How ’bout dem peaches?

(Dana) Those who know me will find it extremely humorous that I wanted to write the post about cooking. But even a non-cook like me was in sensory heaven during our culinary day in Athens. Working with our guide Antony and his sweet wife Sam, we navigated the stalls of the local farmers market. (Fortunately, Sam had already purchased the supplies for our meal preparation at 6:45AM; we were there just for the experience and add-on treats.) 3 different color peaches the size of softballs. Rich, deep aubergine eggplants. Tomatoes that smelled like sunshine — especially where the fruit meets the stem. Dozens of olive varieties (marinated in lemon juice or vinegar). Blond cherries. Melons we had never seen. And the oregano…ahh. I thought about replacing my deodorant with it, but was afraid of the men I might attract.

Then came our cooking class. Fortunately, for the cooking-challenged, it was merely a matter of combining Sam’s ingredients and following her lead. Painting phylo bread with fresh olive oil while creating cheese pie. Squishing hamburger, mint, rice, parsley, onion and bread crumbs through our fingers before stuffing grape leaves. And after all that exertion, a nice break to enjoy our juicy fruit, The outcome was outstanding. Especially when combined with flavorful Greek salad, fresh-baked bread and drippy, gooey, sweet baklava with astringent ice cream for dessert. Completely satisfied senses. I like this cooking.