The Mediterranean sea is the deep, blue heart that gives life to the countries that surround her. To speak of "Mediterranean Cooking" to make one language describe the couscous and dried fruit of Morocco, an Egyptian breakfast of ful, cool yogurt soup from Syria, Greek octopus salads, Italian prosciuttos, Niçoise pissaladières, and Catalan seafood stews may seem a fool's errand. However, the various countries around the sea share more than a beach.
From a western perspective, control of the world began with control of the Mediterranean, and thus it has been the seat of empires for millennia. The many powers that have ruled over large parts of the Mediterranean range from the Phoenicians to Alexander; the Romans to the Arabs; the Turks to the Venetians. This long history of imperial colonization, not to mention that of international trade, has rendered a deeply shared culture and agriculture among the Mediterranean countries.
