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Angela May's culinary journey through Greece takes her from the bustling capital of Athens, to historic Thessaloniki, and to the islands of Lesvos and Crete, on an exploration of this beautiful country's delicious and healthy Mediterranean cuisine.
The classical civilisation of the Ancient Greeks still influences modern Greece, and in Athens, a melting pot of tastes and traditions, Angela is treated to a feast served in the elegant style that Athenians would have been accustomed to 2000 years ago. Sampling the street food Souvlaki in the busy streets beneath the Acropolis, Angela visits the central food market, before going on to learn how best to prepare and cook the Greek favourite, Moussaka.
Travelling on to the island of Lesvos, Angela discovers how the aniseed-based Greek tipple of Ouzo came to be created here when all the local vines were wiped out by the phylloxera plague in the 19th century. Angela then heads out to sea with a local fisherman to catch octopus for dinner, before finding out from a local cooking expert the secret of making the finest "spoon sweets".
In Greece's second largest city Thessaloniki, Angela meets Greek TV cook and singer songwriter F.T. Bletsas, who explains how the city's historic position on the major trade and travel routes between East and West has influenced the regional cuisine here, with spicy foods popular. He demonstrates one of his favourite recipes, learned from his grandmother, using spicy stuffed peppers and other vegetables.
Heading on to the island of Crete, Angela discovers how the local people have one of the healthiest diets in the world, with a high consumption of olive oil among the most important factors - with a flourishing agricultural economy, Crete exports vegetables across Europe, and is one of the few Greek islands that could support itself without tourism. Angela joins a shepherd tending a flock of sheep in the mountains, before ending her trip learning how to make the delicious traditional r
Roving foodies Angela May and Bobby Chinn embark on 2 culinary journeys across Asia. Angela travels to the western coast of India to sample the cuisine and culture of the thriving melting pot that is Goa. Meanwhile, Bobby travels to Manila where he discovers a passionate and humorous people, and their love of food.
Goa existed under Portuguese colonisation for over 400 years, and the architecture, cuisine and overall flavour of the region is entirely reflective of this rule. Angela samples delicious Goan foods from vibrant restaurants across the region, gets cooking lessons from Goan chefs, and also tries her hand at creating some of the dishes for herself.
She starts her travels in the capital city of Panaji along the Mandovi River, where she has the chance to try a traditional Goan breakfast of Pao Bhaji, a vegetable curry with a soft white bread. Angela moves on to the Sanctuary bakery, where she is taught how to make the bread. Inspired by the fare, Angela creates her own version of the curry, adding untraditional vegetables to the mix.
Next stop on her journey is Goa Villa, where Angela helps stuff and smoke a traditional Goan sausage. From there, it is on to the municipal market, to peruse the endless stands of fish and shellfish. Seafood is a major staple of the Goan diet, as the region is home to many rivers, and bordered on the west by the Arabian Sea. Chef Ragu, from the Taj Hotel Village who shows her how to cook a Goan Prawn Curry using fresh, local ingredients.
Angela moves on to Goa's beaches, which are popular amongst tourists and locals alike, to sample the fare at the famously delicious food and drink shacks that line the sand. After absorbing some rays, she takes a cooking lesson from Faro musician and chef Francisco Sousa, whose restaurant - Casa Portuguesa - is one of the most popular in Goa. Francisco mixes Goan and Portuguese chillies to make a fusion dish called Pork Sorpotel. Next, she meets up with local chef Morgan from Le Resta
In this episode, Angela May digs into the diverse, multi-ethnic mixing bowl that is Singapore cuisine. And, Bobby Chinn samples some of the unique Indian delights in Chennai.
Singapore is famous for being an ultra-modern Asian economic trading hub, with a soaring urban skyline that reveals little about the ethnic groups that make up this island's diverse population. Host Angela May discovers that underneath the spotless urban surface, Singapore is colourful and flavourful ethnic blend of spicy street food traditions and early fusion tendencies - thanks to the cohabiting immigrant population of Malay, Chinese, Indian and European people.
First stop, a breakfast at the port - now one of the world's biggest and busiest. Both the port and sea trading are the source of Singapore's earliest boom years when coolie labour from Southern China unloaded boats along the banks of the Singapore River. Food Blogger Leslie Tay introduces Angela May introduces her to a hearty breakfast of Pork Rib Soup as they discuss the fine points of the origins of this dish as the preferred power breakfast of the dock workers.
Afterwards, Angela explores the fabulous Victorian-era Raffles Hotel, an icon of Victorian colonial luxury, and she notes that the hotel's original "Tiffin Room" serves Indian food, as it has done for over 100 years. This is because of the original Indian immigrants - who were already British colonial subjects - came over with their British officers. The Indians now a thriving minority on the Singapore scene, stayed and prospered - their tastes becoming adopted by other cultural groups. The proof can be seen in Irene Jansen's favourite dish passed down by her Chinese grandmother. Jansen, a cook book author and native Singaporean, who is of ethnic Chinese, and Eurasian roots, prepares this recipe with Angela May. It shows strong Indian influences infused with tropical, and Chinese flavours. Her Chicken Curry infused with Coconut Milk, paired with lacey Roti Jala
