behind the recipes:
our food

True to the Mediterranean style, seasonal sourcing of fresh, local, and organic produce provides the basis of the dishes we choose to serve. We prioritize grass- and pasture-raised meat, cheese, and dairy, and all of our fish and seafood is sourced from certified sustainable fisheries and farms.

Our recipes come from people we've met while traveling or the families of our cooks and staff; they highlight the true flavors of the places we know best. Our travels have taken us to Sicily, Italy, and Malta; our cooks have brought us recipes from Greece and Turkey. We're already planning our next adventures and look forward to expanding our menu and introducing you to what we find.

Each of these places, as well as descriptions of their traditional cuisine, can be found below. We hope you enjoy reading about the origins of some of the dishes on our menu.

blending & adapting:
sicily

Sicily is situated at the tip of Italy, between Greece and North Africa. Because of its position, Sicily has absorbed cultural elements from every empire that has passed through its borders. The one characteristic that links all Sicilian cuisine is that it's always a blend - specifically, of Greek, Roman, Arab, Norman, and Italian flavors and ingredients.

Another fascinating aspect of Sicilian cuisine is that so many of the region's amazing flavors evolved out of poverty and deprivation. Recipes were adapted to fit the budget and means of the less fortunate, with eggplant substituted for meat, or breadcrumbs taking the place of grated cheese.

  • Ubiquitous, locally grown staples that appear repeatedly in Sicilian cuisine include eggplant, wild fennel, citrus fruits, almonds, pistachios, capers, and olives. Sicily's most famous appetizer of all, caponataCooked vegetable salad made with eggplant, tomatoes, capers, olives, and onions., showcases these locally grown foods.
  • Fish and shellfish (especially swordfish, tuna, and sardines) from the Mediterranean form one of the lasting foundations of the island's cuisine.
  • In mountainous regions, the selection tends to shift more towards sausages, cheeses, mushrooms, and hearty arancine Fried balls of rice stuffed with meat and tomato sauce..
  • Desserts are a highlight of Sicilian tradition; cannoliTube-shaped shells of fried pastry dough, filled with a sweet, creamy filling traditionally containing ricotta., cassataLiqueur-drenched genoise sponge cake layered with sweetened ricotta and fruit preserves, decorated with a marzipan shell and colorful candied fruits., pasticcini di mandorlaSoft almond cookies that are prepared with a combination of finely crushed almonds, beaten egg whites, icing sugar, citrus zest, and almond flakes., and granitaA semi-frozen dessert made from sugar, water and various flavorings. It is related to sorbet and Italian ice but has a coarser, more crystalline texture. are some of the specialities. Almonds, pistachios, lemons, and blood oranges feature prominently in both savory dishes and desserts.

sicily + western europe:
malta

There have been many influences on Maltese food as different nations have visited or invaded the island – the French, English, Germans, Arabs and Italians have all left their mark. Similar to the situation in Sicily, the many foreign influences and their dishes and tastes were absorbed, transformed and adapted.

  • The Italian influence is probably the strongest. Ravioli and macaroni are popular but made in the Maltese way, with the ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese and generally larger than the Italian variety and cooked to a softer texture. Timpana A baked pasta pie with layers of mince, bacon and hard-boiled eggs in between the layers of penne. is another uniquely Maltese pasta-style dish.
  • One of the famous meat dishes is called 'beef olives', or bragioliSlowly braised stuffed bundles of beef – there are no olives in the dish; they got their name because when they are stuffed and cooked they resemble the shape of an olive.. Rabbit is also extremely popular and many Maltese families raise their own.
  • Many dishes are able to be served as two meals, such as the tomato-based stews like stuffat tal-fenek Rabbit stew - considered Malta's national dish. and stuffat tal-qarnitOctopus stew made with garlic, onions, red wine, tomatoes, olives, capers, thyme, raisins, marjoram, and walnuts., in which the rich flavorsome tomato sauce is served with pasta as a first course and the meat is served with vegetables as a main course.
  • Pulses are popular both fresh and dried and often incorporate crusty Maltese sourdough bread. Two famous Maltese dishes using this bread are bigillaA dip made from dried broad beans cooked and mashed with garlic, hot pepper, and anchovies and eaten with crusty bread. and hobz biz-zejtThick slices of bread with sweetened tomato paste called kunserva and topped with capers, olives, garlic, black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil; sometimes tuna or anchovies are added., the national snack of Malta.
  • Maltese cheese is simple and homemade – the soft fresh cheese called ġbejniet A small round cheese made from sheep's milk, salt and rennet. is eaten during a meal or after the meal with fresh figs or grapes.

