HI! I’M IOANA.

WELCOME TO FRESH FOOD BLISS!

Here you will find a selection of sweet and savoury recipes inspired by my time living in Italy and also my travels to other beautiful Mediterranean countries.

During my college years, I was blessed to spend my summer holidays in Rome. I was fascinated by the simplicity of their cuisine and by the way they were choosing the finest and freshest ingredients available for humble yet flavoursome dishes like: tomato bruschetta, pasta, caprese salad or pizza.

And so, my curiosity burst, and I just needed to learn how to recreate those flavours. My go-to-source? My mom!

 

Since a very young age, I loved helping her out in the kitchen and I was hooked on the desserts she was baking. I remember the sweet and spicy smell of her apple and cinnamon pie, the decadent chocolate eclairs or cozonaci (traditionally made at Christmas and Easter, similar to babka).

After relocating to Italy however, my mother shifted to a Mediterranean cooking style, experimenting with food as never before. I was still helping her out, but this time I was hungry for knowledge and I wanted to acquire techniques that would elevate my dishes.

I bought cookbooks, tried new recipes, and I ventured to the markets to get the locals’ insight. My culinary journey helped me discover how they were producing the dairy, vegetables, cured meats and I absorbed this wealth of knowledge in a heartbeat. 

My Italian friends also played a big part as they revealed a side of their culture and cuisine that only a local would understand.

After five wonderful years in Rome, I took a different path and moved to the UK with my husband. I soon understood that my heart would always crave those Italian and Mediterranean flavours.

 

I started looking for local farms, quality butchers, grocery stores and fishmongers that would start me off with the most amazing ingredients and fresh produce, just as I learned from my fellow Italians.

Fresh Food Bliss is a creative gateway towards simple and delicious Mediterranean meals that you can recreate from the comfort of your home. 

Let’s be friends and share beautiful ideas.

Follow Me on Social Media to keep up with the newest recipes.