October you were a good ‘un! It was a month full of great people, adventures near and far, fab food and plenty of little moments worth remembering. Another month has whizzed by, so it’s time to take a breather and take stock of what’s been happening.

Catching: Up with our dear neighbour from Sydney, Luce.

Making: Her an L shaped birthday cake – it was a big hit!

Jetting: Off to Bratislava with the gals.

Eating: All the hearty Slovakian food in Bratislava.

Drinking: Super Slovakian cocktails.

Taking: The train to Vienna for the day!

Facing: A schnitzel as big as my head!

Seeing: Blood Brothers at the theatre – so good!

Stumbling: Upon the Dog’s Life exhibition at Leicester Museum and Art Gallery – it was fab!

Loving: Having my auntie to stay and having a day out in Leicester.

Liking: My new spooktacular manicure – how cool is this chrome?

Disliking: The rate at which the temperature has plummeted.

Losing: A dear friend in Sydney – a life cut way too short.

Bumping: Into Teddy’s uncle and our dear friend randomly on the street in Piccadilly Circus! What are the chances?!

Swooning: Over all the Christmas decorations in the Liberty Christmas shop!

Running: In sunglasses and a fleece headband – winter in the UK can be an absolute paradox!

Hosting: Our dear friend Bob and his dog Amber.

Enjoying: Some lovely country walks while the weather played nice.

Sharing: The recipe for these Lime Curd and Ginger Dessert Pots.

Joining: Sherry and friends for this month’s edition of In My Kitchen.

Adding: Some cushions to my Halloween soft furnishing collection. Teddy approves.

Cranking: Up the heating. It’s chilly, Billy!

Cuddling: These pawdorable puppies.

Preparing: Like a survivalist since the government launched their Be Ready campaign.

Feeling: Quite twitchy about it really.

Going: To see Scouting For Girls at Peterborough Cathedral – iconic!

Psyching: Myself up for a busy November.

Waiting: To put up the Christmas tree… Soon, my friends, soon!

Now it’s over to you. How was your October? Have you ever had a serepenitious meeting? And are you prepared for Be Prepared? Do tell, I love hearing what you’ve all been up to!

Crisp and crunch, it’s the first of the month! Is it me or is this year flying by extra fast? I feel like I blinked and another month disappeared! Anyhoo, the first of the month means it’s time to join Sherry and friends for this month’s edition of In My Kitchen, where we share what’s been happening in our kitchens, from delicious things we’ve been cooking and eating to fab foodie finds and other kitchen-related capers. So grab a cuppa and settle in for a little catch-up on what’s been happening in my kitchen this month!

I love it when autumn arrives not least because I can get out my autumn decor – although I use the term decor loosely – does a leaf garland and a few decorative pumpkins count as decor? Whatevs, it brings me great joy!

We kicked off the month with a ‘kofta-off’ with our neighbours and it was such delicious fun. We each made a different type of kofta and brought a dip, salad or side dish. It was a proper feast and we definitely needed to extend the table!

We finished the kofta off with these Lime Curd and Ginger Dessert Pots. I felt super organised because not only did I make the desserts, I actually blogged the recipe too. Go me! We also cracked open the loukoumades and baklava that we brought back from Crete. Gosh it was good!

My dear neighbour also gifted me this glass pumpkin dish. Of course, I filled it with chocolates but I’m thinking some fairy lights inside it would look lovely next year.

Dear little Wookie made a return visit – isn’t she the cutest little house guest you ever did see? I think Teddy enjoyed having someone to eat dinner with and took particular interest in licking Wookie’s food bowl clean!

Wookie’s pawrents are so generous and gave us both before and after dog sitting gifts. One of the before gifts was a Sorstrene and Grene scone mix which I couldn’t wait to try. I have very bad scone karma but these were surprisingly delicious.

As an after gift, they bought us this honey ring from their holiday in Malta. How lovely is that? We haven’t tried it yet but will report back…

We had a long-distance guest in the kitchen this month, our dear Grandma (not our actual grandma!) Luce, all the way from Australia. She popped in with her fam for a picky bits lunch and, as it had been her birthday the week before, naturally we had to make her a cake! She loved her ‘L’ cake which made us very happy!

I discovered these Marks and Spencer malt balls via Em the Nutritionist and now I am low key obsessed with them! Lucky for my waistline, they’re so popular that they’re often out of stock but I managed to score a bag or two with my Ocado order. Result!

A while back, a friend of mine gave me some of her Purdy & Figg cleaning products to try and believe me when I tell you cleaning has never smelt so good! I loved the products, just not so much the price tag or the subscription. However, when my supply ran out, I couldn’t resist and signed myself up. The autumn selection is inspired by William Morris – isn’t it pretty?

