Description

For cook and author Rena Patton, cooking and eating the food of Greece, Italy, France and the Middle East was a part of everyday life growing up.

For years scientists have been studying the Mediterranean diet to try and establish why people from the region live longer and healthier lives. One factor is the type of ingredients consumed with lots of fresh vegetables, fruit, legumes/ pulses, whole grains, nuts, seeds, garlic, herbs, spices, seafood, smaller amounts of meat, poultry and dairy, and of course plenty of olive oil.

Another factor is the way in which all these ingredients are prepared and eaten: cooked with love and shared around the table. Across the Mediterranean, mealtime is where beautiful memories are made, spending time with loved ones while sharing delicious and healthy freshly prepared food. A wonderful thing about Mediterranean food is that many dishes are also suitable to be served as mezze (also known as tapas) or on a grazing board to be shared in a leisurely way with family and friends. Vegetarian and vegan meals feature often in the Mediterranean kitchen and it is a way of eating that is easily adaptable to a range of dietary and lifestyle needs.

The recipes in this book are mainly traditional dishes that have been prepared in Mediterranean kitchens for many years. They are the meals that Rena Patton grew up with, and remembers her mother and grandmother spending hours in the kitchen preparing. Because life has changed and most of us do not have the time to spend hours in the kitchen, some of the recipes have been simplified without losing the traditional flavour, and they are easy to prepare using readily available ingredients that are mostly found at the local supermarket.

Create your own happy and memorable moments as your travel through Rena’s Mediterranean kitchen.