One of the favorite pastimes that Yvonne and I share is discovering small, usually family-run, little tavernas where the food is prepared with love, the prices are honest, the atmosphere is authentic and were occasionally a musician spices up the food with Cretan music. If we have the good fortune of spending time there in the company of our friends, nothing can ruin our day.

 This week’s favorite is “Η κουζίνα της Πόπης”, Poppy’s Kitchen, Tsakiri Street 8, in Iraklio. It’s off Kalokairinou, a small street at your right before Agios Minas if you come from 25th August Street. We were there in the company of Geórgos, Mílica and Aretússa. Geórgos and Mílica are regulars here, that much was clear from the start. I won’t give you details about the food, because it is not about the food. Moreover I’m not good at describing food. I can’t wax lyrically about some ingredient or some way it is prepared or served, and besides I don’t even know the names of most of the ingredients, not even in my own language, let alone in Greek or English. But it was good, very good, very tasty. Food should be eaten, not talked about. And as I said before, it’s about the company, η παρέα, and ours was great. Aretússa by the way is a great story teller and she has many, many stories. I’m trying to convince her to write them down for me so that I can post them here. We’ll see how that goes.