I had a girls trip to Bratislava which was fabulous. It turns out Bratislava is only an hour away from Vienna by train so naturally we had to squeeze in a day trip to the Austrian capital. We visited the Naschmarkt – the famous food market – I wished I could say I loved it but what I did love this spoon which I brought home for David!

I also picked up these Mozartkugeln. I had no idea what they were when I bought them but they seemed to be a bit of a big deal in Vienna. It turns out they’re little balls of marzipan, pistachio and nougat covered in dark chocolate and they’re totes delicious!

Just for funsies, I unintentionally matched my soup to my jumper! It’s definitely soup weather here in the UK and this immunity boosting red pepper soup is one of our favourites.

My auntie came to stay and brought us an enormo-challah. What a beauty!

And last but not least, I finally found a plant for my ‘Dandy’ plant pot, which has been sitting empty on the kitchen bench for months. I call him Dandy because he looks just like Dandy, the furchild of Leonie, who owns my favourite plant shop, Stamford Botanics. The plant itself came from the outdoor area of one of our local pubs, the Bull and Swan, so it’s sort of been recycled! It’s now settled into its forever home, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I don’t inadvertently kill it.

Between entertaining at home, looking after our favourite little house guest and eating my way around Bratislava and Vienna, there’s been plenty going on this month!

Enough about me, now over to you… What’s the weather like where you are? Have you ever eaten Maltese honey ring? Discovered any new foodie favourites lately? And what’s been happening in your kitchen this month? Tell me everything in the comments!

Can you believe it’s been four years since we moved back to the UK? Some days it feels like we’ve been back a hot minute, and other days it feels like we never left!

Life got in the way last year and I didn’t publish a UK update at all, so buckle up, pups, because it’s time for a little catch-up on the last two years of living back in the UK. Are we still living the dream?!

Holiday Mode and Real Life

When we lived in Australia and came back to visit the UK, it always felt like a bit of a novelty. We had friends and family to catch up with, special outings to look forward to and plenty of reasons to make the most of our time here.

You might think that living back in the UK would take the shine off all that but actually, not so much! Because we don’t live particularly close to our old friends and family, catching up with them still feels like a treat. We still plan days out and lovely things to do together, only now we don’t have quite so far to travel. Bonus!

Of course, living here means dealing with real life too. There’s work, bills, food shopping and all the other joys of adulting. But let’s be honest, we had all of that in Australia too, so that’s nothing new.

The biggest difference is that we’re no longer trying to squeeze everything into a visit. We can enjoy being here without watching the calendar and counting down the days until we have to leave and that, for me, is one of the loveliest things about being home.

Old Friends and New Friends

Friendship has always been important to me and even when I lived on the other side of the world, I made a real effort to stay connected with my friends in the UK. I kept in touch, caught up with friends whenever I visited the UK and made sure I still felt part of their lives even when I couldn’t physically be there.

Thankfully, that hasn’t changed since we moved back. None of my old friends live particularly close to me or even particularly close to each other, so catching up still takes a bit of planning. Whether it’s a day out, a gig or a night away, we make an real effort to carve out time for each other.

Even though we’re living in the same country we might not see each other as often as we’d like but we’re only ever at the end of the phone and we’re now in the same time zone! Plus if we really want or need to see each other, we’re talking a couple of hours travel rather than a 24-hour flight. I’ll take that any day!

We’ve also made some lovely new friends since moving to our little town. We literally knew nobody when we arrived but people have been so warm and welcoming that we’ve gradually built a lovely little circle of friends here too and got an active social life. Moving somewhere new has meant putting ourselves out there which doesn’t always come naturally especially as an adult but it’s been worth it.

I think friendship, whether old or new, is a bit like a plant. You have to give it some time, attention and a little TLC if you want it to grow. The difference now is that, while my UK friendships have become easier to nurture, my Aussie friendships need a little more tending from afar. You can’t have everything, can you?

Beginning and Belonging

One of the things I wondered about before we moved back was whether the UK would still feel like home after so many years away. Would everything feel familiar in the best possible way or would we find ourselves feeling a bit like visitors?

Thankfully, the familiarity hasn’t worn off. From historic buildings and cosy pubs to roast dinners and country walks, there are so many little things about life here that we still love.

There’s something reassuring about being surrounded by places, traditions and everyday experiences that feel familiar. We don’t have to plan a trip to enjoy them or cram everything into a precious few days. They’re just part of everyday life now.

While moving to a new town meant starting from scratch socially, we’ve found our feet and made a life here that feels like ours. I think that’s the difference between coming back for a visit and actually living somewhere (new) again. You get to enjoy all the things you love about a place while creating a new chapter of your life there too.

Summer Days and Winter Nights

The changing seasons are still one of my favourite things about living in the UK. I know, I know, you might think I’m mad, especially when the weather does its usual impression of all four seasons in a single afternoon but hear me out!

