens into a luscious fruit. The colors of white, green and red are prominently displayed on Italys flags and emblems. I thanked her for speaking with me. Then, as a warm gesture, she care-fully put many different cookies in a bag for me to take.

The village of Nemi, with 2,000 residents and a delightful setting, attracts many shoppers to come and indulge in the tasteful things in life.

If you goStay at the highly rated and family run Olive Tree Hill B&B

in Zagarolo where owners Ivano and Tehri will cook for you and make sure you see all the important sights. www.Olive-treehill.com

MLiss HinshawTravel and food are my passion and writing about both

has made my travel experiences that much more exciting. I was bitten by the travel bug when I was 13 years old and took my first flight from San Diego to Los Angeles and decid-ed right then, Id keep on traveling. Ive explored and written about regional foods and peoples in many countries, includ-ing the USA and my home town of San Diego. Interviewing and writing about notable chefs and little unknown eateries has become my niche wherever I go. Meanwhile, I must swim and practice pilates because of all the delicious foods.

Memberships include San Diego Travel Massive, Interna-tional Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association, IFWTWAs Emerging Writer Program and assisting the membership committee. A career highlight was appearing as a food blogger in Lifetimes TV show Supermarket Superstar, Pub-lications are: International Travel News, San Diego Reader, Examiner.com, AmateurTraveler.com, San Diego Union, Just-Luxe.com, HonestCooking.com, Realtraveladventures.com and LuxeBeat.com. Travel is a highlight with my life to open my eyes and experience the world in different ways. My hope with my articles and website is that it gives people a vision to travel outside of routines and expectations and enrich lives in a satisfying way.

Bon Apptit

Ready for a taste of pepperoni

MLISS HINSHAW


Wines & Spirits

Wines, Wiener Schnitzel and the Viennese Heurigen

We sat outdoors at long communal tables under a canopy of grapevines, sipping Viennese wine and sampling traditional Austrian dishes just as thousands of Viennese inhabitants had done before us for hundreds of years. We were at the heurigen or wine tavern of Mayer am Pfarrplatz winery within the city limits of Vienna, but it felt like we were in the countryside.

Mayer am Pfarrplatzs first wines were produced in 1683, and the Pfarrplatz building once housed Ludwig van Beetho-ven while he worked on his Symphony No. 9. Their courtyard heurigen is a place where you will see local families and tour-ists alike out for a meal, while a live accordionist serenades them from the corner.

With all of the other famed traditions in Vienna from the waltz to the Hapsburg architecture to Lipizzaner horses, its easy to give Viennese wines short shrift, but they deserve plenty of your attention. Vienna is the only world capital that produces significant quantities of wine within the city limits about 700 hectares and 700 growers.

Most of what you will drink in Vienna are light, acidic white wines. Riesling is popular, along with Sauvignon Blanc and Weissburgunder. I especially enjoyed the Gelber Muskateller. In summer, during our visit, the light whites were refreshing in the heat and the perfect complement to the salty wiener

schnitzel and sauerkraut. Even though whites make up about 85% of the wines in Vienna, an increasing number of todays winegrowers in the region are producing reds like Merlot, Syrah, and Pinot Noir.

For centuries, the specialty wine blend of Vienna was Wiener Gemischter Satz. Now, wineries are starting to make it again. A law requires that a wine can only be called Wiener Gemischte Satz if it includes at least three different grape varieties that have been planted, harvested, and pressed together. Some of the winegrowers are using as many as 20 varieties.

To make it easy for tourists, theres the Vienna Heurigen Express, a hop on/hop off vehicle that takes you through the

Vienna Woods to several wineries throughout the city. You will pass the Beethoven House and Beethoven Museum along the way as well. The Express leaves Nussdorf station on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from April to October.

If youd rather get your exercise while experiencing the vineyards, you can travel to Vienna in late September, when they hold their Vienna Wine Hiking Day weekend. Its an op-portunity to see some private gardens that are usually closed to visitors and sample some culinary treats at the heurigens that were made especially for the event.

However you choose to experience the wines of Vienna, its a must do when in this majestic city. While you can sam-ple the wines in the centrally located restaurants and wine bars, theres nothing like venturing out to the greener part of the city and experiencing a heurigen like the locals.

Melanie VotawMelanie Votaw is a freelance writer based in New York

who has visited more than 40 countries on 6 continents. Her travel stories and photos have appeared in such publications as Womans Day, Travel Savvy, Just Luxe, Business Insider, Executive Travel, Dream of Italy, Luxury Web, Farewell Travels, Travel Mindset, and South China Morning Post. She is also the author of 16 books.

View of Vienna from the vineyards of the Nussberg

AUSTRIAN NATIO

NAL TOURIST O

FFICE / STERREICH W

ERBUNG

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My Home Town

I hail from Americas oldest city: St. Augustine, Florida. The town recently celebrated the 450th anniversary of its founding by Spaniard Pedro Menendez.The most famous town landmark is the fort, Castillo de

San Marcos, a US National Park Monument. Construction using coquina (shell-stone) rock began in 1672, and the structure stands as the oldest masonry fort in North America. Georgias British General, James Oglethorpe pounded it by cannon fire for 27 days in 1740, but the fort never fell. Today, the daily cannon firings are by costumed interpreters.

When I first moved here, those canon firings made me jump. Now, theyre part of the citys charm, along with the scenic bi-plane I hear flying overhead and the horse-drawn carriage rides that slow traffic.

You can easily stroll the historic district including 36 buildings of Spanish and British colonial origin. My favorites are The Colonial Quarter, a mini-Wil-liamsburg focusing on the citys early Spanish and British settlements, the beautiful Basilica, the 1600s Gonzalez-Alvarez House, the oldest Spanish dwell-ing, and Pena-Peck House and gift shop.

Pirate Robert Searle sacked the town in 1668. Learn all about Searle at the Pirate and Treasure Museum containing Smithsonian quality artifacts (a real Jolly Roger flag and the only known authentic pirate treasure chest) and some newer treasures like Capt Jack Sparrows sword. Afterward, board the Black Raven Pirate Ship for a swashbuckling cruise on the river.

Foodies love the fact that no chain restaurants are allowed downtown. Dine on Spanish tapas or French patisseries, Mexican favorites and pizza by the slice on touristy St. George Street. Take a Culinary Tasting Tour, one of the best ways to see the old town, and sample some of the extraordinary fare. A stop in the St. Augustine Distillery is another must. Free tours take visitors through the distillery known for hand-crafting gin, vodka and whiskey from local ingredients and Florida grown sugar cane. Tastings follow: try the Florida Mule, a house specialty at the Ice Plant, the attached restaurant.

I love all the festivals, costumed reenactments (Founders Day Celebration, British Colonial Night Watches) and the annual Nights of Lights Illumination from Thanksgiving until the end of January. Some three to four million white lights outline the buildings, bridges and trees. Hop on the Holly, Jolly Trolley and don a pair of 3-D glassesthe lights turn into snowflakes. Quirky and fun!

Dont miss Henry Flaglers first grand hotel, the former Ponce de Leon Hotel. Today, this turret and tower Spanish Renaissance jewel is a centerpiece for Flagler College. Tour-ing begins at the fountain in the courtyard, then the grand lobby with its magnificent 80-foot domed ceiling supported by eight hand-carved oak caryatids, the dining room with its 79 Tiffany stained-glass windows and prized clock personally installed by Thomas Edison.

Ready for some sand and sun? St. Augustine Beach lies just across the iconic Bridge of Lions. Whatever you do, have a blast!

If You GoTo avoid crowds, visit after Labor Day through early No-

vember or February-March.

