Characteristics of the Mediterranean cuisine

December 9, 2010

Each country has its own food preparations to boast about. Depending on the culture, the variety of food ranges from the kind of meat and herbs used, down to the vast ways of preparing them.

Over the years many people have acknowledged the fact that as the technology advances, a lot of sacrifices had to be made. That includes having to prepare a healthy meal while living in a super fast-paced way of life. In short, an impossible quest to prepare a healthy food. This problem had become the fuel to look for ways to eat healthily without the worry of being left out from the modern times.

This is where Mediterranean cuisine plays a dominant role in today’s quest for fast, easy, and healthy food. Contrary to common belief that Mediterranean cuisine is a traditional, somewhat ancient, collection of sumptuous feast, this culinary trend is a product of many cultural, both traditional and modern culinary practices.

olive-oil

So what are the characteristics of the Mediterranean cuisine? Aside from its known simple preparation, Mediterranean cuisine is best described as cooking by using the most frugal ingredients possible.

The most outstanding trait of Mediterranean cuisine is the use of olive oil as the main fat used for cooking all the dishes. However, olive oil is not solely used for cooking, instead, it is best used to complement vegetable salads as a dressing and fresh olives themselves are even added as ingredient to some of the dishes to give a tangy, distinct taste.

In Mediterranean cuisine, meat from four legged animals such as cows, pigs, and goats is limited and they are preferred to be grilled in most Mediterranean dishes. Seafood meat is used instead as a protein source and is a common ingredient to a Mediterranean diet.

The prominence of fruits and vegetables in the Mediterranean cuisine is what makes it healthier than any other type of cuisine. They can be widely present in any Mediterranean menu predominantly in forms of salads.

But what is unique about Mediterranean cuisine is the fact that they can be prepared easily by any person especially those who are conscious of what they are eating. It consistently has the best of the ingredients, the great taste, and the simplicity to create them.  As the society blended and different culinary practices were combined to craft this culinary art, there is a Mediterranean diet to choose from for every type of person. As long as its distinctive characteristics are kept during the preparation of each dish, Mediterranean cuisine will surely stand out and will continue to be a preference for many health conscious individuals.


Andrea Aurelio
About the author

Andrea Aurelio adopted the Mediterranean diet and the Mediterranean way of living after evaluating a series of diets and realizing that the Mediterranean diet is a proven diet and the best way to adopt a healthy lifestyle. You can connect with him on Google+, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

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