I love the long days of summer even if it’s still light when I go to bed! I’m rather less enthusiastic about the heatwaves though. Believe me when I tell you, thirty degrees in the UK just hits different. I could quite happily give those scorching summer days a miss.

Autumn is another favourite with its changing leaves, crisp mornings and excuses for cosy nights in front of the fire. And Christmas? Give me a cold Christmas over a hot one any day. A cold Christmas just feels right.

Of course, the weather isn’t always picture-perfect. There are days when the rain seems determined to ruin every plan or when the grey skies are enough to dampen even the most cheerful of spirits but I still love having four distinct seasons, each with its own little pleasures. It’s something I probably took for granted before we left but it’s something I appreciate all the more now we’re back.

Long Haul and Short Haul

We had some wonderful adventures travelling around Australia but travelling overseas was often a lengthy and expensive process. When you’re living on the other side of the world even a short trip abroad can involve a serious amount of travel time, planning and saving!

The novelty of hopping on a plane and finding ourselves in another country just a few hours later has definitely not worn off. We love how close Europe is and how relatively inexpensive it can be to explore somewhere new.

Rather than saving up for one big trip, we can enjoy lots of shorter adventures throughout the year, which we really appreciate. A long weekend in a new city, a few days exploring somewhere we’ve never been before or revisiting a favourite place are all firmly up our street. This year alone, we’ve ticked off Paris, Madrid, Crete and Bratislava, and next up is a twin-city trip to Poland!

Of course, Australia has some incredible places to explore and we certainly made the most of our time there but there’s something fabulous about being able to hop across to another country without spending the best part of a day on a plane. Four years in, and we’re still not taking that for granted!

What We Miss and What We Love

Of course, there are still things we miss about Australia. Just as I missed my British friends when I was living Down Under, I miss my Aussie friends now I’m in the UK. Luckily, we’ve had a steady stream of Aussie pals coming to visit which is always a treat and helps us stay connected.

We still miss Sydney, too. Oh, what I’d give to have a run across the Harbour Bridge! And yes, we still miss the Asian food. You just can’t beat having so much deliciousness on your doorstep. Moving back to the UK doesn’t mean Australia has stopped being special to us. It will always be a huge part of our story and while we’re happy to be back, there will always be things (and of course, people) we miss about our life Down Under.

So yes, there’s still things we miss about Australia but there’s an awful lot we love about being back in the UK too. From catching up with friends old and new, being close to family, enjoying a proper Sunday roast and having Europe on our doorstep, there’s plenty to keep us happy. Four years on, we’re still finding things to love about life here and that’s a pretty good sign that moving back was the right decision for us.

And if you’ve lived abroad, or would love to, what’s the one thing you miss (or think you’d miss) most about home? Hit me up with any questions in the comments!

If you love the combination of zesty lime and zingy ginger, these Lime Curd and Ginger Dessert Pots are going to be right up your eat street! With layers of creamy Greek yoghurt and cream cheese, tangy lime curd and crunchy Ginger Nut biscuits, they have all the flavours of a cheesecake without any baking required. Winning!

They’re easy to throw together and perfect for making ahead when you fancy something a little bit special but not too decadent for dessert. I’ve used 5% Greek yoghurt and light cream cheese to keep things on the lighter side, but you still get plenty of creamy, citrusy deliciousness. And the best bit? No oven, no complicated steps and hardly any washing up. What’s not to love?

The whole lime dessert pot idea started a couple of months ago when an irate blog visitor left a rather sour comment about my lime curd. So, to sweeten my mood, I made a batch of said lime curd and, by golly, was it delicious!

As lovely as it was on toast, served with ice cream and, of course, eaten straight from the jar, I wanted to put it to good use.

Around the same time, we were invited to a Greek-themed lunch at our friends’ house, and I’d volunteered to make dessert. I thought the lime curd would make a great hero ingredient. I always have a stash of Greek yoghurt in the fridge, and as luck would have it, there were some Ginger Nuts in the biscuit tin too. The rest, as they say, is history.

Not only are these dessert pots easy to make, they’re versatile too. If you don’t have lime curd, lemon curd works just as well. You don’t need any special equipment and I love that you can make them ahead of time, making them perfect for entertaining. Just remember to add the decorations shortly before serving. Nobody wants a dessert topped with limp biscuits!

Although these aren’t traditional cheesecakes by any stretch, they’re definitely cheesecake-esque and make a lighter, quicker and, in my opinion, equally delicious alternative. If you don’t believe me, you’ll have to try them for yourself!

So tell me, what’s your antidote to angry folk? And which do you prefer, lemon or lime?

