Tips for Mediterannean Cuisine for Hotels?

[anadixis]

hello, we are suggesting hotels adding new Mediterranean items into the restaurant menus. anyone as good ideas as to what is currently appreciated mainly by the European market?

 

[ishbel]

'Mediterranean' covers a multitude of sins - are you talking French Mediterranean?  Italian?  Spanish?  Greek?  Turkish? Israeli?  Lebanese?

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[french fries]

Do you mean you're interested in European-Mediterranean cuisines (Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Albania and a couple smaller countries...) or did you mean which Mediterranean cuisines (including Africa and Middle East) are appreciated by Europeans as a whole? 

 

[titomike]

Had some fun with 'Fattoush' this year...it's said to be regionally East of a Greek salad. Capsicum instead of red onion, mint & a lemon vinaigrette...

We did a 5mm dice, subbed Haloumi for the Feta, boosted the vin with Sumac as the flavour for an orzo pasta salad. Served it with pita crisps & a seared Lamb tenderloin fanned on top....went down well & great colour!

 

[french fries]

Quote:Originally Posted by Titomike  

Had some fun with 'Fattoush' this year...it's said to be regionally East of a Greek salad. Capsicum instead of red onion, mint & a lemon vinaigrette...

Fattoush is a Lebanese bread salad. If you don't put bread, it's not Fattoush! /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif Typically flat pita bread soaked in the juice from the veggies and the dressing. Delicious. But then again, not European at all - still not sure what the OP meant.

 

[titomike]

Maybe the hotel is in Cyprus in the Best Western chain (the link) and he wants to know what his mainly European guests are familiar with or might like in terms of local flavours?

Maybe English is his second language....awesome encouragement, guys

 

[french fries]

Maybe English is his second language....awesome encouragement, guys

English is my second language too. And what's wrong with asking for precisions on his question? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/surprised.gif

 

[anadixis]

Well, our Hotels are located mainly in Cyprus so Greek cuisine is the priority. Would be interesting though to introduce Mediterranean cuisine from other regions other than only Greece. Lebanese sounds quite good. What else other than Fattoush?

 

[petalsandcoco]

Had some fun with 'Fattoush' this year...it's said to be regionally East of a Greek salad. Capsicum instead of red onion, mint & a lemon vinaigrette...

We did a 5mm dice, subbed Haloumi for the Feta, boosted the vin with Sumac as the flavour for an orzo pasta salad. Served it with pita crisps & a seared Lamb tenderloin fanned on top....went down well & great colour!
 

I know that Haloumi has been a huge hit here since last year and still is.....
Are you located near the airport ?
I know that the "Aphrodite Golf Resort" has served up some of the best food and their menu pretty much keeps up with the times. Maybe speak with their Chefs ?

 

[titomike]

Anadaxis....Thanks for clearing that up, I figured that's what you meant...a marketing qestion.

French Fries....Sorry, just a kneejerk reaction from some other threads not personal...can be very intimidating just to ask a question of such a huge body of knowledge & experience. But I realise 'you are what you write' so my apologies...

On topic...Israeli cous cous (Ptitim, Maftoul) has made it all the way down here...very versatile starch for preparation method & taking on flavours. I mostly treat it rissotto-like to produce a moldable platform.

A really good Octopus dish would be awesome for the adventurous...

I think this region could showcase mullet...whole?

Baklava should be represented...

The foodies should be able to help you out a lot more..

P.S. F.F We ran Fattoush as you described (w Smkd Lamb belly) on the previous menu & were so impressed with the flavours took the opportunity to revisit a pasta salad (was dscrbd. Fattoush-style)

 

[koukouvagia]

...
A really good Octopus dish would be awesome for the adventurous...

I think this region could showcase mullet...whole?

Baklava should be represented...

...

Octopus, whole red mullets, and baklava are pretty standard and ordinary in Cyprus.  It's not adventurous at all.

How about incorporating some Italian cuisine?  Antipasti, pizza, simple pastas and the sort.

 

[ishbel]

I think you should go to expanding into Lebanese foods.  Near enough (my parents used to catch the overnight ferry from Cyprus to Beirut before their 'troubles'..) to be different, but not to different.

Who is your target market?  Tourists or local Cypriots?  I have found that Cypriots tend to like their own cuisine best!

 

[espetosardine]

I am Spanish, if you need any tip or ideas on tapas or something else let me know .

 

[chrisbelgium]

A very good source would be Rick Stein's cookbook "Mediterranean Escapes", result of a fantastic series on the BBC where Mr. Stein visited nearly all countries situated around the Mediterranean, including North-Africa. I have the dutch translation "Mediterrane Odyssee". My opinion; a must have!

I particularly like Rick Stein's very no nonsense approach.

Probably exactly what you're looking for.

A little more info; http://www.rickstein.com/Mediterranean-Escapes.html  

 

[ishbel]

I've taken a number of courses at Rick Stein's cookery school in Padstow.

My husband adores sea-food, and the courses were gifts!

I ate at a restaurant in NSW that has Mr Stein's name as the 'chef'... the food was poor and the service was worse!

 

[anadixis]

wow didnt think that i would have so many replies. we took many of your ideas and implemented them into the restaurants of some of our hotels. one local cyprus hotel chain which is using them is Cyprotels Hotels.

many thanks!