THE GRAPEVINE

Albania boasts the perfect climate to grow grapes and you will find lush canopies of vines in many homes, as well as refined rows of vineyards adorning patches of countryside across the country.

Grapevine in our garden, Albania

The chartreuse, leafy tunnel in Çesk’s family home is the perfect escape from the sweltering midday heat and as the sun pierces through gaps in the vines, their shadows dance across the cool patch of garden beneath them. With the chickens at your feet and heavy baskets of grapes in your arms, there’s a humble perfection about these moments.

Grapes, though not the most versatile of fruits, possess something of a sacred position within our garden. An absence of them almost removes the familiarity of being home and although the variety we grow is mainly for wine rather than consumption, due to the tannic nature of the grape, there is something quite literally bittersweet about the experience of eating them.

Chickens by the vines, Albania

I feel there is a sort of glory in wine making that is almost innately respected among people. It’s a practice so steeped in tradition that it connects with many traits that embody what it means to be human. Harnessing the land and the elements, carefully nurturing a plant to fruit and then something more. It’s an artisinal process that can exchange hands many times along a journey that requires patience, observance and care. While I don’t really drink, I do cook with wine and as they say, “Never cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink” so I have my own unique perspective and respect for this beloved liquid. A seafood pasta can be enlivened with the splash of white wine and there is no richness quite like a beef stew that features a good glug of a heavy red.

Like the Italians, Albanian family gatherings are often anchored by the food on the table and the wine to accompany it. There’s something honourable about sharing the fruits of your labour with your family or anyone else gathered at your table. For me, making wine and sharing this with others is the same feeling I get from cooking and sharing my food. It’s honouring whoever you find at your table through the time, care and passion that goes into your craft. It’s taking years, sometimes decades, of family tradition and maintaining this by continuing to bring it to the table and creating memories around it.

As well as wine, grapes are also used to produce Albania’s national spirit, raki. Again, while I don’t drink it, I do love cooking with it and I’ve enjoyed getting creative with it in my kitchen. My tomato and raki pasta is my take on the viral vodka pasta and the light heat from the raki, coupled with the way it emulsifies the tomato sauce, creates a rich, silky sauce that caresses each ridge of the pasta. My fresh mussels with tomato and feta are given a little twist with the addition of raki in the sauce. Similar to adding white wine to mussels, raki adds an extra depth to the sauce that just ties the flavour together perfectly. Sprinkles of fresh dill add an uplifting balance to the raki and when you get that tang of feta coming through, it’s simply delicious.

Fresh mussels with raki, tomato & feta

It’s also traditional to use vine leaves to create one of Albania’s most popular dishes, japrak (pronounced ya-prak). Vine leaves are carefully stuffed with various combinations of meat, rice and/or vegetables, depending on your family recipe. They are similar to Greek dolmades or Turkish sarma and are often enjoyed as part of a sharing feast but I love using these as a main meal too. You can often pick up pre-made versions in tins in the supermarket however these don’t compare to the homemade version at all. My baked japrak dish is a delicious take on the traditional recipe but I have elevated it by baking it into a rich tomato sauce and serving this with a tangy, refreshing yoghurt. When the yoghurt creams into the tomato sauce, it creates a perfect balance to the earthy notes of the vine leaves, that I find can be too dominant in many shop-bought japrak.

Baked japrak with tomato & feta

There are many creative ways to bring vine leaves into other dishes too. Wrapping a block of feta in vine leaves and baking it in the oven until soft and lightly toasted; Or wrapping fish in vine leaves before grilling are a couple of recipes I have been experimenting with recently and I can’t wait to create more!

One of the many things I have taken from all my time in Albania is that we should minimise our food waste as much as possible and creatively use different parts of our fruits, vegetables, meats or fish to make this happen. For me, grapes and their vines are a great example of how you can create a wide variety of exciting flavours and dishes from just one plant. I can’t wait to continue experimenting with new dishes that pay homage to our vines through my cooking and I hope this is a tradition that will remain in our family for generations to come.