Makes 4 pots

Ingredients

80g ginger nut biscuits, plus 1 extra to decorate

15g butter, melted

200g 5% Greek Yoghurt

150g light cream cheese

60g lime curd, for the creamy filling

60g lime curd, for the middle layer

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Zest of 1 lime

Extra lime zest to decorate, optional

How to – Method

1. Make the biscuit base. Crush the Ginger Nut biscuits quite finely, leaving a few slightly bigger pieces for texture. Mix with the melted butter and divide between four glasses or small jars. Press down lightly.
2. Make the cheesecake mixture. Put the cold cream cheese in a bowl and beat briefly to loosen it. Add the Greek yoghurt and mix until smooth. Stir in 60g of the lime curd, the vanilla extract and the lime zest.
3. Layer it up. Spoon half of the creamy filling over the biscuit crumbs, dividing it evenly between the four pots.
4. Add the lime curd. Spoon the remaining 60g of lime curd over the filling, dividing it between the pots. Gently swirl with a table knife, then top with the remaining creamy filling.
5. Chill. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavours to develop and the filling to firm up slightly.
6. Decorate and serve. Just before serving, sprinkle with the extra crushed Ginger Nut biscuit and a little lime zest, if desired.

Make ahead: You can prepare the pots the day before and keep them covered in the fridge. For the best crunch, add the final biscuit topping just before serving.

September was a veritable degustation of good things – time spent with good friends and the fam, delicious food and adventures both near and far. And while we’re already well into October (how did that even happen?!), I thought it was high time we took a quick trip down memory lane and looked back at the month that was. So, grab a cuppa and settle in for another round of Taking Stock!

Making: Tiropitakia aka Greek Cheese Pies – can’t stop, won’t stop!

Jetting: Off to Crete for a week of Greek goodness at the start of the month.

Eating: The most delicious Cretan food.

Drinking: Greek wines – our new favourite!

Tasting: Delicious Cretan wine at Manousakis winery.

Exploring: The old towns of Rethymno and Chania.

Staying: At the (nearly) new Hilton Chania Old Town Resort and Spa – such a treat.

Lying: By the pool – take me back!

Reading: Mike Gayle’s On We Go – the perfect feel good holiday read.

Getting: Back into Nordic noir tv – Oh how I missed it.

Watching: The Chestnut Man – so good!

Jeffing: My first 5k since 2020 and back to running with David! Goals!

Walking: At least 10,000 steps every day with Teddy. He’s like my personal trainer.

Packing: In the gym but…

Adding: Some dumbells to my collection so I can work out at home.

Selling: All my too big clothes on Vinted.

Buying: All new (to me) clothes on Vinted – saving money and the planet, one garment at a time!

Linking: Up with Sherry and friends for this month’s In My Kitchen

Hosting: Dear little Wookie – it’s always such a treat.

Catching: Up with my girlfriends in Birmingham.

Enjoying: A quick pit stop in the north east to see the fam and a visit to the beach.

Loving: The Indian summer we’ve been enjoying.

Liking: My cat eye/cute cat nails!

Disliking: The fact that holidays have to come to an end.

Feeling: Ready for autumn and cosy season. Bring it on!

So that’s a wrap on September. How is your October going so far? And how are you feeling about the change of season? Tell me all about it in the comments!

While I’m getting my act together trying to write all my Crete posts, here’s a little picture postcard of our time in Rethymno for this month’s 10 on 10 photo post.

We stayed at the Grande Madonna Suites in the old town, in the heart of the action yet somehow it still felt relaxed and quiet. We had a little balcony and I loved sitting out there in the mornings with a coffee and doing a bit of people watching. There were tourists having a mooch, people cycling off to work and older locals sitting outside their homes, enjoying a coffee and watching the world go by. Honestly, I could have sat there for hours.

Rethymno was our first stop in Crete and, although we only had a couple of days to explore, we managed to pack quite a lot into them.

It’s one of those places where you don’t really need a plan because every time you turn a corner there’s another pretty street, colourful doorway, little shop or somewhere that makes you want to stop and take a photo. See what I mean?

The Venetian Harbour is a Rethymno highlight with its colourful waterfront buildings, bobbing boats and historic lighthouse. By day it’s a lovely spot for a wander and at night there’s a real buzz.

We rarely go to the same bar or restaurant twice but we made an exception for Sella Wine Bar where we went every night because it was just that good. We tried some excellent Greek wines here and the staff were so friendly and knowledgeable. It’s always a good sign when you find somewhere that you immediately want to go back to and Sella definitely fell into that category.

Despite being a self-confessed dog person, I was quite taken with the cats of Rethymno, of which there were many. They seemed to be everywhere, wandering through the streets, lounging about at restaurants (like this one) and generally looking as though they owned the place. Which, let’s face it, they probably do.

The cats of Rethymno have a super power – they can sleep just about anywhere. They can always find a cosy spot to have a literal cat nap, like this little cutie snoozing away with not a care in the world. One thing is for sure, it’s a cat’s life here in Rethymno!

