5 Reasons to Cheat on the Mediterranean Diet

Last week the Internet was abuzz with news about the Mediterranean diet. This diet (that experts call a lifestyle choice) is full of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans and olive oil. This heart-healthy combination of foods was found to have an amazing long-term health benefits including a 30 percent reduction in heart attacks and strokes, based on a study that was done on thousands of people in Spain. The New York Times reported that the study was stopped early because the results were so obvious that the researchers involved believed it to be unethical to continue. Now, all of us at Customwalks want you to live a long and healthy life, and we enjoy delicious Mediterranean cuisine on all of our tours, but we also want you to live a little! That’s why on our tours we love to cheat on that Mediterranean diet and indulge in heavenly pastries and sinful desserts, as well as  those other two essential food groups - wine and chocolate! Here is a little list of our favourite 5 naughty foods. Naughty Nuns Sagra, who guides our Mallorca Bike tour and Andalusia Walk will make sure that you try ‘Suspiros de Monja’, a rich pastry batter that is lightly flavoured with lemon, deep fried, and then sprinkled with powdered sugar and topped with candied fruit. Known as Nun’s Sighs (we told you it was going to be naughty!), it is the perfect balance of crispy outside and creamy inside. Sweet Syrupy Baklava If you join Yorgos on the Greek Dodecanese Walk and Sail tour he will take you to his favourite pastry shop on the island of Symi for a moment of pure bliss. Of course we are talking Baklava, a flaky phylo pastry which seems to hover over layers of crushed walnuts or pistachio, while a sweet honey syrup ramps up your glycemic index in a heartbeat. Fluffy in France Ah, the French macaroon. Light-as-a-cloud, this classic indulgence is made with egg whites, ground almonds, powdered sugar and filled with creamy chocolate just to make it really sinful. Melissa, who guides our Provence Bike and Provence Walk tours will make sure you don’t miss out on this favourite. Sara's Satisfying Suggestion Gelato, so smooth and so satisfying. You simply cannot find it as good as it gets in Italy. On our Tuscany Vespa tour Sara leads you to one of the best gelateria in the whole of Italy. Indeed, it has been rated No.5 by 'La Repubblica' newspaper, and that is out of 80,000! Risky Ravioli On the last day of our Sicily walk, we drive up to the amazing Bronze Age necropolis of Pantalica. On the way, Claudia makes a little detour in the village of Floridia to stop off at a local pastry maker because she knows that on Friday mornings fresh ravioli will still be warm on the shelf.  Fresh, sweetened ricotta cheese is rolled in a light batter, like a ravioli, then deep fried to the point where the pastry is cooked and the ricotta cheese is just about melting. It is sublime. You can also have the Nutella version if you are feeling particularly indulgent!