Remember when we went on holidays? Sigh, I do. I remember thinking 'Oh Jesus, I can't take the heat'. I could so very much take the heat right now. It's a balmy 19 degrees here in my back garden and I want to be sitting beside a pool somewhere in a sultry 38 degrees.
Was hoping to win the Euro Millions last night but, shame, I didn't. Thankfully no one I know won either. I can handle not winning but i couldn't handle someone I know winning. I'm mean like that.
Anyway, when we were in Kusadasi, the lovely BIL took us off up the mountains to try this little restaurant he knew of. Oh God, but it was fabulous. We'd had a Turkish Breakfast in the town and it was lovely but it was expensive. The breakfast in the mountains was amazing and expansive. It just kept on coming. We went back a second time as I kept dreaming of the filo cigarillos (stuffed with cheese - homemade of course) dipped in their own, homemade, marmalade. They tasted every bit as good as I had imagined.
Basically everything that you put in your mouth was made by the women of the house. From what I can gather, there were four generations working that amazing place. The grandmother, her daughter, her daughter (and her husband) and then their daughter was toddling around getting annoyed if her mammy looked at any other child. They also make you feel like you're the most important person on the planet. It's nice when you are looked after so well, also lovely when you know that your host and hostess are also loving it.
It's the kind of venture I dream of. It's sort of like that 'Good Life' you dream of every now and then. I know though that there is no way I could do what they do. Everything you eat is grown on the land or else the base ingredients bought in and turned into something delicious, like bread or apple tea. Every tree and plant in the place has a purpose. There are peach trees, lemon trees, walnut, hazelnut and cherry trees. There are chilli's drying everywhere and the chickens give it socks in the back yard. There were even swallows nesting in the eaves. I could have stayed there for days. One of our breakfasts there lasted over four hours. We had those filo cigarillos I mentioned, as many jams and chutneys as you can possibly imagine. Big, fat, flavoursome tomatoes (the way they used to taste when you were a kid. The way they still taste if you grow your own.), Some sort of curd cheese with tomatoes and parsley and God knows what else chopped into it. Then there was the dip that BIL said we wouldn't like because it was too hot. It wasn't that hot, he lied so he wouldn't have to share. I think it was made from yoghurt, garlic and chillis.
Then there is the bread. Oh, but the bread. Fresh out of the oven and made for all those cheeses. Goats, sheep and cow! There were also eggs, however you liked them and unlimited tea. Oh, and I mustn't forget the orange juice. Freshly squeezed orange juice. I'm drooling here as I type. I'm going to go back there again, soon. If only to sit in the shade and watch the swallows feeding their young and admire the view. Yeah, the view and the quiet. Sigh.
Just remembered, when we were driving home there were trucks out gritting the road because it was melting! I swear. It was so hot the road was sliding down the hill. Wish I was there.
Yeah, that's no. 3 enjoying a cup of Turkish Coffee, coffee so strong you could 'trot a mouse across it'
You could have a table or you could sit in one of the booths. We chose the booth as we could really relax
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