We also stumbled upon a really cool antiques shop with all sorts of treasures. I love discovering places like this when we’re away, even if I have absolutely no idea what half the things are or where I’d put them if I actually bought them!

Talking of treasures, check out these treasures of the edible kind – fresh pastries fresh out of the oven. I undertook a very thorough investigation of Rethymno’s baked goods but that’s a post for another day.

Not all who wander are lost. Sometimes they’re just making new memories in old streets – one glass of Greek wine, pretty harbour view and freshly baked pastry at a time. Rethymno, you were a little bit lovely!

How do you like to explore a new place? Are you a planner or do you prefer to wander and see what you find? And tell me, are you a cat or a dog person?

Rethymno is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Greece situated on the northern coast of the Greek island of Crete, conveniently tucked between Chania and Heraklion. The town is a total delight but the best bit is that you really don’t have to go far to find something to see, do or as (you’ll discover in my other Postcards From Rethymno posts,) eat and drink!

Where We Stayed

Location, location, location! We stayed at Grande Madonna Suites in the heart of the Old Town, which was the perfect base for exploring Rethymno. Everything was pretty much on our doorstep, from the winding little streets to the many tavernas, yet our suite was wonderfully quiet. Convenient and peaceful? Tick!

Our suite had a large bedroom, living room with a fully equipped kitchen, bathroom and best of all, a bijou balcony where we could sit and watch the world go by after a busy day of exploring. Glass of wine optional! The suite was modern, spacious and spotlessly clean and we also loved the courtyard with its spa and loungers which was the perfect spot to kick back and grab some rays.

The hotel is family run by Athina and her family who were so warm and welcoming. Nothing was too much trouble and Athina helped us enormously before we arrived, from sorting our transfers to sharing tips and recommendations and making reservations for us. Five-star service aside, being able to step outside and be straight in the action was exactly what we wanted.

Exploring the Old Town

With both Venetian and Turkish influences, Rethymno’s Old Town is a gorgeous mix of history, architecture and Cretan life. We loved wandering through the narrow, pedestrianised cobbled streets, many of which were bursting with colourful flowers. Every corner seemed to lead to another pretty little alley, hidden courtyard or shop that we just had to have a peek in.

One of the Old Town’s most recognisable landmarks is the Neratze Mosque with its rather magnificent minaret towering above the rooftops. Originally built as a Venetian church, it was converted into a mosque during Ottoman rule and now functions as a municipal music conservatory.

There are plenty of local shops and boutiques selling everything from the usual souvenirs to handmade crafts and locally produced goodies such as olive oil, honey and other Cretan treats. Of course, we had to investigate a few of those! To my great delight, I even stumbled across a Christmas shop where the lady hand-paints all the decorations. Obviously, I couldn’t just walk past!

And when your feet need a little rest, you’re never far from an al fresco bar or taverna. Pull up a chair, order a drink and watch the world go by. Honestly, I could, actually we did, happily spend hours doing exactly that!

All Aboard the Little Red Train

If you fancy seeing a little more of Rethymno without clocking up too many steps, there’s always the Little Red Train! We hopped aboard and it was such a fun way to see more of the city without having to do all the exploring on foot.

The tour takes around half an hour and covers all the sights of the historic centre, complete with an audio guide. This isn’t a hop-on, hop-off situation though as the Little Red Train route is a round trip. Tours run on the hour and an adult fare is €10 per person. Is it an essential Rethymno experience? Probably not. Did we enjoy it? Absolutely!

A Stroll Around the Venetian Harbour

From the Old Town, it’s an easy stroll down to the Venetian Harbour, which is one of the prettiest parts of Rethymno. The harbour is lined with waterfront tavernas, cafes and fish restaurants, making it a lovely spot for a wander, especially when the sun is starting to go down.

Take a walk past the tavernas and colourful fishing boats and look out for the lighthouse. It was built in the 1830s by the Egyptians after Crete was handed over to them by the Turks during Ottoman rule. Today, it’s one of Rethymno’s most recognisable landmarks and makes a pretty backdrop for a photo too.

High on the hill

High on the hill overlooking Rethymno is the 16th-century Fortezza, the city’s impressive Venetian fortress. We didn’t actually venture inside or make the climb to the top but we certainly admired it from ground level! That said it’s arguably one of the best archeological sites in the town and if you do want to explore the fortress, allow about 2 hours to check out it’s bastions, ramparts and underground munition vaults.

Laid Back Exploring

That’s what we loved about Rethymno, there are plenty of things to see and do but you don’t need a jam-packed itinerary to do them. We were perfectly happy wandering around the Old Town, stopping for a beverage, browsing the shops and taking in all the fabulous architecture. It’s the perfect place to slow down and enjoy being on holiday.

