Crete on the Half-Shell

by Byron Ayanoglu

Crete on the Half Shell is a fascinating hybrid of a book, part travelogue, part culinary adventure, and part personal odyssey for the author. Byron Ayanoglu is a food critic and writer with an intriguing resume. He has written such well-received cookbooks as The New Vegetarian Gourmet and Simply Mediterranean Cooking, more than a dozen plays, a novel (Love in the Age of Confusion), served as the personal chef for Mick Jagger, and been the restaurant critic for Toronto's NOW magazine and The Montreal Gazette. Yearning for a quieter life, he decides to retreat to Greece, the land of his ancestors, but one he left behind for Canada at an early age. The richly historic island of Crete is his destination, though he's more attracted by its culinary than archaeological "In Chania, one never questions the purpose of life, one simply eats it." Ayanoglu's retirement plans are put on hold when long-time friend and master chef Theo decides the island's cuisine desperately needs the pair's talent. In what could be called Byron and Theo's Excellent Adventure (or perhaps Big Fat Greek Feast), they scour Crete for new taste treats and opportunities to dazzle the locals. Ayanoglu's aromatic descriptions of the ingredients and cooking will leave the reader literally drooling on the pages. Freshly caught fish, organic vegetables and meats, raw goat cheeses, local honey and yoghurt, and the omnipresent olive oil are all given loving treatment in the kitchen and in the book. Additionally, descriptions of the island's history, culture, and inhabitants are nicely integrated into the text. It is a pity more photographs could not have been used, especially as some of the best stories involve the author's photographer friend Algis, but that shortcoming is amply compensated for by Ayanoglu's breezy and colourful prose style. Chances are that the first call you make after happily digesting Crete on the Half Shell will be to your travel agent. --Kerry Doole

Genres: Travel, Memoir, Collections, Food

270 pages, Hardcover

First published March 20, 2003

Reviews

[Özlem Güzelharcan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dikkat! Bu çok tehlikeli bir kitap!

İstanbul'da doğup büyüyen ve Kanada'ya yerleşip başarılı bir şef olan Byron Ayanoğlu'nun kökenine, Girit'e yaptığı yolculuğu okumak öylesine keyifli ki kitabın 179. sayfasında Girit'e uçak bileti aldım!

[Boran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kitap o kadar güzeldi ki, okuduğumdan beri yaz sonunun bir kısmını Girit'te geçiriyorum!

[Sahiden35 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruhum şenlendi sahiden. 🙆
Bazı kitapların okuyucusunu bizzat seçtiğini düşünüyorum.
"Tam önümüzde tıpkı açılan halı rulosu gibi zeytin bahçeleri uzayıp gidiyordu. Sağımda ve solumda yükselen tepelerin yüzleri, taze kekik çiçeği moru rengindeydi. Tepelerin ötesinde sahil ve uçsuz bucaksız mavi deniz devam ediyordu.
Tabakta, üzüm ve pirinçle doldurulmuş kabak çiçeği dolması, sarımsak ve mor zeytinlerle süslenmiş zeytinyağlı dağ otları vardı. Kızarmış kabak ve patlıcan yoğurt-nane sosu, Niko'nun topladığı yaban mantarı. Erota'ya davet ve iyi niyetle hazırlanmış yemekler için açık yüreklilikle teşekkür ettim ve oradan ayrıldım. Yatağıma çekildim ve kulağıma gelen mantinada'ların melodilerini duyarak bebekler gibi rahat bir uykuya daldım."

Kritimu, Girit'im benim kitabını okuduktan sonra bu kitaba geri döndüm. Hanya'yı anlattığı yerleri yeniden okumak istedim. İki farklı göz iki farklı dönem. Acı, tatlı, leziz ve zor. Ve kolay.

[Erkul Erdem · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 kıta tek bir yerde kesişir.Kazancakisin yurdu Girit’te.Bu tatlı hikayeyle Girit ruhunu hissedebileceksiniz .

3 continental intersect on one point.At Crete ;the motherland of Kazancakis .In this joyful story you feel Cretan soul.

3 continente intersecarono uno punto.il creta;La patria di Kazancakis .In questo storia lei sento di Cretani spirito.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining, not especially suspensful. Of interest to anyone who enjoys reading about food, Greece, or other cultures. I'm not sure how realistic the cultural aspect is in this book - I would suggest it makes a bit of fun of the Greeks, although it is written by a Greek who had settled in Canada.
The book relates the adventures of a fellow of Greek heritage who still considers himself Greek, lives in Montreal, and is ready to retire in Greece. His adventures and travails are described as he tries to find suitable accommodation, work (although he's basically in retirement mode), and otherwise navigate the Greek way of life in an out-of-the way village in Crete.
Amusing.

[Maxine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book! Byron's stories and observations while sharing more about Greek culture (focus on Crete) satisfied my craving for a travelogue that wasn't an imitation of Eat, Pray, Love with the same variations of characters and personas. I especially loved reading about the curry restaurant adventures and superstitions! All that's missing from this book are photos of the food, scenery, and people!

[Toula · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s taken me close to 8 years to pick up this book and attempt to finish reading it. When I started, Ayanoglu was alive, he has since passed away. His lifestyle, evident in this book about his attempt to return to Crete and retire, was quite rich.

[yerazness · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yazarın dili çok eğlenceliydi. Okurken sanki bir filmin içindeydim. Bolca haritayı ve mutfağı kurcaladım okurken. Ve son olarak bir gün mutlaka gideceğim Girit’e...

[Sharon405 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a light easy read. A Canadian Greek from Montreal goes to Crete to get back to his Greek roots and find a place to retire..After meeting up with some characters ,they decide to open a "Curry House" restaurant seeing that he is a "foodie". This is where the story gets pretty funny with all that entails.I enjoyed it.

[Türkay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Girit üzerine ol(a)mayan, yemek üzerine de olmayan bir kitap...
Yazarın Girit'e dönüşünü içeren, yer yer keyifli olmakla birlikte bütünde bir olmamışlık (seyahat, yemek, arayış, hiçbiri...) duygusuyla biten bir kitap oldu...

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun book. Really loved his descriptions of food on this beautiful island which back fond memories for myself when I travelled there.