FUN FACT: A traditional Spanish tortilla is basically a potato omelet (eggs, potatoes and onions cooked in olive oil and seasoned with salt). It’s usually eaten in the afternoon, as a light snack before dinne
FUN TIP: You may already know that avocados can be cultivated in tropical climates. But did you know that they’re also cultivated in Mediterranean climates? There are excellent avocados from Chania, Crete, in food markets in Greece. The largest avocado producer in the world is Mexico, and other significant producers are Peru, Indonesia, Chile, and […]
Coconut milk is definitely not a native Mediterranean ingredient and this soup was first developed as a way to avoid using heavy cream. Coconut milk is the liquid naturally found inside of mature coconuts. Coconut cream is essentially full-fat coconut milk, culled from the white, hard coconut “meat.” Sometimes coconut cream and coconut water are […]
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Bread, one of the most ancient foods in the world, is an intrinsic part of the Mediterranean diet. It is also the quintessential comfort food. There are many theories as to why bread is so comforting, from the physical act of kneading to the olfactory pleasure brought on by the mere smell […]
TOFU AND THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET: Tofu, or bean curd, as it is also known, is an unparalleled source of plant-based protein coming in at 10 grams of protein per 1/2 cup serving. It is made by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into solid white blocks of varying softness. It has such […]
YOGURT KNOW-HOW: Warm and cold yogurt soups abound all over the Eastern Mediterranean. From the Syrian lamb-yogurt soup called shakrya to Turkish yogurt soups, the variety is impressive and spiciness is almost always part of the flavor palette, counterbalancing the cool, refreshing qualities of really good yogurt. Yogurt and Yogurt Substitutes: If you’re using real […]
HELPFUL TIP:Roast raw pine nuts on a tray in a 350℉ (180℃) oven for about 10 minutes, shaking halfway through. They can also be toasted on top of the stove in a heavy skillet, stirring often until they turn golden. Keep a close eye on the pine nuts as they can very quickly move from […]
A LITTLE HISTORY AND A HELPFUL TIP: Corn has been an important part of the original Ikaria diet, in so far as one can claim that, with corn being a New World crop. But what I mean is that once established in the Mediterranean, for almost half a millenium now, it became something people could […]
PRACTICAL TIP – KNIFE SKILLS 101!:A paring knife, small and pointy, is ideal for the incisions. Knives which are continually used must always be kept sharp—a blunt or dull knife is dangerous because it requires more pressure and is more likely to slip and cause an injury.
HOW TO MAKE A GLUTEN-FREE TABBOULEH:Bulgur is one of the oldest grain products in the Eastern Mediterranean, as wheat is one of the three members of the holy trinity of Mediterranean Diet plants (the other two being the olive tree and grape vine). But in these gluten-intolerant times, knowing some viable substitutes for much-maligned wheat […]