Rethymno is pretty, relaxed and incredibly easy to explore, and we loved being able to spend our days wandering without ever feeling like we had to rush from one attraction to the next. And, of course, there was always a taverna, cafe or bar waiting around the next corner!

Have you been to Rethymno? If so, what was your favourite spot? And if you haven’t been, is Crete on your travel wish list? And what ticks your boxes on holiday?

Hello October! Honestly, it feels like a hot minute since we welcomed September but here we are kicking off the 10th month of the year. My favourite thing about the first of the month is joining Sherry and friends for In My Kitchen. Who doesn’t love a sticky beak at what everyone else has been cooking, creating and collecting? (Don’t answer that, it’s a rhetorical question!) So, let’s get to it, shall we?

We jetted off to Crete at the start of the month and had the most wonderful time. Full disclosure though, most of my kitchen highlights this month are Cretan related…

First up are these Tzatziki flavour crisps – I could not resist! They were actually quite delicious and tasted a bit like sour cream and chive flavour. My only regret about buying these was that I didn’t buy more!

I don’t have a sweet tooth, I have sweet teeth and nothing makes me happier than hunting down Haribo overseas. I loved these little vampires and thought they would be fun for Halloween but if you know me and lollies, you’ll know they didn’t last until October, let alone Halloween. Ooops!

While in Crete, we became slightly obsessed with paximidia, Cretan barley rusks. They’re like mega-hard croutons, with the larger ones broken up and served in salads and smaller ones served with dips. I filled our hand luggage with these Cretan delights and can’t wait to create some of those yummy Cretan salads now I’m home.

We also stocked up on olives and the quintessential baklava and Loukoumi (like Turkish delight.) Fun fact, did you know there are about 35 million olive trees in Crete compared to a human population of about 650,000 which equates to about 53 olive trees per person!

We found a wonderful shop in Chania called Votani that had the most amazing selection of herbs, spices, nuts and natural products. I brought some tzatziki herb mix home with me and these delightful olive wood salad servers. Every time I use them, I’ll be reminded of all those delicious Cretan salads.

We really got into Greek wines while we were away – they’re quite hard to find here in the UK but I found some online at Ocado and added to cart quicker than you can say ‘yamas!’

Keeping with the Greek theme, I published the recipe for Tiropitakia (aka Greek cheeese pies) so easy and so yummy. Eating these was like having a little taste of Crete in our kitchen.

I had seen so many delicious creations from this book that I couldn’t wait to check it out for myself. I borrowed it from the library but barely got a chance to look at it before I had to return it – this book is very much in demand. I will have to borrow it again… Until next time Ella!

Well that’s a wrap on this month’s kitchen adventures! Crete definitely made its mark on my kitchen this month, from the Cretan goodies we brought back to the Greek wines and recipes that are keeping the holiday memories alive now we’re home. I’m already looking forward to putting some of our foodie souvenirs to good use.

Do you bring foodie or kitchen souvenirs home when you travel? And what’s the best thing you’ve ever brought home from a holiday?

Packed with three kinds of cheese, these Tiropitakia aka Greek cheese hand pies, are crispy, cheesy and seriously moreish. They’re so easy to make that even I can make them and bonus points, they’re baked, not fried!

It all started when we planned a Greek-themed lunch with our friends to celebrate our upcoming holidays to the Greek islands. I couldn’t decide what to make so of course, I went straight to the source and hit up my friend Valentina, who is Greek and one of the most amazing cooks I know. I asked her what I could make that was yummy, simple and guaranteed to go down well. Valentina suggested these little cheese triangles because in her words, they’re easy and everyone loves them. Let me tell you friends, Valentina wasn’t wrong!

In case you’re wondering, these little pies get their name from tiropita, which is the Greek word for a cheese pie. Tiropitakia is simply the mini version. We saw both big and small versions while we were in Crete and all sorts of shapes too. While we were in Crete, I enjoyed these pies so much so I’m totally stoked that I can now make my own at home. And now you can make them too!

The hero ingredient is, of course, the cheese. Traditionally, tiropita can include Kefalotyri cheese but as it can be hard to track down, I followed Valentina’s advice and used halloumi instead. My version uses feta, ricotta and halloumi, giving the filling a lovely combination of salty, creamy and slightly chewy. Let’s face it, everything tastes better with halloumi!

I used chilled filo to make these triangles and honestly, working with the pastry was surprisingly easy. The trick is to bring the filo to room temperature before you start, cover the sheets with a piece of baking paper and then a damp kitchen towel to stop them from drying out and work quickly once you get going.

If you’re short on time or filo isn’t your thing, you can also make these with puff pastry. It’s definitely not as authentic but it’s certainly quicker and just as delish. Simply cut the puff pastry into strips, add the cheese filling and fold once into triangles or squares before baking until golden and puffed.

