L/O/G/O

Is the food from the cultures adjacent to the Mideterranean Sea.

Algeria
Egypt Libya Morocco Tunisia Cyprus Israel

Lebanon
Syria Albania
Bosnia and Herzegovina

Italy
Malta Monaco Montenegro Slovenia Spain Turkey

Croatia France Greece

Couscous a North African Berber dish of semolina traditionally served with a meat or vegetable stew spooned over it.

Ful medames is an Egyptian/ Sudanese dish of cooked and mashed fava beans served with olive oil, chopped parsley, onion, garlic, and lemon juice.

Cuscus bil-Bosla(Couscous w/ Lamb and Chickpeas) is a traditional Libyan recipe for a classic dish of lamb and tomatoes cooked with potatoes in a tomato-based sauce that's served on a bed of steamed couscous cooked with chillies.

Pastilla is a traditional Berber Moroccan dish, an elaborate meat pie traditionally made of squab (fledgling pigeons)

Samosa is a fried or baked pastry with a savory filling such as spiced potatoes, onions, peas, lentils, ground lamb or chicken.

Stifado is a beef cooked in wine vinegar with lots of onions and spices.

Falafel is a deep-fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas, fava beans, or both.

Tabbouleh is a Levantine Arab salad traditionally made of bulgur, tomatoes, finely chopped parsley, mint, onion and garlic, and seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice and salt, although there are various other variations such as using couscous instead of bulgur.

Kibbeh a variety of Syrian dishes made with bulgur and minced lamb

Tav Kosi is a national dish in Albania. It is a baked lamb and Yogurt.

Istrian stew or yota is very popular in Istria as well as other regions in Croatia. Its main ingredients are beans, sauerkraut,potatoes,bacon, spare ribs, and the main seasoning is garlic.

Pot-au-feu is a French beef stew. Its main ingredients are beef, vegetables (carrots, turnips, leeks, celery, onions), cartilaginous meat (oxtail, marrowbone)

Moussaka is an aubergine (eggplant) based dish of the Balkans, Easter Mediterranean, and the Middle East. The best known variation outside the region is the Greek one, it is traditionally made with lamb.

Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, round bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.

Rabbit recipes are widely popular in all regions of the Mediterranean. And being that Malta is at the heart of the Mediterranean, rabbit is obviously present in a lot of the main dishes in Maltese cuisine. And the most popular is Stuffat tal Fenek or Stewed Rabbit.

Barbagiuan or Barbajuan the Monacos National Dish. It is a typical Appetizer mainly found in the eastern part of French Riviera and Northern Italy. It originates from Monaco.

Caldo Verde its basic ingredients are potatoes, onions and kale (some recipes call for collard green instead). Common additional ingredients are garlic, salt, and olive oil. Some recipes add meat, such as ham hock.

Ajdovi ganci it is a national Slovene dish. It is served together with obaras, meat sauces, sauerkraut, Black pudding, various sausages. The ingredients may vary through different regions.

Paella is a Valencian rice dish. It is the Spains National Dish. Its main ingredients are white rice, meat, seafood and vegetables.

Lahmacun consist of a round, thin piece of dough topped with minced meat (most commonly beef and lamb). Lahmacun is often served sprinkled with lemon juice and wrapped around vegetables, including pickles, tomatoes, onions, peppers, lettuce, and parsley; a typical variants may be found employing kebab meat or sauces.

Unlike many other ethnic cuisines, Mediterranean cuisine is not the product of a specific ethnic group or culture. Rather, it is a label referring to the culinary trends shared by a diverse array of peoples that live in the region around the Mediterranean Sea. While Mediterranean cuisine is understood to be a unified culinary tradition in this country, in reality, there is a vast amount of cultural variance in the cooking found in this geographic region.

