After my sister went back to the States, I drowned my farewell sorrows by going to Greece! I have a friend from college who spends every summer in Thessaloniki, a small city in northern Greece, so I decided to visit her for a few days. People always say that the best way to travel is to know a local, and I definitely experienced the truth of that during this trip. The places we went and the restaurants we ate at were side street wonders and local joints. It also didn’t hurt that my friend is a Hellenic Studies master. She was like my own pocket professor giving me lectures about everything from ancient history and architecture to modern politics. It was great! She also introduced me to the real flavors of Greek cuisine. Bright and fresh, and I never knew Greek food went beyond the street food gyro. I left completely enamored by the food and inspired to cook with those elements back home.
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