If it’s February, it must be peak season for an island escape—be it actual or of the armchair variety. In the Northern Hemisphere, at least, chances are those of us without a plane ride and palm trees in our near future are ravenous for the next best thing: globe-trotting stories, photos, and foods that extol the singular romance of islands and stoke our fantasies about where to go next.
With that in mind, we’re pleased to present Island Hopping, an issue devoted to destinations from Indonesia to Canada’s Maritime Provinces. If you thought Bali was over, Raphael Kadushin’s report is a must-read. Inverting the paradigm, this food and travel writer makes a strong case that the eating, praying, and loving hordes have in fact helped to foster culinary creativity on the island. In our latest “24 Hours in…”, Kadushin shares a day’s worth of dining recommendations both traditional and on the vanguard.
From the beaches of Bali, we’re bound for the shores of Lesbos. Diane Kochilas, a noted exponent and teacher of Greek cuisine with 18 cookbooks to her credit, is our guide to this land of olives and ouzo. Kochilas shares a recipe for a quintessential Aegean meze as well as her suggestions for Lesbos products to look for in your hometown market.
Next it’s off to Prince Edward Island for stunning, secluded beaches, rambling farms, and such ultra-fresh seafood as the celebrated Malpeque and Colville Bay oysters. Writer Anna Watson Carl sets the scene and casts her vote for some essential island eats, including ice cream, shellfish of all sorts, and local microbrews.
We round out the issue with Julia Turshen’s food-filled reminiscence of visiting St. Vincent with the ideal guide: her former babysitter, who introduced Turshen to Caribbean cuisine and is now a close friend. And don’t miss our homage to a classic flavor from Florida’s Keys: our exclusive new recipe for Key Lime Meringue Cake, guaranteed to transport you somewhere bright and sunny.
What islands whet your appetite? Tell us via Twitter or Facebook, drop us a line (gourmetlive@condenast.com), or post a comment on our blog. For more tasty bytes, sign up for our weekly newsletter to get convenient access to our most-read blog posts, editors’ favorite recipes, and exclusive reader offers.
Here’s to a taste of the islands,
The editors of Gourmet Live
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