Sofia did her outraged face.
‘Who are you calling an old dog?’
Settled happily with a large carafe of white wine and some water, Sofia put her hand on top of the pile of menus before the others even had a chance to look.
‘We can share some starters, but we must all have the dish that they’re famous for here,kléftiko. I insist.’
‘What’s that when it’s at home?’
Maddie was getting better at recognising the names of Greek food, but this was a new one on her.
‘It’s pieces of succulent lamb, marinated and slow cooked with peas, potatoes, herbs and plenty of local cheese, all wrapped up in a parchment parcel and tied with string.’
‘Mmmm, sounds wonderful. I’m convinced.’ Maddie licked her lips.
‘I have to warn you, it’s pretty filling. So shall we just have some courgette fritters withtzatzíkito start?’
Sofia took her hand off the menus at last.
‘Fine with me.’ Charlotte unwrapped her serviette and placed her knife and fork on the whitewashed table, painted with blue and green starfish. ‘You’ve got me salivating too.’
The main courses were brought out to them by three different waiters holding a dish each, and laid down with plenty of ceremony.
They pulled open the strings holding the parcels together at the same time, and the smell that rose up caused them to moan out loud.
‘This looks’—Maddie forked up the first mouthful—‘and tastes, amazing.’
‘Are these special potatoes, Sof?’ Charlotte piled the melting cheese on top of one.
‘Yes, they’re really waxy, so they don’t fall apart. They grow them here in the centre of the island.’
‘And this white cheese?’
‘Different islands, and indeed different families, all have their own variations on the basics, and the cheeses vary. You can usefeta,graviera,which is a yellow cheese, or indeed any local cheese you like.’
Charlotte smiled at the enthusiasm in her friend’s voice.
‘You’re sounding worryingly like me.’
‘I was just so blown away by this the first time I had it, that I wanted to know all about it.’
Sofia put on a posh voice.
‘It’s said to be named after sheep-rustling bandits called the Klephts, engaged in fighting Ottoman rule. They would cook their ill-gotten gains on coals in an underground pit to avoid detection and to stop the smell escaping.’
‘Oooh, crafty. That’s fascinating.’
Sofia’s side helping of facts was obviously doing it for Charlotte, mused Maddie.
‘Can we carry on eating this delicious food now, before you two start on the overthrow of the Ottoman empire?’
Sofia stuck out her tongue at Maddie.
‘I’m just so pleased you both love it too.’
The end of the meal coincided nicely with the sun slowly going down over the water. They’d been offered a shot ofmastikaliqueur to finish off the evening, which went well with a bit of people watching. Entwined couples and groups of friends strolled along the shore in the twilight, and someone, somewhere in one of the properties backing on to the beach, played a guitar, slowly and mournfully.
Charlotte lifted her glass to her friends.
