Cretan Cuisine and Culture

Soft cover, 24 cm, 272 pp., ill., weight 620 g. They say you never really get to know a place unless you savour its tastes and smells, nor can you understand its culture unless you mingle with the local people and get acquainted with their way of thinking and their traditions. In Crete this fascinating discovery trip can take you surprisingly far into the past, as the origins of most local dishes and customs are lost in the mists of time. "Cretan Cuisine & Culture" introduces you to the enchanting world of cretan customs and history and initiates you into the secrets of the world's famous Cretan diet. In this lavishly illustrated edition you will find everything you could possibly wish to know about Crete - from its ancient mythology to its folk songs and dances and of course its most delicious recipes! // CONTENTS: Introduction - The Circle of the Minoan Mythology - The Dawn of Hellenism - The Minoan Empire - The History of Crete - Crete and Civilization - Crete: Diet and Civilization - The "Secrets" of the Cretan Diet - The Botanical Wealth of Crete - Cretan Colours, Tastes, and Smells - Easter in Crete - Chania, the Enchanting Ancient Cydonia - Dance in Crete - Rethymno, the Venetian Style City - The Gastronomic Tradition of Crete - Cretan "Naklia", the Island's Oral Narrative Tradition - Heraklion, the City where the First European Civilization Developed - Women in Minoan Culture - The Traditional Cretan Wedding - Fish and Seafood of Crete - Lasithi, a City of Outstanding Beauty - The Cretan Dagger - Cretan Sweets - Recipe Index.