At this time of year when the Christian world focuses on the work and life of Jesus, and celebrates his resurrection with feasting on foods that have become traditional for Easter over the years, it's interesting to note that the food that Jesus ate is now being regarded as one of the healthiest in the world: the Mediterranean diet.
That is indeed the content of Dr. Don Colbert's book What would Jesus Eat?, which gleans detailed information from both The Old and New Testaments regarding health, diet, food and what God ordered and why. Based on scientific research, this book is informative, interesting and entertaining, and explains why the foods that Jesus ate are ideal for healthy living and provides the ultimate program for eating well in the 21st century.
Studies of this highly recommended diet of whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, fish, nuts, herbs, spices and olive oil have resulted in the publication of myriad cookbooks stocking the shelves of bookstores and libraries.
The adventurous would find award-winning food writer Claudia Roden's The New Book of Middle Eastern Food and Arabesque: A taste of Morocco, Turkey and Lebanon attractive, colourful and informative. They include interesting snippets on Middle Eastern history and culture, and the evolution of Mediterranean cuisine. The author gives detailed sections on the history, uses and benefits of spices and herbs, and presents new and easy recipes that are contemporary variations on old themes.
The large repertoire of healthy ingredients easily available worldwide, and the cooking styles of the Middle East, have given authors much material to create recipes for various health concerns. The Omega Diet: The Lifesaving Nutritional Program Based on the Diet of the Island of Crete by Dr. Artemis P. Simopoulos and Jo Robinson; Mediterranean: Secrets of the World's Healthiest Diet by Marie-Annick Courtier; The Mediterranean Diabetes Cookbook: A Flavourful, Low-fat, Heart-healthy Approach to Cooking by Amy Riolo; The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook: A Delicious Alternative for Lifelong Health by Nancy Harmon Jenkins; and The Miami Mediterranean Diet by Dr. Michael Ozner are only a few samples of these.
Middle Eastern recipes found in titles recommended in this article come from about 25 countries around the Mediterranean that share the same type of climate, hence the vegetation and lifestyle. Lately, these countries have been featured much in the news. Some are at war internally, some are at war with their neighbours and have little in common but hatred while others are thousands of miles apart physically but close politically. Some are in Russia, some in Europe, some in Africa, but most are in Asia. Each country, however, has a fascinating past going back to the beginning of civilization, and it is their common history and ancestry that provide their culinary links.
Pat Chapman's Middle Eastern Cookbook is an older publication (1996); nevertheless, it is well-written and has good coverage of the culture and food of the Middle East. Also recommended is Lebanese Cuisine by Anissa Helou for its fine recipes, detailed instructions and clear diagrams.
The beautiful photographs of dishes in Flavors of Morocco: Delicious Recipes from North Africa by Ghillie Basan and Middle Eastern Cooking by Tess Mallos have encouraged me to experiment with the recipes myself. The breathtaking photographs of the Mediterranean world and its food in The Turkish Cookbook: Regional Recipes and Stories by Nur Ilkin and Sheilah Kaufman are truly awe-inspiring.
These books and more on the subject are available at your local libraries.
A Good Read is a column by Tri-City librarians that is published every Wednesday. Teresa Rehman is community services librarian at Coquitlam Public Library.
