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| A Mediterranean Feast: The Story of the Birth of the Celebrated Cuisines of the Mediterranean from the Merchants of Venice to the Barbary Corsairs, with More than 500 Recipes | 
 enlarge | Author: Clifford A. Wright
Publisher: William Morrow Cookbooks
Category: Book
List Price: $39.95
Buy New: $21.86
You Save: $18.09 (45%)
New (27) Used (20) Collectible (3) from $18.43
Avg. Customer Rating:  19 reviews
Sales Rank: 176759
Media: Hardcover
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 840
Shipping Weight (lbs): 4.3
Dimensions (in): 10.2 x 8.3 x 2.5
ISBN: 0688153054
Dewey Decimal Number: 641.013091822
EAN: 9780688153052
ASIN: 0688153054
Publication Date: November 3, 1999
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 1-5 of 19 | | NEXT » |
 A Delightful Read September 19, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is one of those cookbooks you buy for pleasure. Not to cook from, but to actually learn the background of what your cooking. While most cookbooks provide little anecdotes about their recipes, this one delves deeply into the history of the mediterranean and its cuisine. We learn how climate, religion and historical circumstances shaped the cuisine of the mediterranean as we know it today. We learn about the major role the islamic civilization played in the region and about the cultural exchanges between the Europeans and the Islamic empire. The recipes, all five hundred of them(!) while excellent (I tried a few) are really incidental and are included so that we get concrete examples of what Wright is talking about. Cooking the recipes and reading the book will give you a true sense of not only what the Mediterranean is like, but what the Mediterranean is.. A definate must read for any one who whats to understand the region
Outstanding June 7, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is not your ordinary cookbook; the authors of the previous reviews who expect one should just go browse at Walmart. This is an incredibly detailed history of food that is entertaining and enlightening--I've read no other quite like it. Every recipe is extremely detailed and comes with its own background, and the history itself is fascinating.
The sheer amount of research that must have gone into this book is astonishing.
As a lover of history, the history of food, and food, and cooking, I found this to be definitely one of the culinary masterpieces of the genre. Bravo.
Definitely a Feast!!!! August 2, 2006
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
If you like history and you like Mediteranean food, you will love this book! Very fascinating stuff....
 Extremely Biased... August 12, 2005
8 out of 18 found this review helpful
I found this book exciting and interesting as far as the history of true Mediterranean Cuisine, but some of the statements of the author are quite opinionated, bold and brash (and couldn't necessarily be substantiated) and some extremely biased against Christianity. He is an Arab-studies scholar before this, and so it seems he finds time and again places where he can make digs on Christians of the past. I had a hard time getting past his little remarks to get to the real meat of his history.
As far as the recipes...they are a bit disappointing. Like the other reviewer, they are scattered throughout the book, seemingly without organization. While trying to write about true historical Mediterranean cuisine, he throws in modern recipes from friends at various spots....almost like an afterthought. There isn't much rhyme or reason to where or why recipes are in a certain section or chapter.
And it is very longwinded...
WONDERFUL BOOK FOR BEGINNERS AND PROFESSIONALS February 20, 2004
11 out of 12 found this review helpful
This is a doctoral thesis and complete cookbook all in one. This was given to me as a gift and it is not only informative, but the recipes REALLY WORK. I have a lot of cookbooks, but I will never give this one up, ever. IT has hundreds of recipes with very simple ingredients. Even substitutions for ethnic seasonings is already provided in the book. It is healthy, tasteful, easy to cook and you dont need to be a genius to have wonderful meals with this one. EXCELLENT BOOK.
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