Carrots were probably first cultivated in the Mediterranean and were developed from wild carrots. There are records of yellow carrots grown in Turkey in the tenth century and both yellow and purple varieties in Europe up till the 17th century when orange carrots first appeared in Holland. By the mid-18th century, only orange varieties of carrots were cultivated although white varieties of wild carrot still exist.
How to prepare:
Baby carrots need only be rinsed, not peeled. Young carrots need only a scrub with a vegetable brush. Older carrots should be peeled, quartered, and cored before being used (they can be bitter). If you are preparing soup stock, cores may remain.
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CAULIFLOWER/CAULIFLOWERS
It is believed that cauliflower was first cultivated in the eastern Mediterranean, before coming to Italy in the late 15th century. They did not gain favor until the end of the 18th century. Mark Twain referred to it as "nothing but a cabbage with a college education." Cauliflower is a type of flowering cabbage that grows all year-round. The most common cauliflower is white, but purple and green varieties are cultivated as well.
How to prepare:
Remove all green leaves except the very small ones. Cut off the stem and rinse. If using whole, remove the core with a sharp knife. Otherwise, separate into florets, trimming stems when necessary.
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CELERY
Celery was originally cultivated in Italy from a wild, stronger-tasting plant. It was grown in marshes near the sea. This wild type of celery was probably first used for medicinal purposes. The milder-tasting stalk celery first appeared in Italy in the 16th century. Celery is a biennial plant.
How to prepare:
Wash the inner stalks. Leaves may be used in preparing vegetable stock.
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DRIED FRUITS
As long ago as three thousand years ago, many Egyptian and Turkish sailors would sign on for sea voyages that would keep them at open sea for six months or longer before they spied land. Although pirates and storms were both considered dangerous, the greatest danger that the sailors faced was that the fresh fruits and meats that had been placed on board at the beginning of their voyage would rot and become inedible before they would come to a place where they could find or buy fresh produce. For many years the greatest cause of death for sailors was starvation.
It did not take long before the ancient Egyptians and Turks devised a way to remove the moisture from most fruits. What surprised most sailors was that even though the fruits had been dried, they retained much of their taste and all of their nutritional value. Best of all, at least to the sailors, these dried fruits could remain fresh for a year or longer.
Dried fruits have never lost popularity in the region. In fact, so tasty were they considered that by 1,000 years ago, dried apricots, apples, grapes and other fruits were considered an indispensable part of the local diet, adored as much for their sweet concentrated flavor as for the vitamins with which they are packed. Chewy and full of concentrated sugar, they are adored by young and old alike. Interestingly, even more than fresh fruits, dried pears, apples, raisins, prunes and apricots are specially good for the digestive system. As a humorous note, even today many Greek and Turkish men continue to believe that eating dried fruits will make them more sexually potent.
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CUCUMBER/CUCUMBERS
White cucumbers are grown in Egypt and Syria as well as in parts of South America and Europe; red cucumbers are found in Egypt as well as in parts of Africa and Asia; and green, yellow and white striped cucumbers are especially popular in the countries of Scandinavia.
Although there are more than sixty known varieties of cucumbers, only three are cultivated in the Eastern Mediterranean and another two grow wild.
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CURRANTS
Currants, closely related to blueberries and cranberries, are found wild in parts of North America and Europe. Although not know for sure, they are believed to be cultivated in northern Europe around 1600 and brought to North America during colonial times. The French liqueur crΦme de cassis is made from black currants. They are very high in vitamin C.
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DATE/DATES
Known to the Chaldeans and Egyptians in antiquity, dates, coming from the Greek word meaning "finger," have become one of the best known foods of the Mediterranean basin. There are over 360 varieties of date, although many of them are not for eating.
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EGGPLANT/EGGPLANTS
There is no food item considered more indispensable to the regional diet than the eggplant. Sometimes referred to as "poor man's meat" and sometimes as "poor man's caviar," eggplant is one of the most reliable, and versatile foods of the region. While its roots and leaves have value (as seasonings in Far Eastern cuisine and as herbal tea in parts of Africa,) it is the round, firm fruit of the plant which is considered ultimately edible.
