GO BEYOND & DISCOVER
THE HIDDEN GEMS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN.

MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE IS THE FOODS AND METHODS OF PREPARATION BY PEOPLE OF THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION.

The region includes a wide variety of cultures with distinct cuisines, in particular the Maghrebi (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia), Egyptian, Levantine, Turkish, Greek, Italian, French, and Spanish.

The historical connections of the region, as well as the impact of the Mediterranean Sea on the region’s climate and economy, mean that these cuisines share dishes beyond the core trio of oil, bread, and wine.

The cooking of the area is not to be confused with the Mediterranean Diet, being popular because of the apparent health benefits of a diet rich in olive oil, wheat and other grains, fruits, vegetables, and a certain amount of seafood, but low in meat and dairy products. Mediterranean cuisine encompasses the ways that these and other ingredients, including meat, are dealt with in the kitchen, whether they are health-giving or not.

 

REGION'S KEY
CHARACTERISTICS
#1
IDEAL
CLIMATE
A CLIMATE OF HOT DRY SUMMERS AND HUMID, COOL WINTERS AND A GENERALLY HILLY LANDSCAPE
#2
RICH
BIODIVERSITY
THE MEDITERRANEAN DOES NOT ONLY HAVE A VERY RICH BIODIVERSITY, BUT ALSO A LARGE NUMBER OF SPECIES THAT DO NOT EXIST ELSEWHERE.
#3
MULTI
CULTURAL
IT IS THE NUMBER ONE TOURISM DESTINATION IN THE WORLD. OFFERING A VAST VARIETY OF DESTINATIONS, CULTURES, TASTES AND EXPERIENCES.

ELEMENTS OF AUTHENTICITY

THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET INCORPORATES THE TRADITIONAL HEALTHY  LIVING HABITS OF PEOPLE FROM COUNTRIES BORDERING THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA.

The Mediterranean diet, known primarily as a food model, enhances the quality and safety of foods and their link to the land of origin. It offers a simple cuisine, but rich in imagination and tastes, taking full advantage of all aspects of a healthy diet. It is an ethical choice that preserves the traditions and customs of the peoples of the Mediterranean Basin.

MAKE YOUR DIET MORE MEDITERRANEAN

  • The concept of a Mediterranean diet was developed in the early 1960s
    to reflect “food patterns typical of Crete, much of the rest of Greece, and Italy.
  • Olive oil was the first mediterranean product
    some of the purest in the world, mechanically pressed at low temperatures by small Cretan suppliers.
  • The foundation of the mediterranean diet
    consists of vegetables, fruits, herbs, nuts, beans and whole grains; including moderate amounts of dairy, poultry, eggs and fish.
  • Scientific discoveries of its health benefits
    many studies on longevity have found that elderly individuals who follow the Mediterranean diet live longer.
CUISINES OF THE
MEDITERRANEAN
MAGHREBI
MAGHREBI
MAGHREBI CUISINE INCLUDES THE CUISINES OF ALGERIA, LIBYA, MOROCCO, AND TUNISIA.
EGYPTIAN
EGYPTIAN
EGYPTIAN CUISINE HAS ANCIENT ROOTS, WITH EVIDENCE THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, CHEESE HAS BEEN MADE IN EGYPT SINCE AT LEAST 3,000 BC.
LEVANTINE
LEVANTINE
LEVANTINE CUISINE IS THE COOKING OF THE LEVANT (INCLUDING THE MIDDLE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN COAST, EAST OF EGYPT).
OTTOMAN
OTTOMAN
OTTOMAN CUISINE HAS GIVEN RISE TO THE CUISINES OF MODERN TURKEY, PARTS OF THE BALKANS, CYPRUS, AND GREECE.
GREEK
GREEK
MUCH OF GREEK CUISINE IS PART OF THE LARGER TRADITION OF OTTOMAN CUISINE, THE NAMES OF THE DISHES REVEALING ARABIC, PERSIAN OR TURKISH ROOTS.
ITALIAN
ITALIAN
MEDITERRANEAN ITALIAN CUISINE INCLUDES MUCH OF ITALY OUTSIDE THE NORTH AND THE MOUNTAINOUS INLAND REGIONS.
FRENCH
FRENCH
MEDITERRANEAN FRENCH CUISINE INCLUDES THE COOKING STYLES OF PROVENCE, OCCITANIA, AND THE ISLAND OF CORSICA.
SPANISH
SPANISH
SPAIN'S VARIED MEDITERRANEAN CUISINES INCLUDES THE COOKING OF ANDALUSIA, MURCIA, CATALONIA, VALENCIA AND THE BALEARIC ISLANDS.