Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Pelican Café Restaurant, situated in a garden of palm trees and flowers in the heart of Fira, Greece. 

Since we were visiting Greece, I wanted to taste an authentic Greek salad. Let me just say, it was great! Piled high with tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, olives, capers and onions, all of the ingredients were fresh with just the right amount of dressing. An unbelievable sized block of feta cheese topped the salad, at least an inch thick and almost as large as the bowl. An interesting variation from the American version was the lack of lettuce. 

Greek Salad

Dora here. I’m not a fan of Greek salads, so I went with the “Kipos” salad. More my style with lettuce, corn, grilled chicken and figs doused with a citrus and honey vinaigrette. Delish, and another huge portion!

Not knowing the gigantic portion sizes, we also shared a sandwich, ham and Naxo’s cheese on a white baguette. Just as tasty and plentiful as the salads, but the highlight was the fresh baguette, firmer on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside. I could have made a whole meal just off the bread. 

Dora here. What a beautiful, serene spot to linger over a cup of coffee or catch a leisurely meal. If you visit, make sure to include a stop here. Just give yourself a few minutes before you hop on those cable cars down to the beach. :)

Um, yeah. :)

We rate this restaurant 5 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving outstanding food.

**Bonus**

During our visit to Ephesus, Turkey, our cruise excursion included an authentic Biblical meal at Cittantica Ephesus Park. 

Dora here. How fun! Not quite authentic. No feet washing and they provided utensils. Phew! :)

Appetizers included Jacob’s beans (pickled green beans), a block of goat cheese, a garbanzo bean paste (hummus), chive yogurt and leeks. The beans, cheese and yogurt were great. I wasn’t a fan of the paste or leeks. 

The main courses consisted of lamb stew and grilled fish. Now these two choices were outstanding. Never having lamb stew I was a little apprehensive, but to my surprise, it was great. The lamb and veggies were tender, the fish large and chunky, and both tasty and full of flavor.

Dora here. I tend to be a picky eater and a few years ago, I probably wouldn’t have touched anything. But I devoured almost everything and enjoyed the whole experience. It pays to be more adventurous in your eating habits. :)

If this food was served at a restaurant, we would rate it 5 forks.

Where is the most adventurous place you've eaten?

Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

It may come as a surprise to you, but I’m a routine kinda gal. I eat the same cereal for breakfast and wake up and go to bed every day about the same time. Wait staff from our favorite restaurants don’t bother asking for my order; they just confirm it. I write only from my quiet office, and I take breaks in regular intervals. Interruptions throw me off kilter, and it takes a while to regain my balance.

But being a writer is slowly eroding my routine. That, or my husband is. :)

He’s always encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone. He prodded me to write my first book, even when I doubted, and encouraged me to join a writers group. When our local librarian invited me to address their readers, hubby rattled off a list of possible topics and practically shoved me into the public speaking arena when I would have been perfectly content to hide out in the obscurity of my office, pecking away at my laptop. Eventually, readers would find my stories, right?

Now, he’s at it again. Prodding me to expand my horizons. Travel. Food. Where does it stop?

Three years ago, he convinced me that a European cruise was cheaper than some of our US vacations, and we’ve cruised there every year since. We’ve craned our necks to stare up at the Eiffel Tower, climbed the Colosseum in Rome, and explored ancient walled cities in Tuscany and volcanoes in Iceland. We devoured pizza in Belfast, gobbled down granitas and cannoli’s in Sicily, guzzled espresso in Barcelona, and tasted authentic fish and chips in London.

And you know what? I actually enjoyed it. Not necessarily every new meal or city, but the experience. He doesn’t have to sell me on it anymore. When he mentions a European cruise, I’m totally on board.

We all need someone like that, don’t we? A friend or spouse to push us to achieve more, to reach for our dreams, to fill a hole with something that we’re passionate about, or to force us to face our fears. For me, it was fear of the unknown.     

What are you afraid of?

Embrace life. Surround yourself with people who love you enough to shove you out of your comfort zone. Give your dreams wings to become reality and discover yourself.

Just wait until he starts messing with my bedtime. Or leaving brochures for Antarctica on the kitchen counter…

“Risk, then, is not just part of life. It is life. The place between your comfort zone and your dream is where life takes place. It's the high-anxiety zone, but it's also where you discover who you are.” ~Nick Vujicic

Have you read STRANDED by Dani Pettrey?

About the book~
When her friend vanishes from a cruise ship, reporter Darcy St. James isn't satisfied with their explanation that she simply left her job of her own accord. Something isn't lining up, and Darcy believes the only way to find the truth is to put herself in Abby's position. Within days, Darcy learns her friend wasn't the only person to disappear mysteriously. Last summer, a woman vanished under almost identical circumstances.

