Mezze is the ideal way to host (Part 1)
There’s a lot of sport around.
I’m not big on sport, really, but I have been watching my son skateboard recently, ‘dropping in’ into a deep concrete skating bowl and raising my heart rate to exercise levels without even moving. It’s the anxiety that he might hurt himself and the worry of spending the rest of the day in A&E and then rethinking our entire summer plans to accommodate an arm-in-cast. It’s happened before.
The local Camden skatepark has become our new haunt, and I’m loving the understated camaraderie (everyone is cool) cum competition there. Kids with oversized helmets guardedly cheering on teenagers with wiry limbs and quick turns, and vice versa.
You can’t turn around for tennis, golf, cricket. We were meant to get a rest from football (soccer) in the summer but then they invented a Club World Cup. Billboards, crisp packets, the evening news - it’s everywhere.
Something I can get fully behind - apart from the excitement of England’s Lionnesses reaching the final of the Women’s Euros - is the suggestion of a ‘Crisp World Cup’ as a way to keep the kids entertained this summer. Although I fear a final between Pickled Onion Monster Munch and Salt & Vinegar Squares could tear the country in two.
There's something about competition that makes us want to gather and eat - maybe it's working off the adrenaline, or just an excuse to celebrate. Medieval knights had their banquets, cricket has its tea…the Superbowl seems to be the biggest eating event in the US calendar (is that right, US readers?). Greeks held symposiums alongside Olympics. These days, our tournaments involve less bloodshed, but the instinct to feast remains.
Which brings me to mezze - the perfect food for any kind of gathering, sporting or otherwise.
If you think about it, a mezze spread is a kind of tournament for food. Each plate is fighting for attention on the table. People mark their favourites, then circle back to try the dark horses.
Mezze just might be my ideal way to feed people. It's forgiving, it's abundant, and it gives everyone permission to eat exactly what they want, when they want it. No one's waiting for the host to finish their starter before moving on.
But what I love most is that mezze is easy. My kind of mezze only includes things that I can make ahead and just finish off at the last minute; dishes that can be kept chilled for a few hours, or even a day or two, ready to be brought back to room temperature and served nonchalantly just when you need them.
Over the next two weeks, I have summer mezze ideas for you. Consider this your training montage before the big match (I’ll stop the metaphor now, I promise!).
Beetroot and fennel dip with sour cherries
This brings together Georgian and Turkish salads. I would make it in the morning, if possible, and serve in the evening, allowing the flavours to settle and become deeper and more rounded.
You can serve it warm from the oven, or at room temperature - both work well. I add a dollop of sour cream or Greek yoghurt, though it's equally good without any dairy. A green chilli split in half can be added as this goes in the oven, if you want some heat.
Beyond the wall: My take on a super-garlicky, Greek mezze.
Skordalia
