Appetizer of bread, cheese, tomato, basil and oil

Overlooking the blue waters and caldera outside of Santorini, Greece is Taverna Aeolos run by owner Litsa and her husband of a mere 43 years, Bibi.  Litsa believes cooking is a way to show her love and friendship and uses ingredients from the island to prepare lots of food for her guests. Our first course was bread made with barley topped with tomato, farm cheese, basil and Greek olive oil.  It was a delightful appetizer named da kos.  Courses kept coming along with white and red wines and a unique dish of fried tomato balls filled with herbs had the flavor of dill and very filling.  Next, white eggplant breaded and fried was served with the delicious yogurt sauce made with garlic.  Fava beans are harvested on the island and catch a pretty price of $16 for a kilo but that didn’t stop Litsa from making a hearty appetizer with plenty of beans.

Ending the meal with fried apple rings layered with honey and nuts, Litsa said a kitchen needs love and imagination and her cooking demo had all that and more.