About this item

Combining the best of memoir, travel literature, and food writing, Christopher Bakken delves into one of the most underappreciated cuisines in Europe in this rollicking celebration of the Greek table. He explores the traditions and history behind eight elements of Greek cuisine—olives, bread, fish, cheese, beans, wine, meat, and honey—and journeys through the country searching for the best examples of each. He picks olives on Thasos, bakes bread on Crete, eats thyme honey from Kythira with one of Greece’s greatest poets, and learns why Naxos is the best place for cheese in the Cyclades. Working with local cooks and artisans, he offers an intimate look at traditional village life, while honoring the conversations, friendships, and leisurely ceremonies of dining around which Hellenic culture has revolved for thousands of years.



About the Author

Christopher Bakken

Christopher Bakken was born in Madison, Wisconsin in 1967. He is the author of three collections of poetry, a culinary memoir, and is co-translator of a collection of Greek poetry by Titos Patrikios. He is Frederick F. Seely Professor of English at Allegheny College in Pennsylvania and he is Director of Writing Workshops in Greece: Thessaloniki & Thasos (www.writingworkshopsingreece.com) .



Read Next Recommendation

Report incorrect product information.