Savoring Europe

January-March: Winter is ending, the land comes alive with new season potatoes and is ploughed for early spring crops. The grassland's cycle begins; cheese and beer making and organic farming respond to the weather on the rolling hills, which descend to the Atlantic where tiny boats ply for shellfish.

It's early Spring in the Franconia region of Bavaria. It is a place dotted with medieval villages and towns, where craftsmen and women hold onto memories of rich pork dishes, moist dark breads and smoky beer, and where an ancient miller still operates his wooden and iron machines.

It's spring in the Mediterranean, as herbs and early vegetables unwrap themselves. Here in Puglia live the best dried pasta makers in Italy. In the white towns and on the Gargano Peninsula, Easter is celebrated with a night illuminated by burning wooden cones.

It's May, and the early sun shines on the land. Donkeys graze beneath an ancient monastery clinging to the cliffs above. In hill towns, cooking continues much as it did in the 18th century -steaming lamb dishes informed by Ottoman and Venetian cuisines.

In the hot June weather, starred chefs shout orders or create Zen like calm; artisan cheese makers and bakers, farmers and herdsmen supply the city from the surrounding hills. People use the vineyards and surrounding hills to celebrate weddings, and for other social gatherings.

It's late spring, but the inns of Flanders still produce stews reminiscent of the delicacy of France and the richness of Germany; their famous handmade chocolates roll off a small production line filled with surprises, and stoic fishermen on horseback search the coast for grey shrimp against a backdrop of medieval cities glittering on working canals.

In southern Lithuania, a dense forest produces mushroom, herb and fruit treasures; horse drawn ploughs and ancient cranking machines produce freshly milled buckwheat flour. And, just emerging from the shadow of Soviet communism, people celebrate their pagan past in a mid-summer eve filled with song and fire.

It's summer in the Södermanland region of Sweden. boar and deer are provided to be smoked and cooked as treats; lake fish and eels are provided for the new Swedish chefs to demonstrate their take on traditions; and people speak of their passing culture in the reflection of deep blue lakes.

It's early autumn in the folds of a river valley in northern Spain. The grape vines are harvested and celebrated with food and dance in the villages; suckling lamb is baked in a wood oven, and in the early morning, the whole town turns out to witness the bulls which are challenged by the young bravos.

Autumn arrives on the coast of County Mayo. As the sea rises, oysters and salmon pulled fresh from Clew bay are cooked. A cool green landscape with stretches of potato farms and russet moors with their sheep herders roving the commons blend beyond the song and stout filled pubs.

On the Great Hungarian Plain lies a major stretch of grassland called the Puzsta. A huge grazing land, alive with wild horses and cattle rounded up by cowboys; trout from the rivers and piles of red and orange paprika fill the kitchens of the inns and steaming goulash and thick sour cream are served in generous heaps.

The Carpathian Mountains, the wildest part of Europe. Where bears and wolves still roam, where ancient machines still plough the land and a local fruit brandy is toasted at the ritual pig killing. In a Count's kitchen woman create pastry and bread in surprising ways.