Conquest was another factor in governed by a single Although Mediterranean cuisine isnt shaping Mediterranean culture, it is very much the product of cultural came into cuisines. The different cultures of the Mediterranean influence and exchange. result of the earliest civilizations of various direct contact as a The worlds empire-building effortsbordered the Mediterranean Sea, their development bolstered by civilizations. Once one civilization overthrew the government of the rich soil and temperate climate that made agricultural another, they thrive. imposed their own intersection between production often As the point of cultural practices upon the conquered society. At the same time, there was located ina Asia, Europe, and Africa, with major civilizations inevitably each area, the Mediterranean was conquest, often certain amount of cultural persistence during geographically destined to become a of the trading hub. Traders resulting in the amalgamationmajor conquering groups culture exchanged cultural commodities like spices and other food with that of the conquered. As societies blended together within goods, resulting in the wide dissemination of certain the empire, culinary practices cuisines of these conformed, ingredients throughout the were adapted and disparate resulting eventually through this form of the current culinary peoples. It was in the adoption of cultural interaction that certain fundamental elements of Mediterranean identifiers of the Mediterranean cuisine by people throughout the cuisine region. became popular throughout the region.

 The overarching characteristics of Mediterranean cuisine are largely shaped by the climate and geography of the region. The sunny, mild Mediterranean climate yields an agricultural bounty that heavily influences the vegetable-dominant cuisines of the region. The most universally used and prevalent ingredient in the cuisines of the Mediterranean is olive oil. Olive trees are prevalent throughout the region, and the distinctive oil is a major export of many Mediterranean countries. The pungent, sometimes bitter oil works its way into a variety of dishes, and is used both as a cooking agent and a dressing. Olives themselves are a regular ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine, adding a punchy, fermented, acidity to dishes. Fresh vegetables dominate Mediterranean cuisine, with a wide variety taking center stage in dishes throughout the region. While there is some cultural variation, eggplant, artichokes, squash, tomatoes, legumes, onions, mushrooms, okra, cucumbers, and a variety of greens and lettuces all flourish in this region and are commonly used. Vegetables appear in dishes in a variety of forms: baked, roasted, sauted grilled, pured, and served fresh in salads.

 Meat is generally used sparingly in Mediterranean cuisine, and, in most of the Mediterranean, tends to be grilled. The Mediterraneans rocky terrain cant typically support larger herding animals like cows, limiting meat options to smaller domesticates like goats, sheep, pigs, and chicken, as well as some wild game. Goat and sheep milk are also used in a variety of Mediterranean dishes, primarily in the forms of yogurt and cheese. Seafood is a more prevalently used protein source, appearing in variety of dishes. The close proximity to the Mediterranean Sea provides easy access to fresh seafood, which makes frequent appearances in dishes throughout the region. A preponderant use of fresh herbs characterizes Mediterranean cuisine. The climate and geography of the region is naturally suited to growing herbaceous plants, both indigenous and imported. While there is some cultural variation in the use of certain herbs, overall the culinary traditions of the Mediterranean use basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, parsley, dill, mint, garlic, tarragon, fennel, cilantro, and saffron.

 Although there are common elements that unify the cuisines of the Mediterranean, there are some significant regional and cultural differences. The Mediterranean can be divided into three culinary regions: Eastern Mediterranean, Southern Europe, and North Africa.

 Eastern Mediterranean cuisine, which encompasses some Middle Eastern

cuisine, describes the culinary traditions of Greece, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine, and Egypt. Yogurt and fresh cheeses like feta, halumi, and lebanah feature prominently in Eastern Mediterranean cuisine: yogurt appears in a variety of sauces or as a condiment, while cheese can be either cooked into dishes or eaten raw in a multitude of culinary contexts. The flavors of parsley, sumac, mint, and lemon juice dominate the Eastern Mediterranean cooking palate, while pomegranates and nuts are regular ingredients in sauces and spreads. Grains take the form of rice or flat breads like pita and lavash. Lamb, mutton, poultry, and goat meat are prominent proteins, and are typically grilledeither whole, as skewered chunks of meat like kebabs, or ground and skewered like kibbehor spitfired like gyros. Bulgar wheat is also used, predominantly in salads like tabouleh. Chickpeas are used in a variety of contexts, often as a meat substitute, and can be cooked whole, ground into a paste for a spread, or fried.

