Eating good food has always been a favorite activity of mine. Having had the good fortune of traveling the world, I have developed an appreciation for a whole variety of cuisines; French, Italian, Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Ethiopian, Middle Eastern, Indian, Mexican… I love them all. However, there is one region’s cooking that impassions me above all others; the Mediterranean. The main reason being that I married a Greek-American. 

The second, being my desire to eat as healthfully as possible without having to stock the pantry with exotic ingredients or venture too far from the familiar flavors of my mother’s home cooking. There is also the discovery of my mother-in-law’s interpretation of Greek cuisine, which is somewhat lighter than traditional Greek fare. After spending several years studying her recipes and seeing their benefits for myself, I determined that these had to be documented for all to enjoy. 

When writing each recipe, my objective is to write it in a way that makes it approachable to those who have little exposure to cooking or Greek cuisine. In addition to detailed process steps, I include pictures for key steps.

Using quality ingredients is as important to the proper outcome of each dish as the preparation. As such, I document all that I am learning about ingredients under the Pantry section. 

It is with these in mind that The Olive and The Sea came to be. The reference to the olive coming from the olive oil, which is paramount to Greek cooking; and the sea invoking the mediterranean climate and the richness of the soil in the Peloponnese. 

And so, I hope this blog will provide a window into the wonders of Greek cuisine, the importance of good ingredients, the joys of home gardening, and the fun of food and travel.

Cheers!
​Ashley