mediterranean cuisine mediterranean cuisine food lands mediterranean_sea preparation geographical area broadly follows distribution olive tree provides distinctive features region cooking olive oil region spans wide variety cultures distinct historical connections region impact mediterranean_sea region climate economy mean common elements include italian ottoman french spanish region food came seen unified cuisine following writer book book mediterranean food writers historian agreed david defining core elements cuisine olive wheat yielding oil bread wine respectively cooking area confused mediterranean diet popular apparent health benefits diet rich olive oil wheat grains fruits vegetables certain low meat dairy products mediterranean cuisine encompasses ways ingredients including meat dealt kitchen geography city country writer introduction book mediterranean food defines scope cooking mediterranean shores sketches geographical limits gibraltar great barcelona genoa alexandria embracing mediterranean islands sicily crete cyprus byzantine influence begins felt mainland greece disputed territories syria lebanon constantinople key plant david defines region range olive tree blessed lands sun sea olive trees olive natural distribution limited frost availability water constrained narrow zone mediterranean_sea spain distributed widely islands mediterranean widespread grow france north italy inland regions balkans historian similarly defines region olive presence bread wheat basic products mediterranean folk cuisine mediterranean cuisine defined presence fundamental elements said play important role reflecting community beliefs practices religions languages societies olive tree tree account traces bounds frontier landscapes lives mediterranean begins ends nicknamed gates limit olive key ingredients mentioned identifies trinity basic ingredients traditional mediterranean cuisine olive wheat yielding oil bread wine respectively archaeologist calls mediterranean olive olive appears come region persia years ago spread nearby areas cultivated early bronze age southern turkey levant crete countries largest near mediterranean portugal tenth largest produce world olive yields bitter fruits edible olive oil fruit production goes olive oil mediterranean region accounts world highest consumption olive oil highest consuming country greece head italy spain united_states comparison head wheat wheat near levant years ago ancestors include wild wheat harvested create domestic strains larger grains ears readily wild forms spread mediterranean region far spain wheat staple food mediterranean region wheat bread critically important empire included entire region time years ago north_africa empire staple wheat based mediterranean foods include wheat products turn dishes greek milk consisting parcels widespread wheat dish turkey levant iran india butter milk pine black_sea persia archaeological evidence shows wine reaching greece crete fifth millennium spain millennium started italy ninth century france grown making wine drying eating table wine rich table varieties chosen flavour production remains important mediterranean area large world harvest italy produced million tonnes spain france turkey egypt greece algeria wine production similarly large france italy spain lower figures muslim countries history concept concept mediterranean cuisine recent probably dating publication david book mediterranean food david use term speaking instead mediterranean food cooking concept disputed author book food culture mediterranean authors use mediterranean cuisine mediterranean food preface book writes mediterranean food incredibly popular pizza found food experts authors mediterranean cuisine acknowledges geographical differences history affected food different mediterranean lands nonetheless asserts rules preparation consumption food common lands border mediterranean offer stability continuity reproduction specific pattern eating conquest invasion social change consequently southern europe lands bordering southern mediterranean find cuisine ritual familiar hand argues book cultures middle_east idea standard mediterranean modern construction food writers europe north_america preaching thought healthy diet audiences stereotype healthy shores mediterranean colleagues mediterranean countries willing myth fact matter mediterranean contains varied cultures author wrote thing mediterranean cuisine time know mean use expression wright argued david book largely specifically french mediterranean food pointing percent recipes come north_africa levant david time variety books mediterranean cuisine written including book mentioned books writers include sweet cuisine eastern mediterranean mediterranean mediterranean cuisine covering specific mediterranean area today italian recipes cooking tunisia spain italy subtitled mediterranean cuisine origins ingredients mediterranean cuisine extent different cuisine olive oil instead butter wine instead beer list available ingredients changed centuries major change introduction foods arabs portugal spain sicily middle ages foods included sugar cane rice citrus fruits creating distinctive tradition