Gage McKenna has taken a summer-long stint leading adventure excursions for the passengers of various cruise lines that dock for a few days of sightseeing. He's surprised to find Darcy working aboard one of the ships, investigating a troubling report. Something sinister is going on and the deeper they dig the more Gage fears they've only discovered the tip of the iceberg.

My summary~
Darcy St. James gave up investigative reporting years ago, but she still loves the thrill of tracking down leads. So when her friend, Abby, terribly frightened and distraught about her current story, contacts her, Darcy determines to help her friend uncover the truth. When Darcy arrives on the cruise ship, Abby has vanished. Restless and hoping to squash five month old memories of Darcy, Gage McKenna accepts the excursions gig on the cruise ship. The last person he expects to run into on the cruise ship is Darcy St. James.

What I liked...

I really liked that the author had set up Gage and Darcy's story at the end of her last book, Shattered. Even so, while it's not necessary to read Shattered before Stranded, you probably should because once you read this one, you'll want to go back and read the first two. Trust me.

Loved the characters. I've gotten to know Gage over the last two books, and he's definitely a favorite of mine. Masculine and manly, yet wounded and vulnerable. How could Darcy not fall for him? Especially when she sees the two little feet tucked close to his heart. But then, he'd stolen her heart long before then. 

Darcy's not a wimpy heroine. Sure, she's frightened once she learns what they're facing, but she's not willing to give up on finding her friend, especially since Abby doesn't know the Lord. This book made me think about my loved ones who don't know the Lord. Would I be as willing to face the same frightening situations for my loved ones? The faith element is woven into the plot, so beautifully and intrinsically, and it doesn't come off forced or trite.

and not so much...

I can't think of one element I didn't like about this book, except that it had to end. 

Overall...

Stranded is worthy of highest praise. It's a book that'll make you forget about everything except flipping the page. Definitely a keeper, and Pettrey is now on my "must read" list!

Purchase Link

Disclaimer: Sending a big thank you to NetGalley and Bethany House Publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of Stranded. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, and I received no monetary compensation.

Have you read Stranded? 

Do you agree with my review?
What about you? Would you face frightening situations to track down a friend in danger? 

Have You Read THE HIDDEN SON by Dianna T. Benson?

The Hidden Son by
Dianna T. Benson

About the book~ The Hidden Son (Book 1, Cayman Islands Trilogy)

When U.S. DEA Special Agent Lelisa Desmond refuses to follow an order to bury evidence in a high profile case, her superior inexplicably hires a hit man to kill her deep in the ocean off Grand Cayman Island. Lelisa survives the first attempt on her life, but someone close to her is mistakenly murdered in her place.

With no one to trust, Lelisa enlists Inspector Alec Dyer for help but learns she's his number one suspect in the scuba diving homicide. She sets off on a daring mission to bring down the man who ordered her execution. A man in a high position, with powerful friends. A man who will stop at nothing to silence her forever in order to hide his son's crimes.

Can she take him down, before he sends someone else to silence her forever?

My summary~
When Special Agent Lelisa Desmond disobeys a direct command, her supervisor orders her to take a vacation to the Caribbean with her partner and long-time friend. During a dive, her scuba buddy turns up dead. Alec Dyer, Inspector for the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, plagued by his daughter's unsolved disappearance almost two years ago and pestered by his ex-wife, isn't sure he believes Lelisa's claims of innocence, especially when crucial evidence she claims to possess disappears.

What I liked...

First off, what an awesome cover, don't you think? It sums up the tone for the story. The author kept me biting my nails with an intense forward motion, a well-developed plot, and towards the end, a totally unexpected twist. Each character was unique, flavorful and realistic. This is one of those books that will stick with me for a long time.

and not so much...

At times, the technical jargon was a bit overwhelming, heavier than I generally prefer to read, but I willingly waded through because I enjoyed everything else about the book. Take my advice and keep going. You'll be glad you did.

I felt the spiritual aspect of The Hidden Son was lacking and somewhat forced, almost like an afterthought. It didn't contain cuss words or bedroom scenes, but if you're a strict CBA reader, you may find this book tends to be a bit on the "fringe." 

Overall...

A great debut novel by Dianna T. Benson! According to the author's website, she calls herself a "Thriller/ Adventure/ Suspense Author." I believe she delivered on all counts with The Hidden Son, and I look forward to reading the second book in the trilogy, Persephone's Fugitive, due out in July 2014.

Purchase Link

Disclaimer: I purchased my copy of The Hidden Son from an author book signing event. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, and I received no monetary compensation.

Have you read The Hidden Son? 

Do you agree with my review? What were your thoughts?