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Title: A Mediterranean Feast: The Story of the Birth of the Celebrated Cuisines of the Mediterranean from the Merchants of Venice to the Barbary Corsairs, with More than 500 Recipes by Clifford A. Wright ISBN: 0-688-15305-4 Publisher: Morrow Cookbooks Pub. Date: 03 November, 1999 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $35.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.36 (14 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Magnificent Encyclopedic Gastronomy
Comment: The Mediterranean is its own country and most positively well known for its cuisine. But it wasn't always like that. At one time peasants would be routinely found dead, face down, their teeth stuck in the earth. Wright brilliantly traces the evolution of the Mediterranean gastronomic sensibility from the times of famine and shows how trade, politics, religion and technology influenced the creation of the cuisine so many of us revere and enjoy. He shows how the Mediterranean psyche finds food a deeply sensual experience, and how appreciation of History and Culture is to be savored in every bite of a dish. He explains also why it's never proper to look down your nose at meat dishes when travelling in these countries. Recipes, most modern, some old, grace the book generously with blurbs on the ingredients and their interactions. Many are just delicious. I tried my versions of the leek stew, the cabbage rolls, and the salted cabbage with mint dressing and simply adored them. I can't wait for what the next three quarters of the book have in store for me, over time. This isn't a volume to just check out of the library. This is one to have on hand for whenever the mood or the necessity strikes you.
Rating: 4
Summary: A History with Recipes.....
Comment: While the Mediterranean climate can give the impression of sea, sun, and fun.....Clifford Wright makes us aware that the climate can be ferocious. He also brings out the realities of the basic struggle for survival, what people ate in the past, and how government, agriculture, and religion determined what people ate.
I enjoyed the delicious descriptions of gardens, stories behind the recipes, vivid descriptions of Medieval life, and the historical aspects of cuisine. Yes, I did feel overwhelmed with information. If at birth we tried to imagine our entire life, we would be equally overwhelmed. So, I suggest taking this book by the spoonful. Even though I love to read an entire book in one sitting, this book was not one you could devour in one sitting. For the cook who's mind longs for cultural information and the historical background of food, this book contains a variety of interesting ideas and historical facts.
"The story told in this book is a complex one because the lives of people are complex." --Clifford A. Wright
This is a story of the birth of the celebrated cuisines of the Mediterranean. I have sat at an outdoor restaurant next to the Mediterranean and selected a freshly caught fish which the chef then cooked to perfection. I have never tasted fish so well prepared. Perhaps this is why I could relate to some of the recipes.
"This book is a history with recipes." --Clifford A. Wright
The goal of the authors writing was not to overwhelm, but to give the reader a memory of why a food came into existence.
"All cuisine is a reflection of the society from which it emanates." --Clifford A. Wright
So, with that said.....To say this is a cookbook is an understatement. It is a history book with recipes to illustrate the historical data. You will learn:
The history of the fork
That "minestrone" means "big soup"
How to preserve lemons
That peaches were introduced to Europe from Persia
When Tiramisu was invented (but I could not find a recipe)
Clifford A. Wright first sets the stage, then explores the relationship between the geography of the Mediterranean and the populations interactions with the environment. Then he shows the importance of trade and how it caused cuisines to develop.
"A cuisine exists when people are eating not simply to fuel up or sustain themselves but because they are emotionally and intellectually relating to culinary creations in the same way they might relate to a work of art." --Clifford A. Wright
In order to appreciate this monumental work, I found it helpful to see the book from the authors perspective. From the first chapter, I realized the author felt that certain cultures had not been given credit for their accomplishments and contributions to Mediterranean cuisine. He definitely promotes the significance of Arabic civilizations and also makes a comparison of the Muslim chefs in ninth century Baghdad to the chefs in France.
Humanism, Feudalism, Capitalism, Crusades, agricultural revolution, ship building, and peasants versus aristocracy is discussed. With such an array of interesting information one could be distracted from the recipes. Each recipe does begin with some interesting information, while most of the historical aspects are written before or after the recipes in each chapter. Here are the recipes I found to be interesting: Gyro's, Baba Ghannuj, Scrambled Eggs with Asparagus and Shrimp, Lemonade, Shish Kebabs, Pesto and Shrimp Risotto.
While I believe American food as we know it today is the best food we can find from everywhere....I didn't agree that Americans don't have a cuisine. I mean, what are hamburgers? I am sorry....but I could not help myself on that one!
Rating: 5
Summary: WONDERFUL BOOK FOR BEGINNERS AND PROFESSIONALS
Comment: This is a doctoral thesis and complete cookbook all in one. This was given to me as a gift and it is not only informative, but the recipes REALLY WORK. I have a lot of cookbooks, but I will never give this one up, ever. IT has hundreds of recipes with very simple ingredients. Even substitutions for ethnic seasonings is already provided in the book. It is healthy, tasteful, easy to cook and you dont need to be a genius to have wonderful meals with this one. EXCELLENT BOOK.
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