Apart from being off-the-charts yum, one of the best things about these little pies is that you can make them ahead of time. If you’re making them the day before, simply assemble the tiropitakia, cover them with cling film and pop them in the fridge ready to bake the next day. You can also freeze them unbaked and cook them straight from frozen whenever you’re ready. No need to defrost, just pop them in the oven and enjoy!

They’re perfect for entertaining because you can make a batch of these babies and they will both please a crowd and feed a crowd! So, if you’re looking for a simple Greek-inspired snack, something for a mezze spread or just an excuse to eat some cheese, these Tiropitakia could be just the ticket!

Do you have a friend like Valentina who always has the perfect recipe up their sleeve? If you were going to a bring-a-plate Greek lunch, what would you make apart from these, of course?!

Makes about 25-30 pies

Ingredients

200g feta cheese, crumbled

200g fresh ricotta

200g halloumi, coarsely grated

2 eggs, beaten

18 sheets filo pastry (I used Marks and Spencers)

150g butter, melted (or extra virgin olive oil)

How to

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a couple of baking trays with baking paper. Allow the filo pastry to come to room temperature. This should take about 10 minutes. Then, lay the pastry out, cover with a piece of baking paper and then a damp tea towel to stop it from drying out.
2. Make the filling. Place the crumbled feta, ricotta and roughly grated halloumi in a large bowl and add the beaten eggs.Gently mix everything together until well combined.
3. Now we’re ready to get our pie on! Take 1 sheet of filo with the longest edge facing you. Brush it with melted butter and lay another sheet on top. Repeat the process until you have 3 sheets layered together, with butter brushed between each sheet.
4. Depending on the width of your filo, cut the pastry into 4 or 5 equal vertical strips, each approximately 8cm wide.Place a tablespoon of the cheese mixture at the base of each strip, leaving a few centimetres of pastry around the filling, and press down lightly. Don’t try to squeeze too much filling into each pie otherwise it will ooze out during cooking!
5. Fold the filo diagonally over the filling to form a triangle, then continue folding the triangle over itself all the way up the strip, keeping the triangle shape as you go. If you have any excess pastry at the end, don’t worry. Just tuck it in and brush with a little extra butter to seal.
6. Continue with the remaining filo and filling. You should get about 25–30 pies. If you want to freeze the tiropitakia, place them on a baking tray in a single layer and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container.
7. To enjoy the tiropitakia now, place the triangles on the prepared baking trays and brush the tops with melted butter. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. They’re also delicious served at room temperature.

Note: To cook the tiropitakia from frozen, bake from frozen on sheets, brushing the tops with olive oil or melted butter until golden for 30-45 minutes.

Retiro Park is one of those places in Madrid that you could easily spend a whole day exploring, so rather than joining an organised tour, we decided to try another self-guided VoiceMap tour. This isn’t our first VoiceMap rodeo. We did the Emily in Paris tour in, yes, you guessed it… Paris and the Secrets of the Medieval Jewish Quarter in Palma. A little tip: VoiceMap tours are cheaper when you buy them through the VoiceMap website rather than the app, so it’s worth checking the website before you book.

We really rate the VoiceMap tours and this one was no exception. Taking a Voice Map tour meant we could wander at our own pace, stop whenever we fancied, take photos and admire the views. Along the way, we discovered some fascinating history, a few bizarre stories and some of Retiro’s most famous sights. Come and have a wander around the park with us…

We start our tour of Retiro in front of the famous Museo del Prado beside the statue of Goya, the painter who famously got into trouble with the Spanish Inquisition over La maja desnuda, the saucy nude you can see at his feet. Before things went south, Goya was a painter to the Spanish court and his work, along with that of Titian and El Greco, to name but a few, now graces the walls of this world-famous museum. We don’t have time to go inside though, as we have a whole park to explore!

El Prado means meadow and this area, on the outskirts of Madrid was once a rural retreat for the Spanish court. Philip II came here to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and a few decades later his grandson, Philip IV, turned the area into the magnificent Buen Retiro palace and gardens. The church of San Jerónimo el Real is one of the few surviving remnants of that royal past, although its exterior has had more work done on it than a Hollywood celebrity! The monumental steps were added much later and were built for the ill-fated wedding of Alfonso XIII and Victoria Eugenia of Battenberg. And, in case you’re wondering, yes, she is part of the family that inspired the famous Battenberg cake!

The marriage got off to a rather unfortunate start. On their wedding day in 1906, as the newlyweds were travelling back from the church, an anarchist called Mateo Morral threw a bomb at their carriage. The royal couple escaped unharmed but 24 people were killed and more than 100 wounded. And that was just the beginning of the newlyweds’ misfortunes.

We enter the park through the triumphal arch known as the Gate of Philip IV. Built in 1680 under Charles II and covered in intricate stone carvings, it’s very impressive and leads us straight into the beautiful Parterre Garden.

