Maria knows how important cooking is for our lives. What it means to gather loved ones around the family table. A meal with your loved one. A break to recharge and continue the daily "marathon". She herself has experienced what authentic cuisine means. What everyone feels when enjoying a good meal.

• Flavors evoke emotions. They activate all the senses. They create bonds. They characterize a community, a culture. It is culture. They are an integral part of History.
• Flavors awaken memories. They are connected to images and sounds. Our mother and father's home. The shops in the old neighborhood. The places we have visited. The people we have met.
• Flavors take you on a journey. Literally and metaphorically. To every corner of the Earth. To every point in time. They connect today with yesterday and tomorrow. They are a "bridge", a real superhighway that eliminates distances.

In her career in the tourism industry, she has encountered destinations that have flourished thanks to good food. She has seen businesses "built" in their kitchens. People who cross continents to experience new delights. For every Greek, the recipes of Constantinople, Asia Minor are not just a pleasure. They are who we are. The way we think. The way we move. The way we create. In Maria's recipes and aromas of the East, the ingredients make the difference. Their blend. The art of the creator. Bon appétit to those who put the recipes of this book on their table. To "satisfy" their soul and travel their mind...

Andreas Manessis, hotelier and travel agent"