AUSTRIAN NATIO

NAL TOURIST O

FFICE / STERREICH W

ERBUNG Debi LanderTravel excites Debi Lander: big cities, small towns; US and

international. Debis articles and blogs highlight her adven-tures as a freelance travel writer and photographer. Whether shes traveling by air, by land or sea, Debi gathers inspiration from the local people she meets, their culture, history, archi-tecture and cuisine She digs into background research, de-lights in local lore, and devours ethnic food and drink. Shes written for Islands, Visa Black Card, AOL Travel, Business Jet Traveler and Automotive Traveler, among others. For a full author biography and profile please visit: http://ifwtwa.org/author/deborah-lander

The former Hotel Ponce de Leon, now Flagler College


Time Travelin Switzerlands Mstair Valley

by Anita BrelandPhotos by Tom Fakler (except as noted)

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Time Travelin Switzerlands Mstair Valley

by Anita BrelandPhotos by Tom Fakler (except as noted)

Val Mstair in Switzerlands canton Graubnden


W e lower the car windows as we descend from the Ofen Pass into Switzerlands far eastern precincts and revel in the cool breeze wafting westward from Italys South Tyrol. The first olfactory hit is one of Arolla pine, sometimes called the incense of the Alps. Soon, though, the aroma of newly-mown hay gently wins out as we curve down from the pass into farmland, and follow the Rom River from the village of Tschierv through the valley to Santa Maria. This is how we will remember mid-summer in Graubnden.

One tunnel through the Alps too far to be on most travelers itineraries, the Val Mstair in canton Graubnden offers miles of hiking trails and plentiful fresh food to replenish the body. The Bene-dictine Convent of Saint John provides Prioress Dominica of the Convent of Saint John in Mstair

The Convent of Saint John in Mstair has welcomed travelers for more than 1,200 years.

pilgrims with another sort of nourish-ment. My husband and I came to the valley to tour the convent, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and discovered a year-round nature destination, its pic-turesque villages set in lush meadows. Our base was the Ritterhaus Chasa de Capol in Santa Maria, a living museum with a long-standing connection to the convent.

The valley is characterized by an inviting terrain, traditional villagescapes and a mild climate. As long ago as the Middle Ages, routes across the valley and neighboring passes were used to transport grain, wine and iron. Today, the valley is a favorite with cyclists, bikers and drivers of antique and classic cars. The principal roadway curves through villages with houses sporting sgrafitto, the surface layers of plaster incised to reveal a ground of contrasting color.

Rolling hills and steep mountain-sides offer myriad well-marked trails

for walkers and hikers at all levels, and there is cross-country skiing in winter. The Umbrail is the highest paved road in Switzerland at more than 2,500 meters above sea level. It connects Santa Maria in Val Mstair with Bormio in Italy, and its a popular starting point for bike and hiking tours. Val Mstair, together with the adjoining Swiss National Park, is the first UNESCO biosphere reserve in the high Alpine region.

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Sgrafitto adornment on a house in Valchava, Val Mstair

The Swiss National Park The Swiss National Park is the larg-

est nature reserve and only national park in Switzerland. An alpine wonderland, its natural landscape is located at altitudes of 1,400 to 3,200 meters above sea level and nourishes a wealth of alpine fauna and flora. Founded in 1914, it was the first national park in the Alps and Central Europe. It closes in winter, so nothing is allowed to disturb the natural order of the seasons here, providing a stretch of ungroomed landscape that is rare for Europe.

The Convent of Saint John at MstairThe regions cultural high point is

the Convent of Saint John, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1983. It was founded as a monastery around 775 A.D., probably on the orders of Char-lemagne. Monks abandoned the site in the 12th century, and it was re-occupied by cloistered Benedictine nuns. Their devotion, reflection and assistance for travelers has continued down the cen-turies to the present day, despite their dwindling numbers. Convent Prioress Dominica is determined that her charges contribute and are invigorated by a heightened level of interaction with the outside world. The Benedictine nuns of Mstair operate a gift shop, and their guesthouse welcomes outsiders for re-treats and professionally guided weeks of fasting, meditation and yoga.

The convent has Switzerlands great-est series of figurative murals, painted around 800 A.D., as well as stunning Romanesque frescoes and stuccoes. The ensemble is considered one of the most coherent architectural works of the Carolingian period and High Middle Ages and includes the most extensive cycle of known paintings for the first half of the 9th century.

The Knights HouseThe Ritterhaus Chasa de Capol in

Santa Maria was the residence of the Venetian Polo family, who were secular administrators of the Convent of Saint John centuries ago. Now a hotel, its wide-planked floors creak with history.


Grisons barley soup, a Graubnden specialty, is especially good after a day of hiking in the fresh air of Val Mstair.

Cyclists head for Val Mstair in the warmer months.

Originally a hospice with a refectory and private chapel in 1199, the house is a living museum of Graubnden traditions. Its worth a stop to see the Carolingian cellar vault, rooms paneled with Arolla pine, and the 500-year-old former hos-pice kitchen.

Graubnden Food and DrinkGraubnden kitchens feature hearty

farm cooking. Two must-try specialties are Grisons barley soup and capuns, spiced meat dumplings wrapped in leaves of Swiss chard and served in their cooking broth. Mstair Valley rye bread, a dark brown loaf with a soft floury crust, is the standard accompani-ment. The Muglin Mall, a water-powered mill dating from the 17th-century, is the oldest still-functioning mill of its type in Switzerland and may have produced the barley you enjoyed in your soup!

The best-known wines of Graubn-den come from a small grape-growing

region called the Bndner Herrschaft, and these well-regarded wines, both reds and whites, can be found on menus in Val Mstair. To go really local, though, its worth a meal at Ritterhaus Chasa de Capol. Polenta is prepared in the traditional way in an ancient copper pot, and its possible to try wines made in-house and aged in the hotels ancient cellar. After dinner, especially in winter, Arven liqueur, another Graubnden spe-cialty, is worth a try. This potent drink is made from cones hand-harvested from stone pine trees, and it delivers on its promise: the taste and smell of a pine forest!

ANITA BRELAND

ANITA BRELAND

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Grapes for Lagrein Dunkel are grown just across the border in South Tyrol, and aged and bot-tled by Ritterhaus Chasa de Capol in Santa Maria. The label carries the water motif found on many buildings in Graubnden.

Anita BrelandAnita Breland is an avid traveler

who delights in sharing her discoveries of culinary traditions and experiences around the world. A passionate foodie based in Europe, she is on a never-ending quest for

good food and the people who make it. With her husband and fellow blogger, photographer Tom Fakler, Anita chases tasty plates and cultural experiences and serves up the long-running blog, Anitas Feast.

She has contributed guest posts and articles to several anthologies, includ-ing Lonely Planets A Moveable Feast. She has worked with numerous tourist boards and destinations in Europe and Asia. Anita is a member of the Pro-fessional Travel Bloggers Association (PTBA), Geneva Writers Group and Thin Raft Writers (Basel, Switzerland).

If you goVal Mstair is a waypoint along

Switzerlands UNESCO World Heritage Trail Tour. It is also an extension to the Grand Tour of Switzerland, a scenic traverse of Switzerlands most iconic landscapes. The valley is reached from the rest of Switzerland via the Ofen Pass. You can travel to Val Mstair with the extensive Swiss public transport system. If you travel by car, you can also enjoy exhilarating drives over the passes encircling the valley.

Sleeping and ShoppingA range of accommodation awaits

travelers in Val Mstair. Two atmospheric options include the Hotel Mnsterhof in Mstair and Ritterhaus Chasa de Capol in Santa Maria, both members of the Swiss Historic Hotels network.

Visit the Graubnden Tourism website to plan a visit to the Convent of Saint John, from booking tickets and tours, to overnight stays in the guest-house.

For a hand-crafted memento of your visit to Val Mstair, shop at the Tessanda hand-weaving workshop in Santa Maria for tablecloths and other gift items.

The gift shop at the Convent of Saint John in Mstair sells sacred music re-corded in the chapel, along with books, and a range of handmade gift items, from jams, soaps, and herbal prepara-tions to paper goods.

MuseumsThe Convent Museum Mstair,

located in the fortified Planta Tower of the Convent of Saint John, offers visitors 1200 years of convent, architectural and art history.

