Brushing Up on French and Greek
A variety of quiches at the aptly named La Quiche in Albuquerque, NM
I’m spending some time in the United States right now, enjoying family time and avoiding the heat and humidity of the Italian Summer. While I miss Italy, I’m using this time away to brush up on my French and Greek. Not the languages - I’ve trouble enough trying to improve my Italian - I’m brushing up on French and Greek dining. Fair warning - these pictures may make you hungry!
Toast with goat cheese, raspberries, and a chile infused jam at Meraki, a Greek cafe in Albuquerque, NM
I rarely eat Italian food when I’m in New Mexico (it just doesn’t measure up to the real thing), but I do find myself missing the variety of flavors and the ambiance of European cafes. Lucky for me just a short distance from my New Mexico condo are two cafes, one French and one Greek. These go a long way to satisfying my hunger for a bit of European flavor in New Mexico. And since the kitchen in my New Mexico condo is currently undergoing renovation, I’ve had the perfect (all too perfect perhaps) excuse to eat out.
For a taste of France I visit La Quiche, which serves up beautiful French food, breads, and pastries.
The murals in the dining room transport me to Paris, as do the French accents of the staff. A good cafe au lait and a croissant, or a delicate fruit and cream filled pastry, make for the perfect occasional breakfast treat. If I close my eyes the quiches, omelets, and French-inspired salads carry me straight to Provence.
Meraki, a Greek cafe and market, offers another taste of Europe, both Greece and Italy. The word Meraki has no exact English translation, but in Greek it conveys work that reflects great love and care. That concept is certainly reflected in the quality of their food (fresh, seasonal, and carefully sourced) and in the warm, friendly service. This is a small cafe with a big heart. It may sit in a busy shopping center, but the clean white decor and the interesting flavors provide a hint of blue seas and Greek islands.
My friend Alexa enjoying lunch at Meraki. Just look at all those fresh and colorful ingredients.
This is one of my go-to places for really good coffee. Don’t ask for an artificial sweetener here - or even sugar. The coffees are sweetened with a house made simple syrup. Simply wonderful. For a real treat, pair the coffee with a traditional Greek sweet - Loukoumades. These are Greek style donut holes, drizzled with honey and topped with crushed walnuts and powdered sugar. It’s best to bring a friend or two as this order is big enough to share!
Loukoumades
For a recent breakfast I had the homemade Greek yogurt topped with berries, honey, mint, and a really good house made granola. The yogurt was the best I have ever had - creamy without any sharpness. My friend had an equally delightful toast topped with soft goat cheese, raspberries, and a spicy ancho chile jam - a bit of Greek and New Mexico fusion. How does one say “yum” in Greek ?
Almost too pretty to eat - greek yogurt with berries, granola, and honey.
The sandwiches at Meraki cross over into Italy with ingredients like ciabatta bread, prosciutto, and provolone cheese. In the afternoons and evenings they serve cocktails, wine, bruschetta, and meat/cheese boards along with salads, mussels, and burgers. An evening return is definitely on my list of things to do before I return to Italy next month. After all, I’m still working on my Greek and French!