major change arrival foods americas early modern times sixteenth century notably incorporation potato northern european cuisine eager adoption mediterranean cuisine central cuisine described print similarly species beans mediterranean including french brought americas spanish portuguese explorers cooking david introduction book cooking mediterranean countries naturally variations climate soil relative industry inhabitants david identifies recurring elements food extensive region olive oil local herbs especially wild bright colours fresh foods markets tomatoes shiny fish silver tiger striped includes sheep goat milk long strings sheets paste dissolved water cooling drink common ingredients including olive wheat shared climate long period cultural exchange expected single pan mediterranean cuisine developed certain items olive oil bread wine lamb example greek turkish meat vegetables spanish french italian turkish found mediterranean despite lands bordering mediterranean sea distinct regional levant ottoman italian french spanish turn national provincial variations cuisine includes algeria libya morocco tunisia characteristic dishes region steamed small wheat served dish ancient mentioned medieval traveller found example italian cuisine genoa served somewhat dry dish meat vegetables cooked slowly pot called tall conical lid dishes region north_africa coloured hot containing characteristic region preserved dried cuisine cooking levant including coast east egypt distinctive foods cuisine traditional small dishes dish cracked wheat tomatoes mint dressed olive oil lemon juice called poor man olive oil mixed lemon juice dish popular north_africa originally egypt national dish consists beans oil popular levant dish ancient dried beans age found near ottoman ottoman cuisine given rise modern turkey parts balkans cyprus greece distinctive element family small called popular widespread region date far ancient roman times thin sheets filled meat sweet widespread popular dish baked dish potato ingredients meat tomatoes layer egg sauce greek variant known outside region includes layers meat sauce version relatively recent innovation introduced chef 1920s greek greek cuisine larger tradition ottoman cuisine names dishes revealing arabic persian turkish roots dishes names probably entered greek vocabulary ottoman times earlier contact arabs dishes pre ottoman taking turkish names later ash example speculate leaf early byzantine period greek makes wide use vegetables olive oil grains fish wine meat white red including lamb rabbit pork important ingredients include cheese lemon juice vegetables herbs bread dishes traced ancient greece soup white wine flavored pine candy bar seeds baked honey roman periods dried pork byzantium cheese cured fish traditional hard bread baked corn italian mediterranean italian cuisine includes italy outside north mountainous inland regions diverse cuisine best known characteristic foods pizza styles dishes dish italian short grain rice highly resistant turning cooked stock cooked butter book italian regional lists recipes variations include additions fish white wine chicken mushrooms cheese small pieces beef beans pizza david notes italy having common piece bread rolled thin topping varies place place generally simpler english speaking world naples buffalo cooked olive oil variety uses black dishes vary eaten david says simply olive oil cheese sauce red tomatoes cooked briefly variant includes pieces bacon fried fat served olive oil cheese french mediterranean french cuisine includes cooking styles island distinctive dishes use local ingredients include substantial dish french port capital people contain kinds fish sea bass crab cooked mediterranean vegetables herbs tomatoes bay orange colourful tomatoes hard boiled eggs dressed spanish spain varied cuisine includes cooking islands characteristic spanish dish originally popular wider area versions contain mixture chicken pork fried oil large shallow pan vegetable long grain rice cooked absorb water coloured local ingredients include hearts sweet mediterranean diet cuisine mediterranean diet 1970s mediterranean cuisine writes mediterranean style eating mentioning traditional mediterranean lifestyle eating family friends asserting mediterranean cuisine plant based citing ingredients grains fruits vegetables herbs beans nuts seeds olive oil stating foods mediterranean diet come plants travel guide states impulse new good cooking influenced americans discovered called mediterranean diet pleased italian government officials modification changing diet word unpleasant mediterranean cuisine mediterranean diet popularly understood little mediterranean cuisine traditional mediterranean diet based trinity wheat olive book low eating wheat free menu help weight loss advocates diet called mediterranean lacking wheat staple entirely changing cuisine david wrote mediterranean food researchers showed 1950s people mediterranean heart disease peoples northern europe traditional mediterranean ways life eating changed increased wealth busy lives led people eat meat vegetables diet northern european convenience foods effect disease
Mediterranean cuisine