The Muglin Mall in Santa Maria is a functioning 17th-century mill, a museum of farm implements and the millworks, and a community center.

The Mstair Valley museum, Chasa Jaura in Valchava, occupies a traditional house and offers contemporary revolv-ing exhibitions.

The Museum 14/18 is a museum (in Santa Maria) and military hiking trail (on the Italian border at Stelvio) dedicated to World War I and one of the high-est-fought battles of that conflict.

ANITA BRELAND


Whats Cooking in Burgundy by Christine SalinsPhotos by Maurie OConnor

The stream that runs past La Ferme de la Lochre.

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Whats Cooking in Burgundy by Christine SalinsPhotos by Maurie OConnor


W ere supposed to be making a sunflower-shaped pastry but mine is looking rather sad. Ive got far too many petals, theyre facing the wrong way, and despite loads of encouragement and remedial action from our ever-patient host, my pastry is never going to look like a Van Gogh masterpiece.

Its the second to last day of our stay at La Ferme de la Lochre and, sunflow-er disappointment aside, Im as happy as a kid let loose with a paintbrush. Weve spent a week at the luxury gte in Burgundy where Katherine Frelon offers her bespoke food and wine experienc-

Time for some relaxation by the pool at La Ferme de la Lochre.

es and Im looking forward to tonights farewell celebration with friends, new and old.

A long-time friend from Australia who lives in nearby Dijon is a highly skilled knifemaker and creator of cast iron pans, and our host has kindly invited him to join us for dinner. Our new friends four Canadian women celebrating a significant birthday and an English woman and her granddaughter have been a joy to cook with, laugh with and converse with over the past week.

Not even the drizzling rain, and cer-tainly not my sad-looking sunflower, can dampen my spirits as our energetic host and her assistant whip up yet another divine feast, all while making sure our sunflowers are painted with egg wash and popped in the oven.

Katherine Frelon is pretty much a self-taught cook but she turns out

wondrous dishes and has been doing so for a long time. She arrived in France in 1990 at the age of 22 with no money, no French and no friends. Within a few years, she had bought her first property in the Loire Valley and met and married her French husband, Yannick, who she describes as master builder, technical director and head gardener.

Gardening is not my thing he is said to have pronounced in his mid-20s. If it wasnt then it certainly is now, as the raised beds that fan out around the willow tree in the garden between their home and the gte flourish with juicy to-matoes, heirloom vegetables and herbs.

The couple bought La Ferme de la Lochre in 2004 and, in between raising their children Charlie and Mathilda, magically transformed the solid stone barn into luxury accommodation with five very large ensuite bedrooms, a spa-

19fwtWINTER 2015/16Katherine whipping up a feast.

The pace is gentle at La Ferme de la Lochre.

cious open-plan sitting/dining room, and Katherines dream kitchen.

The barns enormous wooden beams were preserved, and magnificent oak doors were added, along with an imposing stone staircase decorated with huge lanterns from Morocco. Katherine was responsible for the dcor, selecting the furniture and making the curtains, achieving the style of a grand country house that is both elegant and homely.

The house is one of a cluster of stone properties ranging from quaint lit-tle houses to expansive barns and farm-steads in Marigny-le Cahout, a village of about 300 people, about an hours drive north-west of Dijon. The village is surrounded by lush, rolling meadows dotted with fat, contented cows, and in the dappled late-afternoon light on the day of our arrival, its as pretty as a picture. As the Burgundy Canal wends its way through the region, people are out and about on boats, having picnics or pulling up a chair and fishing.

Our upstairs suite has a super-com-

fortable king-size bed with bathrobes and slippers provided. The bathroom is stocked with luxurious LOccitane products and the French doors open to a tranquil view over a stream with farm-land beyond. Theres a lovely surprise of a welcome gift of locally produced sweets, honey and other treats.

Yannick greets us on the first day, and every afternoon thereafter, with a flute of Kir Royale, the popular Burgun-dian aperitif of crme de cassis topped with Cremant, the regions sparkling wine. Katherine, meanwhile, is busy in the kitchen preparing the weekly stock-pot and simultaneously preparing our first nights feast of pumpkin soup with olive oil biscotte, followed by Chicken Gaston Grard, a typical Burgundian dish made with white wine, crme frache, mustard and grated cheese.

Much of the week is spent rolling from one fabulous meal to the next and by the end of it I feel like an extra

in the 1973 film La Grande Bouffe, in which Marcello Mastroianni and his companions retire to a country villa to gorge themselves to death. We show a little more restraint than the films cast, although the bundle of menus, beauti-fully tied with ribbon, presented to us at the end of the week is a reminder of just how well we have eaten.

Salmon with beurre blanc, pork rag, boeuf Bourguignon, duck confit, not to mention the delicious desserts and a fabulous array of cheeses this is five-star dining, home-style. Meals are taken in the courtyard when its sunny or at the beautifully set, 14-seat oak dining table that Katherine commissioned especially for the house.

Theres a gentle rhythm to the days as Katherine demonstrates dishes, encourages her guests to be hands-on in the kitchen, and shares her wisdom. She honed her kitchen skills while work-ing as a cook on barge tours, but there

Enjoying a picnic during an excursion to the Burgundy wine region.

Every meal is a feast.

were other influences as well: Yannicks mother was a great cook. They were poor; they grew everything and she used it all.

In between cooking, eating, relaxing by the pool and strolling around the vil-lage, we pay visits to small local produc-ers including a woman farming snails and another making goats cheese. A whole day is spent at the workshop of an organic baker, Alexandre and his wife Karine, who show us how to make sour-dough bread in their traditional wood oven. Some of these artisans feature in Katherines book, Shop.Cook.Eat, which she published in 2014.

She also arranges for wine consul-tant Brendan Moore to take us on a personally guided tour of the Burgundy wine region. An Englishman who has lived in France for 25 years, he is able to organize visits to vineyards that tourists would not normally have access to. He takes particular pleasure in introducing us to some of the village wines that he believes represent the best value.

Between seven and 12 euros, you get the greatest wines in France, he says. The entry level wines are far more interesting (than the more expensive wines). If you can make a great wine

off names like Romane-Conti, Meur-sault and Chassagne-Montrachet. We stop to see the Hospice de Beaune, built in the 15th century as a hospice for the poor and now a jewel in the crown of Beaune. Its terracotta tiles glazed in green, yellow, red and black, arranged in a striking geometric pattern, gave rise to a trend for similarly colourful roofs throughout the region.

One morning, Katherine takes us to the market in Dijon, a steel and glass-covered hall designed by Gustav Eiffel, more famously known for design-ing the Eiffel Tower. Armed with a list of ingredients to buy for dinner, we marvel over the cheeses, the charcuterie and local delicacies such as pain depices, a kind of gingerbread.

When our baskets are full, theres just enough time for a drink at a caf in the square overlooking the magnificent Ducal Palace, and a wander through some of the winding streets with their centuries-old half-timbered houses and shops, including the iconic Maille mus-tard shop.

For guests doing the cooking pro-gram, it isnt necessary to have a car as the program is fully hosted and guests can be collected from the train station in

from the simplest vineyard, thats far more indicative of the skill of the wine-maker.

Nevertheless, we have our sights set on some of the big names, and as we meander along the Route des Grands Crus, which runs through many of Burgundys great appellations, we eye

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Katherine takes her guests to visit a snail farm in the region.

Christine SalinsChristine Salins is one of Australias

most highly regarded food, wine and travel writers. She spent more than 20 years as a newspaper journalist, including nine years as Food & Wine Editor for The

Canberra Times, the major daily in Aus-tralias capital city.

She has freelanced for print media since 2003, and together with Maurie OConnor manages www.foodwinetrav-el.com.au, bringing all their great loves together in their award-winning website.

nearby Montbard, just one hour by train from Paris. We have our own wheels, however, and that enables us to slip in a few excursions to nearby points of inter-est such as Fontenay Abbey; Epoisses, home of the famous cheese; and Flavi-gny-sur-Ozerain, one of Frances most beautiful villages and the location for the movie, Chocolat.

