Mediterranean Cooking Meets German Comfort Food

Growing up in Germany with a mother who loved to cook was the basis for Meike Peters' love of food.

Meeting a man with ties to the Mediterranean impacted her philosophy.

Meike's book, Eat in My Kitchen, contains recipes that mix a Mediterranean influence with classic German cuisine. 

While many individuals find cooking to be stressful and overwhelming, Meike says being in the kitchen can be a very relaxing and special time. When you make it a part of your everyday routine, you'll find that you miss spending time there.

Instead of heading out to eat, appreciate that home dinner parties can bring people closer together, even strangers. Meike shares the example of a recent dinner party where a couple she'd never met before came for lunch at 1:00 p.m. and stayed 12 hours. 

On rule Meike keeps is this: if you're cooking with a partner or friend, it's usually a good idea for one to be the chef and one to be the sous chef, and then reverse those roles depending on the recipe you're preparing.

Meike joins host Lisa Davis to share her history with food and recipes, the top items she keeps in her pantry (a good olive oil, seasonal produce, fennel seeds, cumin, cinnamon, and fresh citrus zest), and one of her favorite recipes that combines Mediterranean flair with German comfort.

Maltese Minestrone with Tyrolean Crêpes Frittaten