Pack your bags, don your sunnies and join us on a trip to the balmy Med. Inspired by those cherished food memories made on the holidays of yesteryear, these dishes are your ticket to a summer of sensational flavours. Cook, serve and enjoy them together with a glass of something cold in the sun – they’ll bring a taste of Italy, Spain and Greece to your back garden. Buon appetito, buen provecho and kali orexi!
RECIPES AND FOOD STYLING POLLYANNA COUPLAND AND EMILY GUSSIN FOOD PHOTOGRAPHS INDIA WHILEY-MORTON STYLING MAX ROBINSON
Jet off to recipe heaven!
A HISTORY OF THE PACKAGE HOLIDAY IN NUMBERS
485
People escorted by Mr Thomas Cook on one of the world’s first package tours in 1841. They were temperance campaigners travelling from Leicester to a rally in Loughborough.
48
How many hours it took to get to Corsica before Vladimir Raitz of Horizon Travel began chartering weekly flights in 1950.
120
The length in miles of the Costa Blanca (White Coast), a term coined in the 1950s when British Airways introduced a route there.
50
Number of years Charles Hawtrey had been an actor when he appeared in Carry On Abroad (1972), set in the half-built Spanish resort of Elsbels.
31m
Passengers carried by package-holiday disruptor Ryanair in 2005.
44
The percentage of UK holidaymakers likely to book an overseas package holiday in 2023.*
Even if you’re a hater where Marmite is concerned, we implore you to give this a go! Whisked into the batter, it provides a deep savouriness without actually tasting of Marmite, upgrading this beloved holiday classic with ease. The dipping mayo is brightened up with a trio of citrus zests for extra sunshine flavour
Watermelon greek salad with marinated feta
Serves 4 Hands-on time 20 min, plus marinating
A greek salad made with ripe tomatoes, proper feta, decent olives and a good olive oil is a beautiful thing – but we think adding salted watermelon improves the dish immensely. It provides sweetness, texture and juicy refreshment to help balance everything out
BE A BETTER COOK It may sound odd to add salt to watermelon, but the process actually makes it juicier by drawing the moisture towards the surface of the fruit. It also makes it taste sweeter by introducing contrast and combats bitterness, so it’s a win-win-win! Try adding a light sprinkle of salt the next time you prepare a fruit salad – it works wonders.
DON’T WASTE IT The feta develops more flavour the longer you leave it, but you need to ensure it’s fully submerged in oil and in the fridge if you’re going to marinate it for longer than 2