Burgundy is the perfect region in which to unwind as the bucolic land-scape invites you to take your time, savour and enjoy. Just as our sunflowers are coming out of the oven, the drizzle gives way to sunshine and we sit down to a long leisurely lunch in the courtyard. No-one wants to deal with the mundane chore of packing for tomorrows depar-ture. One of the Canadian gals, Noreen, speaks for us all when she says, The only thing that would make this more perfect would be to have someone pack my bags.

If you goLa Ferme de la Lochre6 Rue De La Lochere21150 Marigny-le-CahouetFrance+33 6 7286 5609www.lafermedelalochere.comHost Katherine Frelon offers a variety

of bespoke gourmet vacations, or the house can be rented and you can do your own thing.


India with IntentionEngaging to Embrace Ancient New Notions

Story and photos by Christine Tibbetts

Vast views distinguish the Windermere Estate in Kerala, India.

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Temples both majestic and modest in South India.

T ake your heart to India, not just your sightseeing eyes. Expect your ears to inform you of won-drous new notions.

Listening in India is fantastic: incan-tations and instruments in the places of worship, and in your inner ear once you learn that demons speak rudely, hu-mans politely, and the gods in poetry.

Intentionally listen to people steeped in stories far grander than the tales of my youth.

Leave behind your notion of how people and places ought to function. In India try to experience and accept.

Its all holy. Show me anything in India which

isnt sacred, epic storyteller Sanjay challenged on my first morning of a two-week exploration of South India.

Coast-to-coast was my physical route in the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, from the Bay of Bengal to the In-dian Ocean and on to the Arabian Sea.

Crossing the Western Ghat Moun-tains was my breathtaking ride on steep, narrow switchbacks.

My emotional route seemed to be crossing from this world to the next, or a previous one.

Monuments, temples, altars on sidewalks, sculpture, festivals, candles, carvings in rock all abound at every turn, each holding faith-journey promises for somebody.

In India, people expect to find en-lightenment a little bit along, all day long. It helps to have that frame of reference when you go.

Its impossible for me to recall the grand epics I heard everywhere, but I figured out early on that everyone ven-erates the many gods and goddesses, expecting inspiration and life lessons.

I had to accept local truth like that to really experience India.

Otherwise the cows on the sidewalk, fingers-not-forks to eat lunch, walking barefoot in the temples, elephants giving blessings, and the constant hustle and bustle might have been off-putting.

If the silence is not in you, you will not find it, Sanjay taught.

Lighting candles in the temple is a position of honor in India.

Anticipate exquisite foods and presentations in South India.

If you grow up in India, you learn how to have it inside. I saw plenty of people in focused prayer or meditation, sitting or standing, solo or with family, in the midst of huge throngs in every temple I visited.

As a visitor I felt distracted I kept looking every which way, following sound and light, color and motion, while the local folks remained focused.

Worship in South India is not Sun-day 11:00 a.m. American-style. Its all the time, any time. Visit a temple, see worship, participate. Always.

Places of worship here have many spaceshallways, big rooms, little rooms, sections within rooms. Always in India there are many options for wor-ship.

However, dont count on entering every temples inner sanctum. Some are Hindu only. Heres what I learned about that: a sacred vibration occurs through those with the faith, and those without might break the energy.

Colors are as remarkable as the energy and the silence. Sometimes tem-ples and their art are bold primary colors and sometimes pastels. For certain, every inch contains a carving, a symbol, the potential for deep meaning to the beholder.

This isnt about worshiping a carving or epic tale but rather about believing opportunity exists for inspiration and enlightenment.

When I grasped that this oppor-tunity for inspiration meant me too, I


Standard garb for men is the dhoti, worn long or short.

transformed from sightseeing to simply being, from watching to engaging.

India taught me to be present in the moment rather than envisioning my next event.

Thats the way to do India to make it vastly different from other trips.

Temples, monuments and World Heritage sites in India are well described in guidebooks. Weaving them together on a journey to make sense of their connections to past and present India is a different story.

India adapts, says Mark Hennessy of Magical Journey, the trip designer I selected. Modernity is not new here; its just happening side by side with ancient wisdom.

Cultural, technical, industrial, agrari-an revolutions are all happening together in India, not one after the other as in the

west, Hennessy said.Philosophy, science and

religion share a life here while we separate them in the west. Merging as one is Indias way.

Hennessy lives in South Africa and brings memories of vast reading to discussions along the way. Hes a bonus to the reason I chose Magical Journey to explore India as fully as possible which is Carol Cumes.

I stayed in Cumes guest-house in Perus Sacred Valley previously where I observed her remarkable gift for meeting, accepting and admiring people as she finds them.

No need to improve, transform or enlighten others according to her worldview as many try to do.

Certainly hers is a spiritual gift to connect with people in their places.

Cumes journeys are practi-cal too, like finding a guide with impec-cable pronunciation, easy and entertain-ing to listen to. No straining to catch the words on a tour and missing many, as can happen in India.

City hotels in Chennai and Kochi offered fine what-I-expected five-star quality, but The Windermere Estate in Kerala and The Bangala in Chennai delivered local community too, allowing me to get closer to people in the places they live.

The decoction is best when we serve you, Dr. Simon John says of his coffee at Windermere Estate. No pots in the room on purpose.

The very congenial Simon, as he is known, calls his plantation a retreat, not a hotel. Choose from garden rooms, cottages or villas.

Simon fell in love with the 60 tea and cardamom growing acres 25 years ago.

Good things have to be shared, he says, so he added guest houses, a dining room, library and thatched roof tea hut.

Ginger, masala and cardamom teas

are poured every afternoon from a sam-ovar into glass tumblers.

Walks with a naturalist through the spice fields shows off the shade-loving cardamom, and the tea and coffee.

Banyan trees, along with red cedar, ironwood, rosewood and cinchona fill the grounds too, easy to walk through and spectacular with a huge view from Simons high rock promontory.

Stay 10 days and the dinners will all be different, Simon notes.

Breakfast was abundant too, fresh and local. A trek to the top of the mountain gives views on both sides of this plateau and a national park, tea museum, paper-making business and interesting downtown offer plenty of diversion.

Everybody from the U.S. should slow down, Simon says, so maybe just stay put at Winder-mere Estate. The staff are aware of you; nowhere do you have to sign in. Just receive.

Meeting Mrs. Meenakshi Mey-yappan at her boutique hotel in Chettinad is an altogether different kind of community. Hers is a mer-chant family, dealing in teak from Burma for more than a century.

Business transactions took place on the verandas of the very gracious homes lining the once prosperous street. Brimming with century-old charm, a feel of India an era ago, is The Bangala.

Furnishings of that teak fill each of the large rooms, air-conditioned with full bath. Charming shutters, plenty of light and Chettiar family photos.

Men in crisp white shirts and dhotis, the South Indian long skirt that hikes up into a short one with a clever flip of the wrist and one tuck in the waist, choreograph the serving of the meals.

Guests sit on both sides of a long table, covered but outdoors. The men appear all of a sudden, at least five of them, serving simul-taneously in perfect rhythm.

Celery soup, sailfish from the

Any hike or drive in South India reveals a place of meditation.

Christine TibbettsChristine Tibbetts is a high-energy

veteran journalist known for writing engaging, compelling tales about people in places, enabling travelers to better experience the rich dynam-ics of a destination.

She serves as Destinations editor of TravelingMom.com, writes travel features on assignment for southern regional print magazines and for the web zine Ameri-can Roads.

A member of the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association, she earned a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Missouri in 1970.

Indian Ocean, rice with carrots and lemon custard were among the many wonders I enjoyed on my first of two nights there.

Mrs. Meyyappan and her staff teach cooking classes; I learned how to do almond halwa (need ghee and saffron), tomato rice, potato masala, chicken pepper fry and prawn masala.