super regional:
italy

The national diet of Italy has traditionally differed greatly by region. Prior to the blending of cooking practices among different regions, it was possible to distinguish Italian cooking simply by the type of cooking fat used: butter was used in the north, pork fat in the central regions, and olive oil in the south.

The cuisine of Northern Italy, which comprises eight regions – Liguria, Val D'Aosta, Piemonte, Lombardia, Trentino-Alto Adige, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, and Emilia-Romagna – is distinct from Central and Southern cuisine:

  • Northern cooks use much less tomato in recipes; instead, they employ wine or broth as the liquid and chopped herbs for flavor.
  • Though there are many kinds of stuffed pasta, in most northern regions, with the exception of Emilia-Romagna and Liguria, pasta noodles (a staple further south) are less prevalent. PolentaA dish of boiled cornmeal, either served as a hot porridge or allowed to cool and solidify into a loaf that can be baked, fried, or grilled. and risottoA rice dish cooked with broth until it reaches a creamy consistency. are more common starches.
  • Beef, veal, and pork are the meats of choice in the North, with lamb and other animals playing a lesser role. These meats are commonly roasted with winter vegetable stuffings. There is also a huge variety of seafood and freshwater fish.

Central Italy has four regions: Tuscany, Umbria, Le Marche, and Lazio. Its weather and growing seasons is the main thing that differentiates its food from its neighbors to the North and South.

  • Summers in these regions are hotter and longer than those of the north, so tomato-based dishes are more common. The winters are chilly inland, making it possible to grow leafy vegetables that reach their peak after it frosts, like lacinato kale.
  • Though there are braised meats and stews, in much of Central Italy (especially Tuscany) the centerpiece of a classic holiday meal will be a platter of mixed grilled or roasted meats, with poultry, pork, and beef.
  • Pasta sauces in Lazio tend to be simple. Some of the most well-known sauces are aglio e olioOne of the simplest sauces - made by lightly sauteeing sliced, minced, or pressed garlic in olive oil, sometimes with the addition of dried red chili flakes, and tossing with spaghetti., all'amatricianaA traditional Italian pasta sauce that uses guanciale (cured pork cheek), pecorino cheese from Amatrice, tomato, and, in some variations, onion., or alla carbonaraA simple and creamy sauce made with just 4 ingredients: browned guanciale, beaten eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, and black pepper. No cream. Ever..

There are five regions that make up Southern Italy – Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Basilicata, and Calabria. The terrain, longer and hotter growing seasons, and the fact that (historically, as well as today to a certain extent) those in the South were much poorer than those in the North, are the main factors that set apart the cuisine of the Southern regions.

  • With respect to Northern and Central Italy, there is greater use of dried pasta (as opposed to fresh egg pasta).
  • The South is known for shepherding, and lamb and goat meat are more common than in much of Northern Italy, though beef is also used. Seafood also plays an important role in the local diet, particularly in coastal areas.
  • Peppers, olives and olive oil, garlic, eggplant, tomatoes, rapini and cauliflower, artichokes, oranges, ricotta cheese, zucchini, certain types of fish (anchovies, sardines and tuna), and capers are important components to the local cuisine.

both east & west:
greece

The Greek diet has been influenced by traditions from both the East and West. In ancient times, the Persians introduced Middle Eastern foods, such as yogurt, rice, and sweets made from nuts, honey, and sesame seeds. In 197 BC, when Rome invaded Greece, the Romans brought with them foods that are typical in Italy today, including pasta and sauces. Arab influences have left their mark in the southern part of Greece.

