The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook: A Delicious Alternative for Lifelong Health (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Marion Nestle (Foreword)
Key Phrases: cont next page, cup minced flat leaf parsley, country style bread crusts, Middle Eastern, North America, North Africa (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. This nutritionally sound, flavor-savvy cookbook, first published in 1994, was arguably ahead of its time—at least for American readers. Of course, a wave of American dieters and nutritionists have since come to advocate Mediterranean eating habits, including a largely plant-based diet with modest amounts of proteins and plenty of good fats. Jenkins's updated and revised version will surely reach a wider audience. Jenkins, an American who has lived in Italy, France, Lebanon, Cyprus and Spain, zeros in on the dietary patterns that link these nations. Yet Jenkins's approach is hardly prescriptive; she prefers to gently encourage good habits rather than lay out a daily regime. The 250 recipes are largely traditional dishes, some of which may be novel to her readership, such as Provençal chickpea soup; Moroccan lamb tagine with apricots; and kourabiedes, Greek butter almond cookies. Jenkins has removed the nutritional data from the previous edition, which allows for a greater emphasis on the food itself. Jenkins's recipes are reliable, and though dishes like pizza made from scratch require extra time and effort, the payoff is in the slow food, Mediterranean approach: an overall respect and enjoyment for what we eat that translates into greater health. Jenkins is an effective ambassador for this way of thinking about food, and her cookbook is a wonderful resource for anyone considering it. (Dec.)
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From Booklist

In the decade since Jenkins first revealed the Mediterranean diet’s virtues, nutritional theory has repeatedly validated its benefits. The Mediterranean’s reliance on breads and pastas, fresh vegetables, olive oils, minimal but high-quality meat, and few sweets mark it a heart-healthy regimen. Complementing Italy’s pastas, Spain’s tapas have won an American audience. These little plates, meant for preprandial grazing, present diners a wide variety of options. Tapas help assuage hunger with multiple intense flavors and textures. Eastern and southern shores of the Mediterranean offer their own delights with Turkish, Lebanese, and Moroccan dishes, and Jenkins includes a few examples. Ever-increasing availability of ethnic foods and more-demanding consumers have made many Mediterranean staples and fresh foods available in mainstream American groceries to an unprecedented degree. Oddly, Jenkins barely mentions the role of wine, considered by many a nutritionally important part of this diet. Includes bibliography. --Mark Knoblauch

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 512 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (December 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553385097
• ISBN-13: 978-0553385090
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.1 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,105 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #3 in	Books > Cooking, Food & Wine > Regional & International > European > Mediterranean
  #5 in	Books > Cooking, Food & Wine > Regional & International > International
  #17 in	Books > Health, Mind & Body > Diets & Weight Loss > Special Conditions > Low-Fat Diet

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic healthful recipes, February 6, 2009

By	J. Boothe "Scientia potentia est" (Fort Worth, TX United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is well written, and the recipes are solid. Some of the recipes are not for novice cooks and could be frustrating for them. But, the recipes are well worth the time (these are NOT 30 minute meals!) and effort. I really like the snippets of history woven through the book, making certain recipes feel like they are being handed down to you.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So many good ideas!, March 18, 2009

By	i4abuy (Accomac, Va.) - See all my reviews

I checked this book out of the library yesterday to give it a test drive before buying it. Well, this is a pretty short test drive -- I'm here at the dealer's lot. I'm sold!

The book has a lot of ideas that I've just not seen before. Last night I served the grilled asparagus with bitter orange and it was a refreshing change from the usual puddle of olive oil. Tonight I'm trying the fish and spinach au gratin. Tomorrow, the swordfish with almond sauce. These are three dishes I hadn't seen even though I have several cookbooks from the Mediterranean region. And the book is loaded with recipes for next week. What to try next? I'm a happy man and my family is going to be happier.

One of the features that makes the book work for me is the stories that accompany each recipe. This is such a diverse region with differing food traditions and palates that the introductory paragraphs help set a context for each recipe.

I agree with others that pictures would be nice. In 2009 there are a bunch of books on the market where the pictures are better than the recipes. But even if a picture is worth a thousand words, in the end I need the ingredients, steps, and times to put the dish together, so I can't take away a star for leaving the pictures out.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book, May 23, 2009

By	Sarah S. (CO) - See all my reviews

This cookbook is always at the top of my cookbook stack-- a rather large feat! I especially like the fish recipes because they are easy, different, healthy and make fish taste way better than, well, fish. I really recommend this book. I'm not top chef either but while some of the recipes are more complicated, plenty are simple too. Enjoy!