This recent trip to the US reminded us how well we eat here in Greece. There are the obvious differences of locally grown vegetables and eggs as well as the more subtle difference in the preponderance of “packaged” or prepared food in the US, not to mention the fast food outlets on every major intersection.

There are regional cuisines in the US such as southern and tex-mex but even more so in Greece with a geographical area about the same as a mid-sized US state. Here the regional differences developed in ancient times when travel was limited. Now an organization has been created to promote the gastronomy of the Aegean islands. Their new web site is:

http://www.aegeancuisine.gr/

This group has also published a book by well known Greek cook, Diana Kohyla. It presents recipes and traditional products of the southern Greek islands.

Here on Paros our most successful workshop has been Greek Farmhouse Cooking with Eddy. He offers one day classes for the casual tourist as well as intensive three day sessions for the dedicated cook. Read more at

http://www.parosparadise.com/cooking.htm

So combine farm produce grown for taste rather than ease of transportation, traditional home recipes and motivated chefs and the result is well fed islanders and in my case a pot belly.

Of course we had some very good meals in the US as well. The exception that proves the rule is steak—here they do not age the meat or cut thick steaks. The photo is of New York strip steaks rubbed and grilled by our friend Andy at his home in Oregon.