Snippets of Spetses
small bite sized moments from my time on the island + a recipe for an orange olive oil cake
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Kalimera, good morning…
It’s morning on the island of Spetses and I’ve just woken up, ready to take on the small but mighty hill that stretches from my accommodation to the villa I work at. I say small but mighty because the steps to get there are not many. It’s the slight incline that lights a fire in your legs like two skewers roasting on the barbaque.
It’s only 8:30am and the sun is relentless, clocking in at 32c/90f degrees. But mornings on the island are beautiful. The first glimpse of the sea from where I stand in the kitchen has me dreaming about my afternoon swim. I make a coffee with honey we’ve sourced from the local fruit and vegetable shop. The honey here is special. Thick and golden, the bees really work their magic on this island. I open the freezer and plop a few ice cubes in my coffee cup. It’s too hot outside to drink anything warmer than room temperature beverages. I’m waking up now. I empty and load the dishwasher, make fresh pots of coffee, lay the table, squeeze the orange juice, and prep the fruit salad.
With breakfast up and running, it’s time to prep for either lunch, dinner or both. Today the family we cook for will have lunch out at a restaurant so I get started on what I can get ahead on for dinner. It usually means I start prepping the dessert. And tonight I’m planning to make one of my all time favorites. An orange and olive oil cake. It’s even more special to make this dessert in the land of incredible olive oil. I measure out the ingredients and the olive oil pours out in a stream of deep green. When making this cake, I definitely lean into using good quality extra virgin olive oil since the whole reason for making this cake is in it’s name. OLIVE OIL CAKE. I fold together the ingredients and pop the cake into the oven. The smell is irresistible, I don’t even mind the heat radiating from the oven. The doughy smells of orange and warm oil billow out of the villa and I’m reminded of the scent of home. My mother bakes a similar cake - a lemon pound cake to be exact. A cake she’s been begging me to share with you all so be prepared for it’s eminent arrival in your inboxes one day soon.
With the cake out of the oven, breakfast cleared and the dishes loaded into the dishwasher, it’s time to pack up my things and take my afternoon break. My legs thank me for the downhill decent and knowing that the sea is waiting for me feels even better. I change into my swimsuit, pack leftovers for lunch, and head to my swimming spot. It all looks a little something like this: a refreshing dip, lunch, and then back for a quick shower and nap. Time for dinner service, clear up, and in bed by midnight - ready to do it all over again tomorrow? But first, a slice of orange olive oil cake.
Fun fact, after spending the past three summers in Greece, I’ve only been to one Greek island. That island is Spetses. So the island and it’s people hold a very special place in my heart. I’ve come to love everything about Greek culture and cuisine. Sometimes it’s harsh and rough, sometimes it’s too manicured and polished. There’s this pull between evolving and progressing and on the other side of the pendulum, the need to keep things the way they are supposed to be. For me, I love living in the “way things are supposed to be” - obviously up to a certain extent. Especially when it comes to food. I’m a bit of a purist in the belief that simple is best. Once in a while I do enjoy the modern twist on the classic dishes. But when we’re in a rustic environment, give me the classics and serve them to me as if your grandmother had prepared them. As I hear myself speak (or type), I feel the need to clarify. My point is that I must first enjoy the classics as they should be - simple and prepared authentically - so I can understand the dish’s original intention and taste. Once I get to know a dish, I’m happy with alternations, modifications, and bringing food into the 21st century (did I Google the 21st century? Sure did.).
Spetses serves all the classics. Taramasalata, grilled octopus, souvlaki, gyros, fried feta, greek salads, grilled fish…your typical Greek dishes. Almost every restaurant that’s trying to elevate itself serves sea-bass carpaccio and amberjack crudo. It’s like a right of passage. And don’t get me wrong, it’s delicious and I order it each time it comes up on the menu. But there’s not much else to elevate on the Greek menus and again, my belief is that simple is best. Out with the new and back in with the old.
Speaking of simple is best, the ingredients we source are just that. Simple and best. We shop from the same places that I’ve known over the past three seasons, but those that have been feeding the island for, I’m sure, decades. It’s nice to have our daily exchange of “kalimeras” in the morning before beginning a long day of work. I’m always forever grateful for our vendors, wherever they might be in the world. It’s the small and independent shops that always give you the energy to keep going. Might I add that their delivery service is incredibly quick and convenient - I wish it was like that here in the UK or even the US. If you want delivery in London, you have to order online, select a time slot for maybe a few days later AND you don’t get to hand pick your fruits and vegetables. At the fruit and veg shop in Spetses, the produce arrive at the doorstop before you even have the chance to return home. Now that’s service - a well oiled and timeless machine. Same goes for the butcher - and even better, they have views of the sea just out their back window. That’s island life for you.
As the sun sets on the island, I head into town to see a friend of mine. The owner of the local bar, Bar Spetsa. During my afternoons off, we go for a coffee and talk about life. He’s lived many lives before this one of bar owner and it reminds me that life can take you in many directions, there’s no straight path to where you’re going or where you might end up. We speak about loss, friendship, travels. It’s nice to have a friend, even one that’s 45 years your elder. Needless to say, if you do find yourself on the island of Spetses, drop by Bar Spetsa…Bruce Springsteen may or may not be playing live tonight, as the sign says.
Orange Olive Oil Cake
Some recipes online call for cardamum and it’s a wonderful addition if you can find cardamum pods wherever you might be in the world. If you don’t have them, no problem. Simple is always best in my opinion but try adding other spices or citruses and see where your creativity takes you.
Ingredients
134 grams sugar
2 eggs
120 ml of extra virgin olive oil or good quality olive oil
2 tsp orange zest
2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
120 grams of flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Candied oranges
2 oranges, sliced into 1-2 cm rounds
Simple syrup of equal parts water to sugar (1/2 cup sugar to 1/2 cup water)
Method
Slice the oranges and put into a small sauce pan. Cover with 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of sugar. Dissolve the sugar and continue to swirl the pan, making sure not to burn the oranges. Cook the oranges until the rind is soft and they begin to look glossy from the sugar syrup - the syrup should thicken a bit.
Measure out the rest of the ingredients. Make sure to have two separate bowls - one for try ingredients and one for wet ingredients. In a bowl and with a hand mixer, whisk together the eggs and the sugar until sugar has dissolved and is fluffy. Slowly whisk the olive oil into the mixture. Add the orange juice and zest. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, salt and baking powder together. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Heat the over to 350f/180c. In a parchment lined cake tin, arrange the candied orange slices at the bottom of pan. Pour the cake batter over the orange slices and bake for about 35-40 mins or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
Until next time at a standing reservation…
With love & snacks,
Paige
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Need a happy moment?
The cats on Spetses island are typically well looked after. This cat in particular has a sibling who is en route to England! The family I cook for adopted her and just like this curious kitten, she is sweet and loving. If I could, I’d be arriving back in London with this little one in tow too.
