G. Harvest was a man who experienced more in one month than most men experience in one decade. His adventures inspire the breads that we make. Here’s the story behind our Spinach Feta bread.
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Sailing to Greece
Looking for shipmate
All costs & work split in half
I enjoy traveling cheaply and thoroughly enjoy sailing. The sign is not what truly interested me, though. It was the woman sitting near the sign. She had jet black hair, olive skin, and an assertive demeanor about her. She was clad in clothing that looked like Gypsy Americana- somewhat recognizable but put together in an unfamiliar and non-traditional way. She had on a Minnesota Twins t-shirt with the sleeves cut off, an Eastern European scarf tied in her hair, and a short Samoan sari that she wrapped around her like a skirt. The outfit was finished off with cowboy boots… with a knife tucked into them.
Her name was Gianira Johnson. Her father was American and her mother was Greek. She was sailing around the world on the cheap by taking people from port to port. We agreed on a price and she told me I had one hour to get my things out of my hotel and get back to the boat otherwise she would offer my spot to someone else. I’ve never packed so quickly in my life.
Gianira was all business during the day but after the sun set she became more of herself. We talked about home and swapped travel stories while we stared out at the endless Mediterranean. On the second evening I got up the courage to ask about the knife… she started wearing it after an Englishman that was travelling to Spain with her started getting aggressive. Gianira had to hit him on the head with a paddle, drag his knocked out body down below, and lock him in the boat for the last two days of their trip. The first thing she bought in Spain was the knife and she said she hadn’t taken it off since then. Our conversations got more and more personal as we spent time together. We spoke of love lost, secret dreams, and childhood memories. The chemistry between us was powerful.
We stopped for supplies in Cyprus. We were sick of dried foods and desperately wanted something fresh but we weren’t sick of each other. We stayed together. It was in a crowded market when I was starting to lose her that Gianira first reached for my hand. I took it, pulled her close to me, and didn’t let go until we were carrying too many things for us to each hold in one hand.
I told Gianira I would make supper that night. The first thing I did when we left the dock was set up the fishing line. After that I went downstairs to cube feta and wilt spinach. I then pulled out my secret weapon: dried yeast. (There are only a few possessions that never leave my body when I travel- my toothbrush, my passport, and dried yeast. You can find flour anywhere but yeast is quite difficult to get your hands on in many parts of the world!) I mixed water, flour, local honey, and yeast together. Next came the spinach, feta, and Mediterranean spices. That’s when I realized I had to “bake” on a flat top. I put the bread inside a preheated pot, on an elevated grilling rack I’d placed inside it, and went up to check the line. We had caught a sole. I disappeared downstairs with it.
The sun was setting as I came up on deck. I had prepared a tray for us to share: a wilted spinach salad, a Mediterranean Ceviche (lemon juice, salt, diced sole, red pepper flakes, fresh parsley, onion, and olives), red wine, and a loaf of Spinach Feta bread. Gianira ate ravenously. Watching a beautiful woman eat with passion is always such a joy.
One bottle of wine turned into two and our laughter got loud enough to get us kicked out of a restaurant if we were on land.
I went downstairs to clean the dishes and, when I came up on deck, [BIOGRAPHER'S NOTE: G. Harvest's adventure gets a little steamy here. I blushed as he told me the story so I'm editing it a little short for you!] The moon danced on the endless waves and our bodies but the strangest thing was this: when I had originally come back up on deck, the sea was calm.
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Spinach Feta is available on Tuesdays & Thursdays during the summer. While G. Harvest recommends eating it on a boat, we think that you’ll enjoy it in your backyard or on a dining room table just as well!
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