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FIG/FIGS
Cultivated in the Eastern Mediterranean since antiquity, figs have been found in the tombs of the pharaohs, and there are many mentions of this delicate fruit in the Bible, New Testament and Koran. In the Garden of Eden, for example it was with the leaves of the fig tree that Adam and Eve covered themselves after they had sinned. More recently, archaeologists excavating the ruins of the cities in the Judean hills uncovered dried figs dating from the Neolithic Age, nearly seven thousand years ago.
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FRENCH BEAN/FRENCH BEANS
Beans are an ancient crop, first cultivated in Central and South America. They were brought to Europe and Asia during the Spanish conquest. French beans were introduced in the early 16th century but were not popularly grown until the 18th century. Cultivated beans vary considerably in color, size, and texture. With some only the pods are eaten, while other varieties are eaten whole. French beans are annuals that require warm temperatures in order to grow.
How to prepare for cooking:
Beans may be kept whole if thoroughly washed.
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FRUITS
Socrates, surely one of the wisest of the ancient Greek philosophers, observed that "a man who loves not the fruits of the season knows not how to love life itself." The fruits of the Eastern Mediterranean offer a remarkable abundance of pleasure, and among the most popular are DATES, FIGS, GRAPES, APPLES, CITRUS FRUITS (including ORANGES, GRAPEFRUITS and LEMONS), WATERMELONS, APRICOTS and STRAWBERRIES. Despite their popularity, however there is no fruit more important to the diet of the entire Eastern Mediterranean than the OLIVE. Whether crushed and made into oil, eaten plain, dried, pickled or otherwise preserved, the diet of the Mediterranean would be a mere shadow of itself, without the charming fruit of the olive tree.
As much as fresh fruits are popular, they are only in season for a limited number of months every year, so the region has also developed a deep devotion to DRIED FRUITS, used both in cooking and to be eaten on their own.
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GRAPES
Throughout history, grapes have been one of the favorite fruits of the entire Mediterranean Basin. During the reign of Pharaoh Tutankhamen, the vineyards at Luxor boasted such lavish production that grapes were said to be "more plentiful than the water of the Nile at its highest mark." Ever since that early time, the grape has served as a symbol of luxury, good taste and elegance.
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POMEGRANATES:
Few fruits have as many myths associated with them as Pomegranates. The ancient Greeks, for example, believed that the pomegranate was given to them by Zeus as a reward for their devotion to him, and many Arabs and Bedouins believed that the tree had power over evil spirits. It was a tree under which one could sleep in safety and security. Perhaps the most charming of all myths is that which states that in each pomegranate fruit, one seed has come down from paradise. Even today, many Christian and Jewish mystics believe that the pomegranate tree is The Tree of Life.
Mentioned in the Bible as one of the five fruit trees indigenous to the Holy Land, the pomegranate has served as a source of artistic inspiration for many centuries. The golden bells that ornamented holy temples, whether in Giza or Athens, were shaped like pomegranates and their design often appears on mosaic floors, carved in stone on friezes and on ancient coins. In early Christian art, the appearance of the pomegranate symbolized eternal life and a fine example of this is seen in Bethlehem on the floor of the cave of the Church of the Nativity.
Mythology aside, modern day residents of the Eastern Mediterranean still consider the bright red pomegranate one of the most luxurious, delicious and beautiful of fruits. In many cities of the area for example, street vendors with old fashioned juice squeezers still cut pomegranates in half and squeeze out their juice. Nothing makes a more refreshing warm-weather drink.
To remove the seeds from a whole pomegranate, simply cut the fruit in half and scoop out the seeds with a spoon, discarding the bitter white pith. Whether eaten plain, sprinkled on salads, or added to a vinaigrette dressing, they make marvelous treats. They also make excellent additions to humus or tahini. To try them in the Arabic fashion, sprinkle the seeds with rose-water, lemon juice and sugar. Chill the mixture well and then serve in a bowl that sits on crushed ice, giving each guest a demi-tasse spoon so that they may help themselves directly from the bowl.
