An Open Letter to Tony,

I checked out the ‘Where should Tony go next’ chat on the show’s Message Board and was dismayed to see that Malta has only about two real mentions in all 53 pages of material. So here’s why you should go to Malta next season.

Malta has a lot to offer for such a small nation. It is somewhat similar to Sardinia but overall quite unique. First, you have the landscape. Clear blue Mediterranean waters set up against limestone that has created some great natural wonders, such as the Blue Grotto, Azure Window and the island of Comino. Malta also boasts impressive architectural structures, including some of the oldest standing structures that you’ll find in the world today (temples at Tarxien and Hagar Qim), the medieval capital of Mdina, the Mosta Church, which survived a direct hit from an Axis bomb during a Mass in World War II (many consider this to be a miracle), the Citadel in Gozo and one of my favorites, St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valetta. You can still go there today and see the black silver gates inside the cathedral, which were painted over in the late 18th century to hide their value from the nefarious and plundering French. There’s a lot to see in such a small space.

The culture here is also quite unique. Maltese is the only Semitic language in the world to use Roman script. Why the hell would one care? This highlights Malta’s position as a crossroads between Christian Europe and the Arab world. The unique culture owes its origins to the fact that just about everyone with any interest in the Mediterranean has been (and ruled) here: Phoenicians, Romans, Arabs, Sicilians, Knights of St. John, French and Brits. And those are just everyone who’s been in power at one time or another. Malta is the true crossroads of the Mediterranean and has been for centuries. What else is there to offer? You have exciting town festas held once a year (probably similar to the festival you went to in Sardinia), colorfully decorated 1950s-era public buses and surprisingly fierce town rivalries in a place that has a population that pales in comparison to any of New York’s boroughs. You really should take a ride in one of the buses. I’m sure you’ll sweat you ass off if it’s anywhere near summer but its worth it just to see the work that the drivers put in to their décor.

Along with its unique culture, Malta has an intricate history. Amongst the waves of conquering armies, there are a bunch of momentous events, including the depopulation of Gozo, repulsion of the Turks during the Siege of 1565, the French Republic's arrival in 1798 (only to hold power for nine months before the Maltese revolted and pushed the French troops back to Valetta), and the Siege of Malta during World War II. Perhaps the biggest event, though, both historically and culturally, was St. Paul’s shipwreck on the island while traveling to Rome. This event led to the island's conversion and Malta had had a strong allegiance to the Catholic Church ever since.

What about food and beverage? I’m not an expert on Maltese wine, but there apparently is an up and coming local market in the country. Cisk is the ubiquitous beer; it’s not overly potent but definitely delivers. Then you have Kinnie, a bitter orange soda. I absolutely hate the stuff and you probably will too, but the locals swear by it so you have to try it.

As for food, Malta is one of those places that has made the most with what little there is to offer. Baked macaroni is one of those dishes that’s popular in the homeland and with the Diaspora overseas. Ġbejniet is the ubiquitous local cheese. Although it's traditionally made from goat’s milk, sheep’s milk is pervasive now. These are small circular peppered cheeses and are a great pizza topping, best combined with olives, capers, sausage and hard-boiled eggs. Since the land doesn’t really support cattle or even pigs for that matter, rabbit is a popular local dish. Fenek, as it’s called, is usually cooked as a soup with a peppery set of seasonings.

But that’s not the half of it. My cousin John’s wife makes a great Pixxispad Mixwi Mħawwar (grilled swordfish with lemon zest and herbs). Lampuki, more commonly known here in the States as mahi-mahi, is quite popular during the autumn in Malta. Seafood definitely plays an important role in Maltese cuisine. Then there’s the bread. I may be a bit of a Francophile but I’ll take Maltese bread over the French baguette any day of the week. The best thing about the bread is that you can use it to make Hopz bhezit, a sandwich of fresh tomato slices, olives, capers and olive oil. My cousins introduced me to this and it’s pretty damn good. And last but not least, the pastizzi. The best way to describe it is as a pastry – like a heavy croissant filled with you choice of peas or ricotta. Both versions are great but the latter is definitely my favorite. The best pastizzi place on the island is located right between Rabat and Mdina. My cousins are quite adamant about its place in the Maltese pastizzi world and I have to say I agree with them. These pastries are fantastic and will help keep your cardiologist quite busy.

So that is why you should go to Malta!