The Bangala Table Flavors and

Recipes from Chettinad contains 150 recipes with stunning photos.

This is Indias spice country and we used plenty of ginger, turmeric, carda-mom, aniseed, cumin seed and corian-der.

Will my lifes lessons be as vast when I visit Indias Northern neighborhoods? I know Ill start with my heart and open attitude.

From Zeus Daughter to Jesus Mother,Ephesus Has Always Known How to Draw a Crowd

Story and photos by Elizabeth Willoughby

Grand Theatre

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From Zeus Daughter to Jesus Mother,Ephesus Has Always Known How to Draw a Crowd

Story and photos by Elizabeth Willoughby


A nd the Oracle of Delphi said, the fish will jump, the boar will flee and there Androklos, son of the Athenian King Kadros, you will establish a city having a bright future.

Then, one day, Androklos was frying a fish in a pan, the oil sputtered, the fish jumped from the pan, flames followed, a bush was ignited, and the boar behind the bush ran away. Naturally, Androklos chased it down on horseback, killed it and, prophecy fulfilled, established there the Ionian city of Ephesus.

Mythology aside, Ephesus is one of the most famous cities of antiquity.

The Agora marketplace

Although the area, in Turkeys Izmir province, dates back to the Neolithic Age (6000 BCE), its heyday was during the Hellenistic and Roman periods. De-stroyed over time in turn by earthquakes and warring cultures, the ruins that exist today are from the location that was ruled around 300 BCE by Lysimakhos, one of Alexander the Greats generals. With a population of over 200,000, it was the largest port city of the Roman Province of Asia. By the Middle Ages, however, silt from the River Cayster had filled the port, diminishing its importance as an international trade center.

The city was also famous for its Temple of Artemis (Diana in Roman my-thology, the daughter of Zeus and Leto and twin sister of Apollo). One of the

ancient Seven Wonders of the World, once it was discovered in modern times, the temple was only partially excavated before covering it over again for con-servation reasons. Its one of the oldest of the Greek temples with surrounding colonnades.

Another claim of importance, Ephe-sus is one of the Seven Churches of Asia mentioned in the New Testaments Book of Revelation, when Jesus in-structs John to write a letter to seven cities describing visions he has seen. Nearby is also the House of the Virgin Mary, a place of pilgrimage with its own special energy. This is where Apostle John, entrusted by Jesus to care for his mother, brought Mary after Jesus death. The colorful ruins of the Church

Temple of Artemis, covered over for protection

of St. John are also close by.But with all that fame and glory, the

real reason to visit Ephesus is the visual feast of history. There are several amaz-ing sites left to see as you walk along the citys two main corridors:

The Terraced Houses, built around 20 CE (Roman Imperial period) on the northern slope of Mount Blbl demonstrate separate residential units graduating up to 27.5 meters above Curetes Street. Homes feature storied courtyards around which are living and work areas, reception rooms, luxurious upper-floor banquet rooms, toilets, bathtubs, kitchens, water supply, drain-age wells and canal system, mosaics, wall paintings and marble furnishings on walls and floors.

The reconstructed faade of the Li-brary of Celsus, from the beginning of the 2nd century CE, was originally fund-ed by Celsus, Governor of Asia Minor. Built by his son, Celsus had planned for the library to hold a treasure trove of scrolls, starting with a meager 12,000.

First built into the slopes of Mount Pion in the 3rd-1st century BCE, then rebuilt twice more in the 1st century CE, the Grand Theatre was one of the greatest theatres of Anatolia, which could hold 25,000 people. Here is where theatre performances and as-semblies were held, and later gladiatorial contests. The acoustics are fantastic. Stand on the stage and sing your heart out.

Also worth a peek: Stoa Basileios the Royal Colon-

nade, built in 11 CE. Imagine entering the city through here in days of yore.

Odeion (Concert Hall), built around the 2nd century CE, is where members of the city council (wealthy people and priests), gathered to discuss the future of the city and listen to musical concerts for 1,500 people. Picture in your mind the red marble columns behind the upper seating and a fixed roof of wood and fired clay tiles to protect the audi-ence from sun and rain.

The public lavatory is impressive in its clever technology (channels of fast running water to whisk away waste and odor) and attention to detail (marble seats, washing channels, mosaics and


Terraced Houses of Ephesus

Elizabeth WilloughbySince the late 90s Elizabeth Wil-

loughby has been writing profession-ally about travel, food and wine, maintaining home bases in North America, South America and Europe. Hopscotching across the

globe to gather stories and photos, she is the author of Tales from the Road, the adventure travel page at worldguide.eu, she designs the ultimate wine and cuisine road trips for writeshots.com, and for a time she wrote two regular columns for Brazils only bilingual news-paper, Sunday News, on South Ameri-can travel and culture clash.

Library of Celsus

waterworks). The adjacent brothel layout is also, natural-ly, a curiosity.

Right next to the Library of Celsus, the Gates of Ma-zaeus and Mitridates were constructed in 3 BCE to honor Emperor Augustus and his wife, Livia. They were con-structed by two of his slaves, whom he had freed and sent to Ephesus to watch over the Roman Empire properties.

Now a field of columns, blocks and pedestals, walk through the Gates of Mazaeus and Mitridates to the Agora, which was a two story mar-ketplace where merchants sold and traded goods, guilds met and political associations networked.


A Visit to the Greek Aegean SeaWe Explore Three Enchanting Islands

Story and photos by Susanna Starr

Fishermens homes, Milos

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H avent we all heard about the beauty of the Greek Islands, the deep blues of the Aegean reflecting the blue of the sky? There are more islands than we can ever hope to visit, so choosing a few means a little bit of research. There is a lot of information about the larger, well known islands like Crete, Mykonos or Santorini, but investigating some of the others can be rewarding.

If you decide to visit some of the smaller, lesser known ones, as we did, I think youll be in for a delightful surprise. The first thing thats noticeable is their immediate feeling of intimacy. These are island communities with small, charming villages. Many of them look like picture postcards with their stark white, almost cubist architecture and their winding

Fresh caught octopus, Ios

streets, especially those invariably perched on the highest hills, where we can still visit the ancient towns or choras.

All of the Greek Islands have beauti-ful and varied beaches, some set up so that you can have a delightful lunch by the seaside and combine it with a swim in the warm, calm waters of the individu-al bays or lie out in a lounge chair under an umbrella. Other beaches are waiting for you to discover them and are easily visited by arranging for a boat to take you there, equipped with a picnic lunch and a bottle of wine.

Greek wine has become more sophisticated in recent years, going beyond the customary table wines that have been part of the culture for thousands of years. There are now a number of wineries that have been established over the past decades that have developed fine wines to fit the experienced palate using modern, up-to-date equipment. Many of these are

third generation enterprises with each generation contributing to the growth and perfection of their products. The soil, so rich in potassium from a volcanic soil base, produces grapes in an already ideal climate with lots of sunshine and moisture from the sea.

Our trip was focused on the Cy-clades Islands in the Aegean. From the main dock of Piraeus outside of Athens, you can catch a ferry to almost any of the islands. Our first destination was the island of Paros, traditional in flavor while, at the same time, it is completely immersed in the 21st century. Of the many places to visit, including wineries, restaurants and organic food stores as well as beaches and wonderful shops of every kind from bakeries to boutiques, a visit to the chora is a must.

The choras were originally built to protect the local populace from the marauding pirates, moving the village from the harbor side to the highest hill. Here, the houses were deliberately built

37fwtWINTER 2015/16Preparing sesame sweets, Ios

close together both for protection and to foil the invaders by creating a laby-rinth of twisting alleys, all of which have been converted to walking streets. Wonderful shops and restaurants line the streets and there is always a village square. Bougainvillea spills profusely over the walls or in planters in front of shops and houses, providing the intense color that is so very beautiful against the white houses with their predominantly blue accents in doors and windows or balconies. It seems that every corner is a photo shoot! With the abundance of tavernas and coffee houses, an afternoons stroll can turn into a whole days activity.

