Must try food in Malta

If you really want to get a proper taste of Malta, I'd suggest not only visiting touristic areas, but also trying out Maltese food. Mediterranean food is considered to be one of the best in terms of taste and variation.

Today, I'm going to tell you what is essential to try out when in Malta -

Food

1. Twistees: If you have relatives in Malta, I am pretty sure you have heard of this snack before. If not... Twistees is by far the favourite savoury snack of Maltese people. You can find this snack from just about anywhere: supermarkets, bars, confectioneries, petrol stations... Just look for a red and yellow packet, and it's probably Twistees.

The snack itself is made from rice and maize grits, and the taste is VERY cheesy. Only try this at your own risk, because if you enjoy it - it is most probably going to be very addictive!

You can find these snacks for sale in the UK under the name Tastees from www.tastees.info  (I just discovered this jewel myself!)

2. Galletti: These are most of the time found in a round shape. Essentially they are water crackers. Nowadays you can find these plain (original format), or even with flavours and herbs. My favourite is galletti with salt and black pepper.

3. Gbejniet: These are small round cheeslets which are made from goat's milk (also sheep's milk). These cheeslets are used in several Maltese dishes, ranging from starters to main dishes - salads, pasta, pizza, soup... You name it! Gbejniet are incredibly delicious with galletti and in summer, it goes well with Maltese bread.

Maltese bread with kunserva and other toppings

4: Mmmmmaltese Bread: Whether you love bread or you don't - you must try Maltese bread! Especially bread bought directly from a bakery - fresh and warm! Also ask for a 'ftira' - this is simply divine with the following toppings: Kunserva with gbejniet, canned tuna, olives, capers, gbejniet and olive oil; especially at the beach!


5. Kunserva: This is the best sauce to go with Maltese bread. The taste is rather sweet, but go on... try it! Just spread it on the bread, and add olive oil to taste! The kunserva is also used with red pasta sauce to increase texture and taste. Ideal with that pasta Bolognese we all love so much!

Bigilla (the brown paste)

6. Bigilla: Bigilla is eaten all year round, but it is perfect for summer. This goes well as a dip with galletti, and also as an ingredient to a cold salad. The main ingredient in Bigilla is Djerba beans. I know, it doesn't sound apetising - but a lot of people grow fond of it.

7. Pastizzi: Pastizzi - fattening, but delicious! Also know as Cheesecakes / Peacakes by tourists. It is a savoury snack which have a filling of either ricotta or mushy peas. Eating these, while drinking a cup of tea is a must! Great for breakfast or as a snack.
They are available in two shapes: diamond or round. They are folded differently depending to the filling. These are usually baked on metal drays and are available from cafes and pastizzerias all around the island.

8: Mqaret: Commonly found in feasts and Valletta. These are delicious daimond shaped pastries stuffed with dates and deep fried. Again, these are not for people who are on diet, however you can buy healthier version of these from the supermarket. Most of the time available frozen - and then you can always bake them instead. Taste wise, the deep fried ones are much better. Mqaret is the plural of maqrut. The word maqrut derives from an Arabic word meaning a 'diamond'.

Drinks

9. Cisk Lager: This is the best beer you can find locally. Also you can find a 'light' version of it called Cisk Excel. Other variations are Cisk Chill which contains a lemon flavour, and Cisk XS which is extra strong (and very sweet!)

10. Kinnie: This is the soft drink Malta is known for. It has been created in the early 1950s, and it's taste is of bitter oranges and aromatic herbs. It sure quenches your taste!

If you are visiting the islands in Summer, make sure you always carry with you a bottle of water, otherwise you're risking dehydration due to the heat!

Have fun.

A day in lovely Gozo

During my last visit to Malta, less than a month ago, I took Mark for the first time to Gozo. For those who never heard of Gozo, this is the sister island of Malta. It was mid-June, and the temperature on the islands is around 25 Degrees Celcius; Sunny, with the occassional breeze. Gozo is smaller than Malta, and is less populated and it tends to be more quiet, and greener.