Pomegranate seeds are also used to make Grenadine, a non-alcoholic sweet syrup used in various cocktails. A delightful homemade version of Grenadine, remarkably similar to one made in ancient Greece more than 2,000 years ago, can be made by juicing 6 pomegranates, boiling the juice for 5 - 6 minutes and, if desired, adding sugar to taste and simmering for 3 - 4 minutes longer. The resulting syrup can be stored for up to 2 months if placed in sterile glass jars and refrigerated.
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LEEK/LEEKS
Leeks have been enjoyed since the fifth millennium B.C. They were one of the food rations that were given to slaves working on the pyramids in Egypt. They are a member of the onion family and have a subtle but unique flavor. They have sometimes been described as the "poor man's asparagus" even though they taste nothing like asparagus!
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LEMON/LEMONS
The lemon is a citrus fruit grown throughout the Mediterranean. It probably originated in India, however its name is from the Arabic word for "citrus fruit." As it became more popular, its value was fully realized not only in the kitchen but also in preventing scurvy in the 18th century. Because of its strong acidic taste, it is usually used only in cooking or in making juices. A few drops of lemon juice will prevent some cut fruit -- such as apples and avocados -- from browning.
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LETTUCE
The ancient Egyptians first cultivated lettuce, which was also popular among the early Romans. Lettuce is depicted in some Egyptian tomb paintings but it is thought that it was first used for the oil in its seeds rather than as an edible plant. It was one of the first foods introduced to Britain by the Romans. There are several hundred varieties of lettuce, many of which are available all year round. Combining different lettuces makes for an attractive salad.
How to prepare:
All greens must be thoroughly washed (not soaked) and dried, either with a clean, soft kitchen towel or a salad spinner.
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MUSHROOM/MUSHROOMS
From numerous archaeological findings we know that mushrooms have been popular fare in the region of the Eastern Mediterranean for many millennia. As long as 8,000 years ago, one of the reasons the people who lived in the ancient city of Jericho prayed for rain was so that they could feast on the large variety of mushrooms that grew everywhere from the Judean Mountains to the northern part of the Negev Desert.
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OLIVES
Olives are a staple of Mediterranean cuisine. There are basically three types of olives: 1) Green Olives (cracked unripened olives that are pickled in a strong brine to remove their bitterness.) Lemon juice is added to enhance their flavor. 2) Ripe Olives (fully ripened olives come in a variety of colors from green to russet to dark purple.) 3) Cured Black Olives (are salt-cured and have a wrinkled appearance. They have a strong flavor and should be used in smaller amounts than ripened olives.)
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ONION/ONIONS
Onions are ancient vegetables that were cultivated as far back as 3200 B.C. by the Egyptians. The onion, a bulb, is a member of the lily family. There are many varieties of onion and because of its flavor and versatility, it is used in all cuisines. Cut onions before using and do not prolong exposure to air, as exposure creates a harsh flavor.
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CANDIED ORANGE PEEL/CANDIED ORANGE PEELS
Candied orange peels make a delicious and beautiful garnish for all sorts of desserts and sweets, particularly cheesecake and ice cream. In some countries it is also used in meat dishes, such as the Egyptian Stuffed Breast of Lamb.
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ORANGE/ORANGES
No one knows precisely when the sweet orange was introduced into the Eastern Mediterranean, but the first orange tree was brought to the Western World in the early 16th century, when Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama brought a root of one of these trees from China to Portugal. It is from that single tree, which is still preserved in the courtyard of the Lisbon home of the Count of Saint-Laurent that all of the oranges of Israel, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus and Lebanon have come.
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PEAR/PEARS
Pears were cultivated as far back as 2750 B.C. at which time records indicate ancient Sumerians using them. Romans introduced the fruit to Britain, where they became quite popular.
