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If you can’t be somewhere in body, evoking the essence of the country you long to see will have to be the next best thing. Staging an evening of culture from that place you had planned to visit can start with its cuisine, but it shouldn't stop there. Your themed evening should be a treat for as many of the senses as possible. Here's a take on a night in the courtyard of a restaurant on an island in the Aegean Sea:
Smell: Lemon and rosemary from a scented candle, or better yet, a living plant such as night-blooming jasmine will suggest a romantic evening under the stars.
Sound: Cue up some Greek tavern bouzouki music on YouTube to play in the background as you cook and serve.
Sight: Set the table with a bold blue and white scheme inspired by the colors of the nation's flag.
Drink: A chilled bottle of a Greek white wine such as an Assyrtiko will do nicely, efharisto.
Menu: Start with juicy Kalamata olives, tzatziki and dolmades, stuffed grape leaves. Next could come a chunky salad of tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers, topped with a quality olive oil, squeeze of lemon and hunks of sheep's cheese Feta. The main course could be any mild fish, grilled and simply seasoned with fresh herbs. A typical side could be oven-roasted potatoes or kritharaki, a pasta that looks similar to rice. Those convinced that dessert is the best part of any meal would enjoy a slice of revani, a lemon or orange cake made of semolina and yogurt and drenched in a sugary syrup.
Entertainment: A fun British TV series is The Durrells, which follows the misadventures of an eccentric English family that ups stakes and moves to a decrepit house in Corfu in the mid-1930s. Or, to add an international twist on the night, how about Mama Mia!, a musical sure to carry you away with the sights of Greece and the sounds of ABBA, perhaps inspiring you to add Sweden as the next European country on your list of countries to visit?
Nightcap: Send your non-existent guest home with a shot of the strong anise liquor known as Ouzo. Pour yourself one too while you're at it, and you’ll be assured of sweet dreams of your day on the beach tomorrow.
