Hotel Incirliev is typical of Alacati's homespun hospitality. The hotel is named after the 100-year-old fig tree that casts shade over its central courtyard. It is run by Sabahat and Osman Poshor, whose warmth and generosity make staying here feel like a weekend at Grandma's. Having been shown my terrace room - a cool stone chamber with original fireplace and floor-length windows - I was ushered straight back down for a glass of home-made cherry liqueur and freshly baked apple cake under the tree.

Incirliev proved the perfect base to explore Cesme cuisine. Every day begins with breakfast served al fresco from the open kitchen. The table sagged with cheese, fruit, bread, olives and - the undoubted highlight - an ever-changing selection of Osman's homemade jams. Each morning, there was also an extra surprise: "egg casserole" scrambled with peppers and chilli, or ricotta pancakes with "crispy butter".

Suitably fuelled, I left to watch the daily 11am ritual of fresh fish being auctioned from marble slabs behind the mosque. On Saturdays, the bazaar - a shanty town of herbs, cheese and spices - also comes to life. After that, it's time to repair to Kose Kahve for Turkish coffee flavoured with medicinal-tasting mastic, harvested from the trees on Chios.

At the fishing village of Dalyankoy, I picked meze out of a chilled cabinet, pointed at the sea bass I wanted and ate the lot sitting by the water as fishing boats bobbed beneath my feet. At Okan's Place, a secluded stretch of beach at Ciftlikkoy, crispy sardines were delivered to my sun lounger. The finest place I found to experiment, though, was Asma Yapragi, a one-room restaurant in the undeveloped Haci Memis district of Alacati. Here, hearty tin dishes of meze - marinated artichokes, broad bean and mint stew, cacik and cigarette-thin stuffed vine leaves - are served straight from the stove to a communal table in the middle of the kitchen.

As I left Incirliev, my suitcase stuffed with fig jam and olive soaps, Sabahat and Osman threw water at the car, a tradition intended to ensure the traveller will return soon. I do hope it works.

INCIRLIEV Alaçati, In the summer this beautiful stone house takes on a distictly Balearic feel, when the owner's son Can a music producer and DJ tends to take ove proceedings. The eight comfortable rooms have exposed walls and muslin drapes, but there are no televisions (to maintained chilled-out vibe) Breakfasts are fabolous! but there is no evening restaurant.