 Southern European cuisine, which is found in Italy, Southern France, and Spain, contains specific ingredients that distinguish it from the rest of Europes cooking traditions and other Mediterranean countries. Unlike other Mediterranean cuisines, wine is a prominent element of Southern European dining, both as a flavor enhancement in cooked dishes and on its own. Pork is also consumed more by these countries than the rest of the Mediterranean, and is more prevalent than goat, mutton, or lamb. Tomatoes, garlic, capers, anchovies, mustard, anise, and pine nuts are used in a variety of combinations to flavor Southern European dishes. A multitude of different grains are consumed: leavened breads, pasta, and rice are staples.

 North African cuisine is characterized by an abundant use of spices. Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya all regularly use cumin, coriander, saffron, cinnamon, cloves, chilies, saffron, and paprika in their cooking traditions. Harissa and ras el hanout are two fiery spice mixtures used predominantly in Moroccan cuisine, giving a characteristic heat to stews and sauces. Dried fruit like dates, apricots, and raisins make frequent appearances in North African cuisine, both on their own and in cooked dishes. Preserved lemons add a characteristic salty, brined pungency to North African food. Couscous, granular semolina that has the appearance of bulgur wheat with a rice-like texture, is a popular North African grain, accompanying a variety of stews and meat dishes. Lamb, mutton, and goat meat are the dominant protein in North African dishes, although chicken, and even beef, make regular culinary appearances. The Moroccan tagine, a slow-cooked stew of meat, vegetables, and sauce prepared in a conical-shaped ceramic pot, is perhaps the most recognizable and popularized of North African dishes: an aromatic, hearty, well-balanced dish.

 Mediterranean food promotes better health so far this assumption was considered to be just theory. Meanwhile, there are many scientific studies showing that it can be useful for the health of people if they eat Mediterranean. But why health is affected positively, if you prefer to eat out Mediterranean?

 Mediterranean food is usually a lot of vegetables, fruit and seafood. These are all foods that house many valuable ingredients. Who eats Mediterranean, does not follow a strict diet plan. Rather, the Mediterranean cuisine is a collection of eating habits and concentration of the large region around the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean region borders from adjacent land into fields. These can be political, cultural and, most importantly climatological nature.

 Generally known as the Mediterranean region, are planted in olive trees is the so-called oil tree line. basically means eating a Mediterranean combination of diet and lifestyle. The latter plays a significant role and is comparable to the positive effect of exercise. Otherwise, the people eat in the Mediterranean, especially fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and cereals.

Mediterranean food is healthy

The collection of food supply many vitamins, minerals and fiber. The role of dietary fiber in this context should not be underestimated. Because dietary fiber not only stimulate the digestion Dietary fiber also exert a positive influence on blood sugar levels. The function and constitution of our blood sugar levels are critical to our weight and our health. People who want to lose weight swear by fiber. First, they act as natural appetite suppressant, on the other they reduce blood sugar levels and thus indirectly activate fat metabolism.

Mediterranean food is healthy

Another important component of Mediterranean food is the controlled consumption of olive oil and fish. Both foods contain high amount of omega fatty acids. Omega-fatty acids may influence the course of cardiovascular disease rates and are able to prevent arterial calcification. Even the moderate consumption of wine, as practiced in the Mediterranean food, has a positive effect on health. Wine contains many active phytochemicals, engaged in a very strong antioxidant activity.

Mediterranean food is healthy

However, it is not scientifically accurate clarified exactly why the Mediterranean food is so healthy. Probably it is the combination of many components, is beneficial to our health. Might also play a role other things, such as a relaxed attitude to life or much sun the same lifestyle as a whole. The exact secrets of the Mediterranean diet are probably still remain hidden long time.