Mediterranean cuisine

“Blow-out”

The scientists from the Univeristy of Saint-Etienne have conducted a research on a group of over 600 patients who had suffered a myocardial infarct.They were divided into two groups. The first group kept a low-calorie diet, and the second group followed the principles of the Mediterranean diet, based on olive oil, pasta, fresh fruit and vegetables, beans, small amounts of red meat, larger amounts of poultry and fish and red wine with a meal. The results of the research were overwhelming. After only two years a great different was stated – in the “Mediterranean” group the lifespan significantly increased, while the cancer morbidity decreased (by 61%).

  

 

Obrigado aos Portugueses – a big “thank you” to the Portuguese...

The Portugueses are of the opinion that it is them who we owe for the taste of the modern cuisine.
Great travellers, powerful colonizers brought to Europe many novelties, such as coffee, cane sugar, new varieties of beans, as well as rice, pepper or cloves.

Tapas – a little snack from Spain

An important meal for Spanish cuisine are tapas served in bars and coffee-shops. These are small plates filled with various deli the taste of which is enhanced with wine. The ingredients of tapas depend solely on the creativity of the cook. They might be olives with their aromatic flavour, but also a micro-dish of fruits of the sea. They say that the tradition of tapas (from the verb “tapar” which means “to cover”) originates from a bar custom of covering a glass of xeres* with a slice of bread in order to protect it from flies. This custom is said to have been a smart idea of barmen who hoped that the clients would eat this “lid” and, instead of going back home for dinner, would keep ordering.

 

Italian cuisine is one of the most famous cuisines not only in the area of the Mediterranean Sea, but also in the whole world. Spaghetti or pizza - which symbolize it – do not convey all the variety and richness, typical for the specialties of the nineteen regions of Italy. Spaghetti, farfalle, tagliatelle... difficult to count - there are so many of them. Did you know, that there are over 600 types of pasta?