With its neatly clipped hedges and formal flower beds, the Parterre Garden is an absolute delight. It’s such a lovely spot to wander through and even on a sunny day, there are plenty of shady spots to escape the heat.

It’s here we discover Retiro’s oldest tree, the famous Ahuehuete, thought to have been planted in 1632. The name comes from Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs and this particular type of tree can live for hundreds of years with some examples reaching around 2,000 years old. Despite it’s relative youth, this tree is still the oldest tree in the park, surviving the French occupation of Madrid in the early 1800s when Napoleon’s troops camped out in the grounds and chopped down huge numbers of trees. Legend has it that the Ahuehuete survived because the French used its sturdy branches to support a cannon. Whether the story is true or not, one thing is for sure: the tree survived while much of Retiro was destroyed around it.

This boating lake is the last surviving part of Philip IV’s magnificent pleasure palace and back in the day, it had a small oval island in the middle where concerts and plays were performed while the king and his courtiers watched from their bougie boats. The court also enjoyed recreating naval battles on the lake because apparently watching a play wasn’t quite enough entertainment for a royal afternoon! These days you can take a much more modest boat out on the lake – they’re available to hire from the little jetty. However, be careful, when the lake was dredged for repairs in 2001 they found 50 mobile phones among a cornucopia of sunken treasure including a safe and a gobstopper machine!

Moving on, we arrive at Retiro’s public library, Biblioteca Municipal Eugenio Trias. The older brick part of the building is the former Casa de Fieras or House of Beasts which was once the park’s zoo. It’s a hot day, so we stop for a rest on the beautiful tiled seating completely unaware that this peaceful spot has a rather gruesome past.

When the park was opened to the public in 1868, the zoo came under the management of the city and, from the 1880s, was run by a private contractor, Luis Cabañas. He had a taste for what we would now consider rather horrific entertainment, organising animal fights in which zoo animals were pitted against bulls. One of the zoo’s most famous residents was Pizarro, an elephant who was forced to take part in these fights and even lost a tusk. When she was eventually retired from fighting, Pizarro became a much-loved attraction and was taken to the park’s large pond for her daily bath.

In 1918 the city took back control of the Casa de Fieras and thankfully the animal fights became a thing of the past. The zoo’s conditions, however, remained pretty grim, with animals kept in increasingly cramped conditions.

This was one of the original bear caves, and the poor bears that lived here had hardly any room to move. It’s hard to imagine keeping an animal in such a tiny space. On a slightly more cheerful note, the statue of the goblin playing the flute was added in 1985 and, according to legend, any couple who spots the statue together will be blessed with a long and intense relationship. Well, obviously we had to stop for a photo!

After the Spanish Civil War the collection grew considerably and, by the 1960s, the decision was made to move the animals to a much larger site in Casa de Campo. The new Madrid Zoo opened in 1972 and the Casa de Fieras was finally closed. Thankfully, these days the only wildlife you’re likely to see in Retiro is squirrels, cats, the occasional peacock and plenty of pups out on their daily walk.

We make our way to the Crystal Palace built in 1887 to resemble it’s namesake in London. When it was built it was a marvel of engineering because it was quite a feat to make a curved glass roof. Recently the building has been found to be structurally unsound with some of the glass panels in danger of falling so work is currently underway to restore it to it’s former splendour and glory.

At the edge of the park, you’ll find one of the world’s few public statues dedicated to Lucifer. This is the Ángel Caído, or Fallen Angel, inspired by Lucifer’s fall from grace in John Milton’s Paradise Lost which I studied for A level, by the way! The sculpture was created by Ricardo Bellver in 1878 for the Paris World Fair and was subsequently acquired by the Prado before being donated to Madrid City Council and finding its final resting place here in Retiro.

The rather fabulous pedestal was specially designed for the statue and, if you look closely, you’ll spot the grinning devils lurking around the base. And here’s the really fun bit: the statue is said to stand at exactly 666 metres above sea level. Coincidence? I think not! Madrid itself sits at around 665 metres, making it one of Europe’s highest capital cities, second only to Andorra la Vella.

And that, my friends, brings us to the end of our tour. I loved the fact that this VoiceMap tour gave us all the interesting history and stories without having to stick to someone else’s timetable. I’ve barely scratched the surface here. We discovered so much along the way, from a 400-year-old tree and a famous elephant to a flute-playing goblin and a statue of Lucifer!

If you’re visiting Madrid, I’d definitely recommend putting some time aside to explore Retiro. It’s beautiful, full of history and, as we’ve discovered, has more than its fair share of weird and wonderful stories. And if you fancy discovering it at your own pace, I highly recommend Felicity’s Voice Map tour.

Do you enjoy self-guided tours when you’re travelling, or do you prefer having a guide? And if you have visited Retiro Park, what was your favourite discovery?