Traditional Greek food is characterized by high quality ingredients, fresh herbs, and closely guarded family recipes. Every city, town, village, and island in Greece has its own culinary specialties.

  • Greece has an abundance of native fruits, such as nectarines, oranges, peaches, and apples. Olives, dates, almonds, pomegranates, figs, grapes, and rice abound in the areas of lower elevation, primarily in the east.
  • Greek cuisine uses some flavorings more often than other Mediterranean cuisines do, namely oregano, mint, garlic, onion, lemon, dill and bay leaves.
  • Many Greek recipes, especially in the northern parts of the country, use "sweet" spices in combination with meat, for example cinnamon, allspice and cloves in stifatho (or stifado)A stew usually made with rabbit or hare (often substituted with beef) with lots of pearl onions (equal weight of onions and meat), vinegar, red wine, allspice, and cinnamon. Depending on the region, tomatoes and cumin are also used. .
  • With its long coastline, Greece also relies heavily on fish and seafood and meat tends to play a less important role. Away from the coastlines, the inland regions use more meat and cheese in their cooking. The climate and terrain is best for goats and sheep so beef dishes are uncommon.

more east than west:
turkey

Turkish cuisine is largely the heritage of Ottoman cuisine, which can be described as a fusion and refinement of Central Asian, Middle Eastern, Eastern European and Balkan cuisines. Turkish cuisine has in turn influenced those and other neighbouring cuisines, including those of Southeast Europe (Balkans), Central Europe, and Western Europe. The Ottomans fused various culinary traditions of their realm with influences from Levantine cuisines, along with traditional Turkic elements from Central Asia.

  • Turkish cuisine varies across the country. The cooking of Istanbul, Bursa, Izmir, and the rest of the Asia Minor region inherits many elements of Ottoman court cuisine, with a lighter use of spices, a preference for rice over bulgur, köfteBalls of ground meat (or sometimes ground vegetables) seasoned with onion, herbs, and spices., a wider availability of vegetable stews, eggplant, stuffed dolmasA dish consisting of ingredients such as meat and spiced rice wrapped in vine or cabbage leaves, popular in the Balkans, the Caucasus, and the eastern Mediterranean., and fish.
  • The cuisine of the Black Sea Region uses tons of fish, especially the Black Sea anchovy. This region also often includes corn dishes.
  • The cuisine of the southeast is famous for its variety of kebabs and dough-based desserts such as baklavaA rich, sweet dessert pastry made of layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetened and held together with honey., şöbiyetA dessert similar to baklava. It's stuffed with nuts and a cream made from milk and semolina. It has a soft but crusty outside and creamy inside., kadayifA Turkish dessert made from shredded wheat with nuts and sugar syrup., and künefeA crispy cheese-filled dessert made with kadayıf noodles. Künefe is served hot out of the oven so the cheese is soft and stringy..
  • The cuisines of the Aegean, Marmara and Mediterranean regions are rich in vegetables, herbs, and fish. Olive trees grow abundantly and olive oil is the major type of oil used for cooking.
  • Central Anatolia has many famous specialties, such as mantıTurkish dumplings with spiced ground meat, served with garlic yogurt and spice-infused olive oil., keşkekA traditional Turkish ceremonial dish made with lamb or chicken meat combined with wheat or barley stew., and gözlemeA savory traditional Turkish flatbread dish, made of hand-rolled dough that is lightly brushed with butter and eggs, filled with various toppings, sealed, and cooked over a griddle.. Although meat-based foods such as kebabs are the mainstay in Turkish cuisine as presented in foreign countries, native Turkish meals largely center around rice, vegetables, and bread.