Hi everyone...
Can it really be the end of July! I’ve been home for over a month now and catching up on all of the things that don’t get done when I’m off in wonderful places. And importantly, in between rainstorms, I’m catching up on some quality time in my own very small, and not too fancy, city backyard.

I’ve also been doing some work! I’m really excited that I can now offer each of the MK programs unescorted from late March until October 31st for a minimum of 2 people.

So many of the requests I get are from people who would love to do our trips, but can’t free up the limited dates that are currently offered. Because I trust all of my partners in each of our destinations, I’ve been able to co-ordinate the details necessary to make the trips available for much of the year.

The itineraries will remain the same – guests will still be picked up at the airport, stay in our wonderful carefully chosen accommodations, learn to cook exquisite dishes in 4 hands on cooking classes, be picked up for guided tours, dinners, tastings, etc and finally transported back to the airport for the trip home.

Call or email us for details. We’d love to help plan your perfect cooking vacation!

.
PROGRAMS - Fall of 2008 and Spring of 2009

Jerusalem, Israel - Foods of the Middle East
2008 – September 7-12 ($2325 US / $525 Single Supplement)
2009 - April 19-24; April 26-May 1


 Jerusalem - Shops in the Old City

Join us in Jerusalem for 6 days packed with hands-on-cooking classes, unforgettable walking tours, and visits to some of the city’s finest restaurants. I’d love to show you a little of my Jerusalem – corners of this magnificent city that are easily missed by visitors! Of course, my Jerusalem also includes the Old City, the Israel Museum and Ben Yehuda mall, as well as those little corners.
http://www.mediterranean-kitchens.com/jewish_foods.html

Agrigento, Sicily – The Many Tastes of Sicily
2008 – September 28 – October 3 ($2525 US / $300 Single Supplement)
2009 - May 3-8 and May 10-15



There are so many highlights of our program in Sicily! Our cooking classes with Chiara Agnello, our wine tasting with sommelier Carmelo d’Lorenzo at Enoteca Spizzulio, World Heritage sites including the Greek ruins in Agrigento and the Villa Imperiale in Piazza Armerina. We visit the Maurigi Winery while we’re in Piazza Armerina and then travel to the hill town of Caltigirone for a walking tour. Caltigirone is the most important ceramics town in Sicily and of course there’s always time to shop!
Join us this September for the trip of a lifetime.
http://www.mediterranean-kitchens.com/sicily_c.html
 

Fes, Morocco – A Feast for the Senses


Painting pottery in Fes

2008 - November 2-8; November 9-15 ($2525 US / $400 Single Supplement)
2009 – March 29 – April 4; April 5-11
Our program in Fes just gets better and better! I’ve added a visit to Azrou in the mid-Atlas to our day out on Wednesday, because almost everyone who travels to Fes wants to buy carpets - and they’re much more reasonably priced than they are in the medina.


Bedroom at Dar Seffarine, Fes

We’ll visit the Roman ruins in Volubulis early in the morning (before the sun gets too hot), then go on to Meknes for a visit to some of this Imperial city’s historic landmarks. After lunch in Meknes we’ll head south to Azrou – and be back in Fes in time to enjoy another wonderful dinner with Kate and Alaa back at Dar Seffarine.
http://www.mediterranean-kitchens.com/morocco_b.html
 

Istanbul, Turkey – In the Heart of the Ottoman Empire
2009 – May 17-23

 
Cooking ala Turka in Istanbul

If you want to visit one of the world’s most architecturally magnificent places, and learn to cook the fabulous foods of Turkey – then our program in Istanbul is not to be missed. We’ll stay in Sultanahmet – and walk to the Ayasofia, the Blue Mosque, the Grand Bazaar, Topkapi Palace and, of course, the Spice Bazaar. In our hands-on-cooking classes we’ll learn to make scrumptious foods that will become staples at your dinner table.
http://www.mediterranean-kitchens.com/istanbul.html
 

Petra, Jordan – Cuisine of the Levant
No scheduled departures

Spend
Petra, Lost City of Stone

7 fabulous days in Jordan – 5 in Petra, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, with a day trip to Wadi Rum and the last days at the Dead Sea! You’ll have two full days of guided tours of Petra and one in the desert of Wadi Rum before returning late in the afternoons for your hands-on-cooking classes. Then it’s on to the Dead Sea to the Dead Sea Movenpick - a chance to “swim” in the sea and cover yourself with therapeutic mud.
http://www.mediterranean-kitchens.com/petra.html

~ ~ ~

Recipe of the month

The recipes this month are from Cooking ala Turka Cooking School in Istanbul -

Acih Ezme (Spicy tomato and onion salad) – serves 4

2 tbsp tomato puree
2 tbsp red bellpepper puree (biber salcasi)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red bellpepper, seeded and finely chopped
1-2 banana peppers, finely chopped
1 tomato, seeded but with skin on, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
rind of 1/2 lemon, finely chopped (optional)
big bunch of parsley, finely chopped
red pepper flakes
salt and freshly ground pepper

Chop the onion, garlic and peppers as fine as possible with a large chopping knife. Squeeze dry as much as possible in your hands (or in a towel) and put in a bowl. Add the finely chopped parsley and all of the other ingredients. Mix well, spoon into a serving dish and garnish with some parsley.

(One of the things I learned at Cooking ala Turka is that “finely chopped” is really finely chopped – so keep chopping long after you think you’re finished!)

Oven Baked Chickpea Puree with Cured Beef (Pastirmah sicak humus)
serves 3-4

4 oz chickpeas
3 tbsp sesame paste
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed with salt
4-5 tbsp olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
a little milk
1 tsp ground cumin seeds (optional)
salt and freshly ground pepper
1-2 tbsp butter
3-4 slices of pastirmah (beef cured with garlic and spices)
1 tbsp pine nuts
1/2 tsp mild red pepper flakes, ground

• Preheat oven to 400F
• Soak the chickpeas in water overnight or at least 6 hours. Drain them and cook them in fresh water until soft. Never add salt when cooking any sort of dried beans, since this will delay the cooking process. Rinse under cold water for a moment and pick out all of the little skins that will have come off by now. **
• While they are still warm, pound them with the sesame paste, garlic, cumin, olive oil and lemon juice (or blend them all together in an electric mixer)
• Add some milk to get a smooth consistency (humus will dry out a bit in the oven later)
• Season to taste.
• Spoon the mixture into an earthenware pot.
• Cut the pastirmah into little strips. Divide on top of the humus.
• Melt butter in a pan, stir in the ground red pepper and pour over the humus.
• Bake in oven for 20 minutes to let it soak up the butter and serve hot with flat bread.

Instead of pastirma, pine nuts can be added on top of the humus. In that case, add them to the butter and red pepper mixture while still on the fire.

* If you can’t find pastirmah, substitute with pastrami.
** to avoid the strenuous work of picking out the skin, ask for thin-skinned chickpeas, or even easier, use chickpeas from a can. Use 1 can for 4 people.

To download our registration form for any of these trips, please go to:
http://www.mediterranean-kitchens.com/register.html

I look forward to welcoming you on one of Mediterranean Kitchens very special trips.

Best regards
Lindan

416-457-3038

If your interested in more information, please email us at:
info@mediterranean-kitchens.com