Chewing The Sea

On a cruise ship to Mykonos, Diane discovers not the dazzling cosmopolitan side of Greece's most iconic party island, but the quiet life and food of its local farmers. She cooks with a young chef who is breathing new life into the island's traditional recipes, discovers onion pie, delicious cured pork, and one of the oldest cheeses in the world, called kopanisti, still made by the few remaining farm families on the island. In the kitchen, inspired by Mykonos, she makes a garlicky local pasta recipe, and a Greek island fish soup.

Who says you need to go to the islands for a bit of sea and sun? One of the most charming aspects of life in Athens, but one often overlooked by the millions of visitors who pass through every year, is the seaside resort area locals like to call the Athenian Riviera. From gorgeous cafes, to bustling nightlife, traditional fish markets right off the boat, yachting and other water sports, and so much more, the area just 20 minutes south of the Greek capital is a world away.

From tourist mecca Rhodes to tiny neighboring Symi, from the mystical island of Patmos, where St. John wrote the Apocalypse, to the fishing paradise of Kalymnos, the Dodecanese islands are a tapestry of fascinating customs, foods, landscapes and history. Although the name Dodecanese means 12 islands, there are actually 14, each unique in its own way. In this episode, Diane delves into some of the common threads and one-of-a-kind ingredients that characterize the cuisine of these delicious islands in the southeastern Aegean.

Diane takes off for this tasty Cycladic island from the shores of neighboring Paros, with her good friend Alexis, whose family roots are here. Little does Alexis know that he is in for a few surprises, as Diane takes him on a journey of discovery to one of the most vibrant food destinations in Greece. Naxos is famed for the quality of its meats, for its seductive array of cow's milk and sheep-and-goats' milk cheeses (some of the most unique in Greece), and for its potatoes. There is even a center for potato research and cultivation on the island.

Paros is the new Mykonos, or so savvy Greek travelers say. But not everyone embraces the newfound cosmopolitan aura of this sun-parched, beautiful Cycladic island. Diane sets out for Paros to find a young visionary farmer named Alkis Downward, who started out studying politics only to fall in love with dirt of the earthly kind! He has been tilling his family's land for five years and, together with his fiancee, has created a sustainable agriculture project on one of Greece's most touristed Aegean islands.

In this episode, Diane introduces viewers to the rich and varied cuisine of the two main island groups in the Aegean: the Cyclades and the Dodecanese. A visual introduction highlights the region’s most stunning vistas and seminal foods. In the kitchen, Diane cooks from her basket of Greek island goodies, sharing recipes from Syros, Amorgos, Rhodes and Santorini, while she weaves the aromatic story of one of Greece’s most delicious food destinations.

Nothing speaks more to Greek cuisine and to Greece itself than the image of traditional fishing boats plying the waters of a crystal-clear blue sea. In this episode, Diane visits a local fisherman and fish taverna to learn the secrets of sustainable fish cookery. Along the way, she discovers some of the local fish and seafood that thrive as well as those that are endangered. On the dock, she makes a traditional fish soup, kakavia, with the captain.

Honey. Figs. Olives. Olive Oil. Cheeses. Nuts. Snails. Spices. These are just a few of the foods that mark one of the most characteristic aspects of Greek cuisine: the continuity of ingredients from as far back as Neolithic times antiquity to the present. In a magical tour of Athens that stretches from a walk with Diane through the bustling modern market to the Ancient Agora with Dr. John Camp, one of the rock stars of archeology, this episode explores the history of this ancient cuisine, making it delightfully relevant to our needs and tastes today.

Diane visits the source of the well-known Mediterranean diet: Crete. A hearty, soul-satisfying breakfast grain called hondros, or cracked wheat, gives a great start to the day. For a glimpse of village life, she follows a local family's daily routine of working the land and cooking up a storm and meets an unusual farmer who lives the way people did on Crete a hundred years ago. From picking wild artichokes and asparagus to preparing a simple omelet with wild greens, life's a celebration of fresh, robust food.

Diane explores the ancient grains that Greek cooks still love to use. A hearty, soul-satisfying breakfast grain called hondros, or cracked wheat, gives a great start to the day. Fresh vegetables, green apples and mint add a pop of freshness to an easy bread salad made with a classic Cretan barley rusk called dako or paximadi. Pasta tossed with Greek yogurt and half a dozen fresh herbs provides instant comfort with a taste that's quintessentially Greek.

Diane travels to Lesvos, one of Greece's most fascinating and easternmost Aegean islands, where the characteristic generosity of spirit almost won a few locals the Nobel Peace Prize. The crossroads of history play out on the table in Lesvos, where the waters overflow with renowned sardines and shellfish and islanders count dozens of eggplant dishes as traditional fare. Ouzo, the drink of Greek hospitality, fills glasses everywhere in this de facto center of production for the anise-flavored elixir. Diane gets an insider's taste with a good friend and local son.

Within almost swimming distance of Mykonos, the small neighboring island of Tinos couldn't be more different. Renowned for its tradition of marble sculpting and home to some of the most... marvelous...flavors in the Aegean, Tinos is magical. Diane visits a famous local marble sculptor and segues into the island's own sculpted landscape en route to visit an old friend and great cook, where she learns the secrets of pinched sweet cheese cakes, ancient sesame-honey confections and more.

In this episode, Diane meets up with ultramarathoner and friend Dean Karnazes, who is in Messinia to run the Navarino Challenge. She dares to take a run with him, and on the road he helps Diane hone her technique, sharing healthy eating and running tips as they enjoy a jog through nature. Together they make a simple Greek salad with local ingredients and enjoy surroundings that exemplify perfect Mediterranean living. Back in her kitchen, Diane cooks up a very healthy plant-forward Messinian meal, with lots of olive oil, beans and greens.