Dinner can be enjoyed at any one of a number of small, upscale restaurants on the harbor which looks like a fairy land in the eve-ning with boats launched at the quay and laughter and talk spilling out from all the tables set up in the square. It generally takes several hours to enjoy the incredibly fresh seafood prepared in any number of ways, fresh Greek salad, an assortment of appetiz-ers and scrumptious desserts. The use of sesame and honey in these desserts are not only delicious but, without the use of refined white sugar, can be sa-vored and enjoyed without guilt.

Paros figures prominently in the days of antiquity with the still function-ing quarry, providing the exceptional marble that was so widely used by the stone carvers of 3,500 4,000 years ago. Even today the use of marble is to be found almost everywhere from private homes to small hotels. There is also a small museum close to the main dock that provides some archaeologi-cal glimpses as well as a history of the islands every day life from the time of the pirates.

From Paros, it was a short ferry ride to the next island on our list, Ios. Although this island has received a lot of notice because its summer beach scene has become a destination for young people, mostly from all over Europe, it offers much more. It retains a strong feeling of community and offers a great variety of accommodations, including the truly delightful Liostasi Hotel & Spa. Perched on a high bluff overlooking the Aegean, it provides unobtrusive luxury with a hands-on owner overseeing the

wonderful food offerings. Here, too, fine wines hold an important place and great attention is placed on having an exten-sive offering available.

Ios, like most of the Greek islands, is blessed with a beautiful quality of air. With so many herbs growing freely with-out cultivation, and vineyards, small or more developed, providing the rich aro-ma of freshly growing grapes, the soft, gentle air always seems fresh, clean and bathed in perfume. Little automobile traffic on the island accounts, too, for the clarity. Because of the ideal climate and the caressing quality of the air, youll find lots of people, both those native to the island and tourists as well, enjoying sitting outside on their balconies or at a table having their iced cappuccino, walking around visiting or shopping, enjoying the beach or eating at one of the seaside restaurants serving fresh fish. Octopus is popular, prepared in many tantalizing ways, especially grilled or pan fried.

Visiting the chora here as the evening

Mosenta hand-made local products, Ios


Small cafe, Paros

was turning into night had a special, magical atmosphere. Shops line the alleys, with extensive offerings, rang-ing from hand-made leather goods to boutique Greek designed clothing to lots of jewelry, both in silver and gold. Although many of the jewelry designs reflect ancient symbols, their designs seem modern and elegant.

Our next stop was Milos, the larg-est of the islands we visited. Here we stayed at the main port at the Portiani, a lovely hotel overlooking the harbor where we enjoyed a sumptuous break-fast outdoors on their terrace and had a view both day and night of the pic-turesque harbor. Although there were many fine restaurants that we drove to, there was also the option to have dinner at one of the restaurants that lined the harbor. Shopping, too, was within walk-ing distance including many wonderful boutiques and jewelry shops as well as inviting bakeries and small, organic shops selling their own locally made products.

One of the interesting features of Milos was the small cove that was still being used by the fisherman, as theyve done for many years. Here, the fish-ermen would find safe harbor during storms and moor their boats inside the attached houses on the beach while they had a place to sleep upstairs and a place to cook downstairs. On a boat trip later, we had a view from the water and the picturesque houses painted in as-sorted bright colors was a photograph waiting to be taken.

Speaking of a boat trip, we enjoyed a spectacularly wonderful cruise with the captain and first mate both looking as if they stepped out of a magazine ad, inviting people to visit Greece! They brought along an octopus in their cooler which later became part of the fabulous sauce they served over homemade pas-ta accompanied, of course, by wonder-ful Greek wine. We moored for a while just off one of the many charming coves that had no one else there, where we enjoyed a relaxing time in the sun after the delicious lunch and spontaneous dancing.

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Boat captain, Polychronis, and first mate serve octopus pasta

Susanna StarrSusanna Starr, entrepreneur, pho-

tographer, speaker, artist, writer, holds a degree in philosophy from Stony Brook State Universi-ty of New York, Susanna is the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Associa-

tions Regional Membership Coordinator for Riviera Maya & Oaxaca Mexico. She is a Contributing Editor for FWT Mag-azine: food wine travel, Contributor to Travel Writers Network, Your Life Is A Trip, Examiner.com and other freelance venues.

Susanna has over twenty years experience in the hospitality business as owner of Rancho Encantado, an eco-re-sort and spa in Mexicos Yucatan Penin-sula. She lives in Northern New Mexico. Susanna is the author of the book: Fifty and Beyond: New Beginnings in Health and Well-Being published by Paloma Blanca Press.

Look for her latest book, Our Inter-woven Lives with the Zapotec Weavers, available in fine bookstores and online at amazon.com and others.

If you goVisit Greece visitgreece.gr/enWhere to stay, dine and see in:ParosParos Island http://www.parosweb.com/Moraitis Winery www.moraitiswines.grMarios restaurant & farm [email protected] Taverna, ProdromosApostolis, ParikiaXilofournos Bakery www.xilofournos.grIosIos Island http://www.iosgreece.com/Liostasi Hotel & Spa www.liostasi.grPavezzo Guest House www.iospavezzo.comElia food & drinkMeze Meze www.niotisa.grMosenta hand made local products [email protected] Gold & SilverMilosMilos Island http://milos.gr/en/Portiani Hotel www.hotelportiani.grKonstantakis WineryAlevromilos [email protected] restaurant/taverna [email protected] sweets, pies & more www.paradosiaka-edesmata.grChrysovalandou Catamarans www.sailcatgreece.comErgina restaurant, TrypitiArmenaki restaurant, PolloniaSirocco restaurant, PaleochariFaskomilo, Adamas https://www.facebook.com/faskomilo.gr

There were many more visits, includ-ing an underground tunnel built during W.W.II, a tour of the mining museum which proved extremely interesting and an evening sunset visit to what could easily pass as a lunar-scape. Between all the delightful places to see and the abundance of fine restaurants and vari-ety of accommodations, be prepared to spend some thoroughly enjoyable time at this special island.


NEW HotelHip Luxury in Ancient Athens

by John LamkinPhotos by John Lamkin unless otherwise noted

F or years Athens and the rest of Greece had been on our bucket list. Arriving at the Athens airport after our journey from the States it was a pleasant surprise to find Yionnis of Athens Welcome Pickups waiting for us. His English was perfect and on the way into the city he pointed out many of the sites to see, got us up to date on Greek history and on current events, plus giv-ing us a map of the city he had marked up with all the things we should see and do. The NEW Hotel, our destina-tion, was right in the center of the Plaka District, the happening part of the city, close to everything we wanted to see.

View from the balcony, NEW Hotel, Athens

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The hotel is small, 79 rooms, and very modern and hip an art piece in itself. Two Brazilian brothers were put in charge of the design of this exciting project and their vision was to com-

bine the old and the new. Juxtaposed against the clean lines of glass and mirrored walls of the rooms, was the creative collages using the wood pieces from the previous building. Hotel promo said that work by one of my favorite avant-garde artists, Laurie Anderson, was on display, but when we got there it had already been taken down although, there were other like artists shown in the main public spaces.

We had arrived rather late in the af-ternoon with time to bathe and rest after our travels, before dinner. Dinner was on the rooftop Art Lounge, under the stars, with a spectacular view of the Parthe-non lit up like an ancient light show. The food was not only deliciously gourmet, but beautifully presented. Then, back to our cozy room for a well deserved nights rest. With sound-proofed rooms, all possible noise was blocked and we could enjoy the luxury of a wonderful sleep on blissful bedding. The very modern, stylishly decorated room had one wall that was all window where we

could look out upon an ancient Byzan-tine chapel below, surrounded by a very modern city.

