A Holiday Inspired Casual Dinner Menu

Basically a tables worth of delicious food that I ate in Crete that I recreated for a casual dinner party when I got home.

Eating out on holiday ranks in my top three reasons for going. The other two include sunshine (as mentioned before, I only go on sun holidays - coldness is my nemesis) and being able to wear no make up and a swimming costume all day instead of putting on proper clothes. Is there anything better than jumping out of bed, pulling back the curtains to the sun rays with only a quick tooth brush, face wash and moisturise before you emerge for breakfast (preferably an all in buffet but in the event of self catering, a cup of coffee and a croissant on a patio)? No. No, there is not. But eating out is the thing that I look forward most to when away; veering away from normal weekday meal making and scanning a menu to find new and exciting things to try. Even the wine lists make me extra happy (although in fairness, a cold glass of rose will always make me happy).

Last month, we went on a mini break to Daios Cove in Crete with some of our best friends to celebrate a birthday and I took no prisoners when trying out pretty much every recipe on the menu. From delicious salads to taramasalata (NO taramasalata can rival the authentic dip), from gyros to the most AMAZING layered potatoes. there wasn’t much left that the Hotel had to offer that hadn’t gone straight in my mouth (side note: the Hotel has an Alain Ducasse restaurant and if you book a Residents Club package then ALL of your food and drink are covered, including Veuve Cliquot. I kid you not). The first weekend of our return, I invited our friends for dinner for a casual holiday inspired feast that was easy to prep and even easier to eat and received many messages as to the recipes. Here’s what I made. NB: If you are a paid subscriber, then I have an extensive host of recipe posts on the FOOD tab here on my Substack.