Rating: 
Summary: Could be one of the greatest cookbooks ever written.
Review: This is one of the great cookbooks of all time. "A Mediterranean Feast" is just that, a rich stew that one could feast on for years. The recipes are woven into the history of the Mediterranean and its foods, from the history of macaroni, to the spice trade, and the economic and social forces behind the cuisine; this is an altogether new approach to the cook book. The book itself is beautifully done, and the recipes look mouth-watering...everything from complex ones to a simple pasta with homemade ricotta cheese, ground pistachios and almonds and how to make a proper couscous. A fascinating culinary history with recipes.
Rating:
Summary: brilliant tour de force And Delicious Food
Review: This tour de force is not your usual cookbook. It is a story, a history, told through recipes, the recipes acting much the same way illustrations do in an art book. The recipes are authentic and some are difficult and some are very easy. I tried the bouillabaisse recipe and it was as good as what I've had in Marseilles. The organization of the book is also untraditional. It's not organized like a cookbook but like a history, so the recipes appear as illustrative of the various historical trends that the author is writing about. This book is simply the best cookbook I've ever seen, the singularly most informative, and a real treasure that seems endless in its depth and information. A library without this book is like a library without a dictionary.
Rating:
Summary: brilliant tour de force And Delicious Food
Review: This tour de force is not your usual cookbook. It is a story, a history, told through recipes, the recipes acting much the same way illustrations do in an art book. The recipes are authentic and some are difficult and some are very easy. I tried the bouillabaisse recipe and it was as good as what I've had in Marseilles. The organization of the book is also untraditional. It's not organized like a cookbook but like a history, so the recipes appear as illustrative of the various historical trends that the author is writing about. This book is simply the best cookbook I've ever seen, the singularly most informative, and a real treasure that seems endless in its depth and information. A library without this book is like a library without a dictionary.
Rating: 
Summary: A History with Recipes.....
Review: 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!
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