Waking to the glow of the early morning sun filtering through the cur-tained window-wall was a joy as was standing on the balcony surveying this new-to-me city ancient and, at the same time, very modern.

Breakfast buffet was an abundance of savory treats as well as the won-derful, fresh Greek coffee. There were eggs whatever style you like olives, cheeses, fresh fruits, thick and creamy yogurt and an enticing array of breads, rolls and croissants. Always, there is local honey. The Greeks know how to eat! The restaurant itself is a work of art with pillars sculpted of wooden found objects, very tastefully done. And, the wait people are so friendly. What an introduction to Greece and its people.

On to exploring the city of Athens. For us, the ancients and their art is a big pull, making the Museum of Cy-clades Art our first stop. Housed in an Street scene, Athens


Marble statue, National Archaeological Museum, Athens

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Nighttime view from our dinner table, Art Lounge, NEW Hotel

old mansion, the building itself provided the perfect atmosphere for the exten-sive displays and walking from floor to floor revealed an extensive collection from these Aegean islands. Much of the figures displayed felt almost modern in their rendering, graceful in their simplici-ty and extremely sophisticated.

Sidewalk cafes abound, so a stop for a cold cappuccino is mandatory. Im beginning to feel Greek already. Life is slower here, even with the hustle and bustle of the city. Coffee is a one-hour affair with talk and companionship as important as the drink. Slow down and be Greek could be a fitting slogan.

Later in the day, we visited the National Archaeological Museum which was so rich and interesting that we stayed until the very last minute be-fore closing. Seeing the display of the amazing and lifelike figures that were carved out of the famous marble, much of which was quarried on the island of Paros, as beautiful today as when they were created, was exceptional. Although many were missing parts of limbs or facial features, the fact that they were so intact was a source of amaze-ment and appreciation.

Dinner that night was an unexpected discovery. Although we actually had a restaurant chosen as our destination, we couldnt find it. Thats one of the fun things about travel. When something doesnt turn out as planned, it can become an opportunity to have a new experience. In finding our way to anoth-er of the many neighborhood squares, we approached a street where tables had been set up, with restaurants on both sides serving food outside. Choos-ing one at random, we were delightfully surprised with the quality of the food. We heard not only Greek, but other languages spoken around us and felt that we were part of a local scene which made us quite happy.

The next days feature was the Mo-nastiraki Market with its large flea mar-ket. It stands on the same spot as the ancient Greek Agora (market), giving it the feeling of connection to the past. Ev-erywhere you look you see signs of their

glorious old civilization ruins, walls, pillars. We stopped to admire Hadrians Library since the building was so well preserved and the restoration still taking place made it appear very much as it must have been during that Emperors time in history.

By the early evening, we were ready to go out once again and began by walking through the Plaka district. We had heard about it and somehow felt it

might be a place specifically for tour-ists but.it actually is the old part of Athens, located at the bottom of the Acropolis and very accessible to much of the hotel area. Yes, its been restored and has an array of quaint and inter-esting shops and places to eat, cafes and tavernas, but its still authentic and well worth a visit. This is where people lived thousands of years ago and still live today. There is also evidence of the

NEW HOTEL


Museum of Cyclades Art, Athens

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NEW TASTE Restaurant, NEW Hotel, Athens

John Lamkin An award-winning journalist and pho-

tographer, John started travel writing as an escape from the drudg-ery of being an aerospace engineer dropped the en-gineering, kept the writing. John went on to study at

the San Francisco Art Institute, then on to found the now famous San Francisco Camerawork.

He may be found on horseback riding through the jungle to explore an ancient Maya ruin, or sitting on the balcony of a five-star plus resort, sipping an exotic drink, or interviewing a fashion celeb, or.

John is the Executive Editor of FWT Magazine: food wine travel. He belongs to several professional organi-zations including the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association where he serves as a Board Member and as the Publications Chair. His recent book about the Zapotec weavers of Mexicos Oaxaca Valley is reaping critical acclaim. John will go anywhere for a story and believes as Isabelle Eberhardt once said, A nomad I will remain for life, in love with distant and uncharted places. For more information about John Lamkin: http://ifwtwa.org/author/john-patrick-lamkin

or visit his website:http://www.travelwritingandphotog-

raphy.com/

Byzantine era as well as ancient Greece and, later, Roman influence.

By walking through Plaka and up its winding walking streets, we found ourselves at the approach to the new Acropolis Museum located next to the ancient Parthenon. We looked with awe at foundations that had been recently excavated, showing clearly the layout of some of the buildings that had been part of the ancient Greek Acropolis. This area is still in the state of reconstruction and we found ourselves looking down below the level we were standing on to the remains of buildings from thousands of years ago.

Once inside, we saw immediately that we were in a world-class museum. Here, life-sized carvings were stunningly displayed. Some of them were two to three times life sized and one could only look in awe and wonder what amazing talent and dedication and time it must have taken to have created them in the 3rd, 4th, and 5th centuries BCE, at the height of Greek culture. Everywhere there is evidence of how this culture admired the human body and their rev-erence for creating enduring art.

Although each display was inspiring and stirring, the reproduction of the walls of the Parthenon, was the most powerful. On all four sides, were scenes depicting their lives and their mythology.

Only in certain parts of these dimension-al murals, were there areas that were bare. They werent originally but were taken during the early part of the 19th century by the Earl of Elgin who actually had them removed and shipped back to London to reside in his personal collec-tion before donating it to the archaeolo-gy museum in London. If they are ever returned to Greece, they will find their place waiting at the Acropolis Museum.

A stay at the New Hotel promises luxurious comfort, an artistic environ-ment, and wonderful food. In addition to all of that, its location makes many places of interest both easy to find and within reach.

If you go Greece Athens Athens Welcome Pickups This is

the great service we took from the Athens Airport to the hotel

NEW Hotel Museum of Cycladic Art National Archaeological Museum The Acropolis Museum


Discovering NaoussaA Trip to the Land of the Xinomavro Grape

Story and photos by Cori Solomon

The city of Naoussa

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W ine tastings are a fabulous way to discover new wines and varietals from around the world. In the case of the Greek wines of Naoussa, visiting this area, meeting the winemakers and their families, sharing a Greek family styled meal and touring the vineyards and wineries only enhanced the quality by offering a different perspective on the wines. It also provides a better appreciation of Greece and Xinomav-ro, the signature grape of this region of Macedonia.

Before highlighting a recent visit, one must understand the Xinomavro grape and the region. Xinomavro means acid black in Greek. This grape with its black skin produces a very dry wine. The wine has characteristic flavors of figs, olives and dried tomatoes, making it an ex-

Herding sheep through Thymiopoulos Vineyards

tremely desirable wine to accompany Mediterranean food. Xinomavro might be described as Pinot Noir meets Neb-biolo.

History tells us that the region of Naoussa was plagued with phylloxera in the 1930s. In the 1960s and 1970s the area was replanted with Xinomavro, a grape variety chosen for its resistance to diseases.

Naoussa is a PDO, Protected Des-ignation of Origin for Xinomavro. This means that the wines produced from the Xinomavro grape have been grown in a certain way and the vines bear a particular yield. Under the guidelines of the PDO if a label designates the wine as Naoussa Xinomavro, aging is 12 months. A label with Naoussa Xinomav-ro reserve means it has been aged for 24 months. If a Naoussa Xinomavro specifies Grande Reserve it has aged at least 48 months.

When Xinomarvro is blended with perhaps Syrah or Merlot, the wine be-

comes a PGI, Protected Geographical Indication. Many wineries have created their own fabulous interpretation of Xinomavro using other blends.

The Naoussa region lies in a valley along the foothills of the Mount Vermion. Encompassing a total of 15 miles and located 75 miles from the sea, the terroir differs from the northern to southern portions of Naoussa; therefore each individual winerys wine is characterized by subtle differences.

There are roughly 20 wineries in Naoussa. Twelve belong to a group called Wines of Naoussa. This group was established to promote Ximomarvro throughout the world, and especially the United States.

