A taste of summer

Greek summers are defined for me firstly by the smell of jasmine (a predominant memory is of sitting in our small garden in Athens as a child, and being engulfed in waves of exotic scent) and secondly by lunches on a small Greek island, under the silvery foliage of olive trees right next to a dazzling, white pebble beach – such as The Olive Grove restaurant on beautiful Lefto Yialo beach in Alonnisos. A little further down the coast of Alonnisos, Tassia’s restaurant in Steni Vala buzzes with excitement in the evenings and has become a gastronomic destination. Their dish skorpina lemonati – bright orange-coloured scorpionfish cooked in a casserole with lemon, potatoes, carrots, celery and courgettes from their garden – is a signature dish and a revelation, as is their lobster with pasta. Their stuffed and deep-fried courgette flowers with feta and red pepper cubes, and their grilled Talagani cheese from Peloponnisos served on bruschetta with pesto and home-pickled fresh anchovies, are also a real delight. A few doors down, there is Fanari restaurant – The Lighthouse – which does the best courgette fritters and home-pickled local tuna salad on the island. As dusk descends and fires are lit, try a humble pork souvlaki at the Port in Patitiri or in the tiny village of Votsi. Souvlaki is simply synonymous with Greek summers! Or if you are in Skiathos try our favourite restaurant Vasilikos, in the Old Town. Their fava with caramelized onions, their mushroom risotto and their traditional grilled lamb chops are all sensational.