What do you think are the celebratory foods typically eaten in the nations of the Mediterranean Sea? Lots and lots of yummy things! The culinary cultures of the countries that border what the ancient Romans called Mare Magnum (Great Sea) aren’t all the same of course, but they do have something in common—namely, a tradition of sharing food. During any celebration, there are always enough dishes to feed an army of family and friends, and that creates a warm, sociable ambience.
Ready to tune up your taste buds?
Italy
When it comes to celebrating the holiday season, throughout Italy (whether you’re talking about the north or the south) each region has its own specialties. Some focus on fish and seafood. Others on pasta or braised meat. Often, a festive meal will begin with a serving of hot and cold antipasti—cheeses, charcuteries, pickles…
It’s certainly not a cliché to claim that lasagna ranks among the top family favourites! This dish is hearty, tasty and large enough to feed loads of people.
Then there’s dessert… or several desserts! A traditional dessert is panforte: a cake stuffed full of nuts, fruit, spices and sometimes cocoa. Then of course, there’s the famed panettone: a brioche bread with candied fruit, part of the Christmas tradition in a number of Italian regions.
Greece
A typical holiday menu in Greece features roasts, meat, stews and soups. It goes without saying that dessert is king, especially for family gatherings!
There are so many desserts to choose from—the popular baklavas (honey-soaked phyllo pastry and walnuts), diples (fried pastry with honey), kourabies (almond cookies). And that’s just a small sample of what’s on offer!
The way to found off the meal is with a glass of aniseed-flavoured ouzo!
Turkey
Think of Turkish cuisine, and mezze immediately springs to mind! Those little sharing dishes are served as a starter and they typically include dips (made with tahini or yoghurt), olives, fresh salad, petits fours pastries and meat kebabs. Mezze (not necessarily served only on special occasions) allow diners to chat while they nibble and wait for main course—usually large portions of meat, an entire grilled fish and a variety of vegetables.
As for dessert, that tends to be lighter in Turkey. Lokum (Turkish delight) is served with tea or coffee. Symbolizing the warm welcome traditionally given to guests, these candies are made from sugar and starch, flavoured with rosewater, almond, lemon or orange.
Tunisia
In the land of harissa (hot chili pepper paste), fish dishes (especially tuna!), chicken, and stewed vegetables are very popular. Couscous is ubiquitous and it appears on every occasion! Tunisian couscous differs from that in Morocco or Algeria. Whether served with drumsticks, lamb or fish, it always contains a spicy tomato sauce. That’s what marks the difference between couscous in Tunisia and in the other North African countries.
Tunisians drink strong coffee at all hours of the day, interspersed with cups of mint tea. Tunisian vineyards produce surprisingly good red and white wines, and they make a wonderful accompaniment to regional dishes.
Have we whetted your appetite yet? If so, head for the Kóz bistro where you can enjoy Chef Filion’s flavourful food, inspired by the cuisine of all these countries. Tucking in to her tasty dishes will send you on a culinary journey around the Mediterranean Sea!