Many of the wineries are very es-tablished with long standing family ties. Winemaking is definitely a family affair in Naoussa. Many have been growing grapes for several decades. The latest generation is a group of winemakers be-tween the ages of 30 and 40. Winemak-

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A picnic at Elinos Vineyards in Naoussa, Greece

ing is handed down from father to son except in the case of Chrisohoou where the daughter took over the winemaking practices.

Vaeni is not only one of the biggest wineries; it is the largest cooperative in Greece. It was established in 1984 and today has 220 members representing about 50% of the grape growing region of Naoussa. Vaeni is named after the barrel that was used long ago for crush-ing grapes with bare feet.

There is a vast range of wines produced at Vaeni including Dogma-tikos, a Blanc de Noir made from white Xinomavro that shows the diversity of this grape. Imeros means unfulfilled love, desire that develops into pas-sion, and is an apropos name for Vaeni Ros, which combines both the white and red Xinomavro grape with some Syrah. Aged in smoked oak barrels, Damaskinos is Vaenis most popular Xinomavro.

One impressive winery for both its beauty and its winemaker is Chriso-hoou. Located in the center of the Naoussa appellation and closest to the city of Naoussa, this is a family owned winery begun in 1948 and is now in its third generation. It was challenging when Nana Chrisohoou became the enologist in 2004. In Naoussa, wine-making is for men. Having a female at the helm is scarce in this region as well as throughout Greece. Nana confronts her obstacles and using her femininity puts a marvelous touch and elegance into the wines she creates. Nana is recently married and about to have her first child. Her exuberance for her new life comes out in the wine.

Known mostly for their Xinomavro, their version is characterized by rich tex-tures, complexity and a marvelous dark color. Nana describes Xinomavro like the cousin of Nebbiolo. Chrisohoous has their version of Xinomarvro Blanc de Noir, a crisp, fresh, and bright wine.

Domaine Diamantakos is a very small family owned winery in the Ma-demi area. The area, its orientation to the sun and soil that combines stone with calcium and magnesium offers a


The vineyards of Naoussa

high Ph level, giving the wine a softer quality. The winery was planted in 1981 and 1984. Starting as growers, their first vintage was in 2000. George Diaman-takos is the winemaker. During a visit Georges mother served some wonder-ful homemade Greek pastries, which added to the ambiance of this wine tasting. George describes the Xinomav-ro as the Greek version of Chianti.

Another boutique winery is Karyda. The winery was built in 1994 and the vineyards are 35 years old. Started by Konstantinos Karydas and now run by son Petros, the winery sets out to pro-duce a single vineyard Xinomavro that sees little human intervention.

Thymiopoulos is a biodynamic winery. The philosophy of this winery and vineyard is not to stress the vine. This can be difficult when the grapes are grown in rocky mountainous soils. The winery has two labels, Young Vines, where the grapes utilized are from 7 10 years old and Uranos with 42 years old vines. Explaining the significance of his label design, winemaker, Apostolos Thymiopoulos says, the circle stands for oxygen, the line equates to the soil and the wave of the line is the water that is necessary to grow the Xinomav-ro grape, while the dot represents the

light or sun that is needed to ripen the grape. All these facets play a role in biodynamic practices.

Enjoying a luncheon at the winery watching the various animals and fowl of the winery graze and squawk as they entertained us with their antics highlight-ed our visit. In addition to their Xinomav-ro that is reminiscent of a Pinot Noir, Thymiopoulos creates an exceptionally fresh Epherphsans Xinomarvro Ros.

Dalamaria is an organically certified winery since 1996. The family has been in some form of the wine business since the 1840s. With vineyards on the eastern foothills of Mount Vermion, today the sixth generation is focusing on innovation by bringing their wines to a new level of winemaking and knowing the marketplace better.

This winery is more diverse in the type of wine it creates. The Ag-nhechoros, an elegant soft wine is a blend of Merlot and Xinomavro. The Paliokalius makes Dalamaras statement on a 100% Xinomavro.

Kir-Yianni is the largest winery in the Naoussa area. Founded by Yiannis Boutaris, the winery represents both Naoussa and Amyndeon, two regions that straddle either side of Mount Vermi-on. Kir-Yianni is Naoussa equivalent of

Mondavi with its range of wines and the tours it offers.

Because of its larger scale, the vine-yard blocks are managed and vinified separately thereby creating diversity in the character of the Xinomavro grape. There are 25 clonal selections. Kir-Yian-ni creates five different versions of Xinomavro including a single vineyard designation.

Finally a picnic at the Elinos Vine-yards could only be characterized as the highlight of a visit to Naoussa. Traveling along a bumpy gravel dirt back road to the vineyards with the Tzitzikas, a locust type bug chattering their song in the background and you will find yourself in the most rural yet lovely spot of Elinos Vineyards for an enchanting afternoon picnic that includes all foods made from grape leaves.

Elinos is a family owned winery run by the exuberant Christos and Nikoletta Tarala, a brother and sister team, who happen to be twins. Christos is the winemaker and Nikoletta is the sales manager. The family purchased the vine-yard in 2006. The vineyard is located at the Eastern end of Mount Vermion. The vineyards utilize organic practices and are certified DIO.

Elinos style represents the energy

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Twins Christos and Nikoletta Tara-la of Elinos Vineyards.

Xinomavro from Kir-Yianni

Cori SolomonMy writing epitomizes write what I

know and I share my experiences and joy with my topics in a pas-sionate, candid, caring and entertaining way. Like my art where I am looking beyond

the eyes to find an animals inner soul and spirit, I am looking for the story that is behind the restaurant, chef, winery, winemaker, artist or animal.

and vitality of this younger generation. Christos signifies the new world ap-proach found with many of the current winemakers in the area.

These are just a few of the wineries that make Naoussa an outstanding region for growing Xinomavro. The win-eries and the beauty of Naoussa, which can be seen in its restaurants, parks, cherry groves and The Multicenter Museum of Aigai a captivating un-derground museum displaying the royal tombs while honoring Philip II, Alexander the Great, and his son Alexander IV make this area a worthwhile addition to your want to go list.


An Insightful Tour of Umbria and Tuscany

by Maurie OConnorPhotos by Christine Salins

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A nyone who has ever driven in Italy will know that it requires a certain degree of patience, for-titude and skill. Travelling by train is rec-ommended. The trains are comfortable, safe, reliable and economical. There are, however, some places where trains are just not practical and this includes some of the most beautiful and picturesque towns in Umbria and Tuscany. In some of these towns you cant even drive a car into the historic center unless you have a local residents permit. Apart

Baptistry in the Square of Miracles, Pisa.

Roman aqueduct in Perugia.

from the fact that the streets are too narrow, lots of cars would simply ruin the ambience and beauty of these small villages that date back to Etruscan and Roman times.

Our desire to see some of the smaller towns and villages led us to book an eight-night Country Roads of Umbria and Tuscany tour with Insight Vacations. The Insight coaches are fitted with around 40 seats, fewer than most tour buses, and with just 27 people on our tour, we travelled in style and comfort with way more leg room than any aircraft. With mostly Americans and Canadians in the group, we were the token Australians, other than our tour guide, Ann, a Melbourne girl who had

lived in Italy for 20 years and spoke flu-ent Italian. Her negotiating skills, charm and cultural and historical knowledge ensured that we were very well in-formed, that everything went smoothly, and everyones needs were considered. Its no easy feat herding a group of 27 camera-snapping tourists but she did it with humour, goodwill and occasional shouts of andiamo (lets go!)

On each of its tours, Insight offers what it calls Signature Experiences remarkable experiences that arent offered by other companies. For us, that was a visit to the Bramante Staircase in the Vatican on the morning the tour departed from Rome, a privilege open only to Insight and its sister company,

54 fwt WINTER 2015/16 Florence is a sophist

Documents

FWT Food Wine Travel Magazine Issue Two Winter 2015/16