By Leigh O’Connor.
From the very first turn of its glossy pages, Thessaloniki feels more like a love letter than a cookbook. Meni Valle leads us gently into the heart of Greece’s northern city — a place brimming with culinary memory, deep-rooted traditions and the tang of sea breeze carrying hints of spice and olive oil.
The subtitle, And the Many Kitchens of Northern Greece, promises a journey and the book delivers it with generosity, elegance, and soul.
Meni’s storytelling is tactile and sensory. She paints a vivid portrait of the region’s rich fertility — plains and mountains stitched together by olive groves and orchards, each ingredient telling its own story. She introduces readers to northern Greece’s lesser-known treasures: the famed giant beans, aromatic herbs, sweet stone fruits and the hearty legumes that define the local table. Every page pulses with a sense of place and belonging, where food is not just sustenance but a thread connecting family, memory and identity.
What makes Thessaloniki truly special is how it anchors every dish in the city’s cultural and historical layers. Through Meni’s warm and evocative writing, you feel the echoes of Sephardic Jewish kitchens, Ottoman spice markets and the diverse diasporas that have shaped the region over centuries.
Rather than simply listing recipes, Meni builds a living, breathing culinary map — one that celebrates migration, adaptation and the enduring spirit of home.
Visually, the book is a feast. The photography is atmospheric and luminous — bowls of lentils glistening in golden oil, charred peppers resting on worn wooden boards, sunlight catching the edge of a copper pot. Each image transports you into a kitchen where time slows and the act of cooking feels both sacred and spontaneous. The design feels intentional and balanced, with a clean layout that honours the beauty of each dish without distraction.
Meni’s voice is nurturing and assured. She balances reverence for the old with appreciation for the new — paying homage to recipes passed through generations while celebrating how modern cooks reinterpret them today. Her writing invites you to explore, to play and to taste the essence of Thessaloniki not as a distant dream but as a living, breathing experience you can bring into your own kitchen.
The 70-plus recipes are both comforting and inspiring, ranging from hearty bean stews and slow-roasted meat to delicate seafood and vibrant salads. The instructions are clear, yet infused with warmth and humanity. Meni’s tone never drifts into the technical; instead, she writes as a guide at your elbow, gently reminding you that cooking is as much about feeling as it is about precision.
If there’s one challenge, it lies in sourcing some of the ingredients outside of Greece — but Meni turns that into part of the adventure. She encourages substitution, creativity and above all, connection. Her message is simple: these recipes are alive and they will adapt to wherever you are.
Ultimately, Thessaloniki is far more than a cookbook. It is a sensory pilgrimage through northern Greece’s kitchens and histories — a work that celebrates resilience, diversity and the power of shared meals. Meni captures the soul of a city through its food and in doing so, she reminds us that every dish holds a story worth savouring.
For lovers of Mediterranean cuisine, regional Greek food, or anyone who believes that a cookbook can nourish the spirit as much as the body, Thessaloniki is an unforgettable journey — one best enjoyed with flour on your hands, laughter in the kitchen and a heart open to discovery.
We have three recipes for you to try at home:
There is no better appetiser than pickled octopus served with a glass of ouzo on ice. The pickling process adds a lovely depth of flavour and you can add some chilli to the pickling liquid if you would like some heat. Start this recipe a couple of days before you want to serve it.
In this delicious pita, tender chicken, sweet onions and the warm spiciness of paprika combine to create a filling that is both comforting and aromatic. Perfect for a cosy family dinner or any occasion.
Zucchini blossoms, the edible flower of the zucchini plant, have a delicate flavour and a velvety texture. Each bite of this dish offers a delightful balance between the softness of the flower, the tenderness of the rice and the succulence of the prawns. Serve with a simple salad of tomatoes and crisp cucumber drizzled with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.