I think that the perfect time to visit Malta is either in June or in September, when the weather is good and yet not too hot and humid.

My dad offered to drive us to Cirkewwa, and so it didn't take long until we were waiting for the Gozo ferry. Mark and I managed to find a seat outside, and so we could appreciate the views better.

When in Gozo, we visited Rabat (also known as Victoria), the capital city. I took Mark to my favourite cafe in Gozo (and Malta too!), called Cafe Jubilee. Although Cafe Jubilee is also available in Malta, the first shop was open in Gozo, and as such the owner is Gozitan. If you ever have the opportunity to go to this cafe, I suggest you try their Rikotta pastizzi, which are home-made. Their bread is also a must-try - especially the 'ftira'.

After a nice snack and chilling at the cafe, we took a bus and made our way to Marsalforn, which is one of my favourite spots in Gozo. The beach was so inviting and it was a shame we didn't have our bathing suit on! There were barely any people around...

However in the bay close to Marsalforn we encountered my biggest enemy... the Jellyfish...

It was a shame that we could only stay for a day.

I would love to live in Gozo one day. It's just so beautiful and quiet.

Day 2: St. Patrick's Day!

So, day two in Malta was St. Patrick's day. The sun shining as always, and barely any wind.

Mark and I woke up not as early as planned, however we managed to follow all the plans we had. Or rather, all the plans I made.

First task was to go to the supermarket which is approximately 5mins away from my parent's house. We bought a few ingredients Mark needed for this epic dessert he does, and in additional to that, I bought a lot of Twistees, Tastees, Crix (peanut flavour), galletti and Kinnie to stock up in the UK.

When the dessert was nicely done and put in the fridge, we made our way out to Floriana. There we went to see a Model's Exhibition which was rather good. But then my expectations weren't too high. There were a number of Warhammer models painted, as well as scenes from the World War, planes, ships and the sort.

After eating a few pastizzi in Valletta, we made our way to Msida, where we visited the Forbidden Power shop for some geeky moments and then relaxed a bit in the Msida Marina. For me, it meant, taking a couple of photos of the surroundings. For Mark, it meant sitting down on a bench and enjoying the sun (and the annoying pigeons).

Later on in the night, we also went to Paceville to celebrate St. Patrick's the way it should be.

All the people!

We didn't get home until it was around 5am.

What I miss the most...

If you ask me, what I miss the most from Malta, I would answer without hesitation that it's the food. You would probably be in awe and assume I'm heartless. Why don't I miss my family, and my friends the most?

Well, I could answer that in a heartbeat. The people I care about and love, I stay in touch with as much as possible, and furthermore they know that whenever they want, they could always come visit me.

However, when it comes to Maltese food, until a couple of weeks ago, it was impossible for me to enjoy it, unless I am in Malta. It is true, I do visit Malta almost every other month... But sometimes the cravings are too much to bare. My mission impossible started one evening, when my friend David mentioned pastizzi. I realised that I couldn't take it any longer, and as such I had to do something about it.

I searched and search, and when I was about to give up, I came across a website with an interview with Alan Camilleri; a guy who lives in Manchester and who has his own shop, selling traditional Maltese food and drinks. I figured, I could be on a train from Stoke to Manchester in 50minutes. But to my astonishment, Alan delivers around the UK once every month, for a maximum fee of £12.50.

That very moment, I placed an order, and last week it was delivered to my house. I spent quite a lot of money to make up for the delivery cost, and I'm sure this wouldn't be the last purchase. Alan has been very helpful, even provided me with cooking instructions for the 'hobza tal-Malti' (traditional Maltese bread). The photo in this article, of the pastizzi, are from this very order. 

I have never thought that I would be enjoying the traditional Maltese pastizzi and tea here in the UK!

Place an order here: Mediterranean Pastry, and if you actually make an order after reading this brief review, please do let me know. :-)