Taste the sunshine: Ainsley Harriott’s Mediterranean Cookbook
For my new TV series Ainsley’s Mediterranean Cookbook, I went on a journey to explore the history of Mediterranean cooking and the routes the ingredients themselves have taken. My travels led me to the far corners of the Med and included cuisines from three continents, taking in both the familiar and unfamiliar.
‘The countries I visited are linked not only by the Mediterranean Sea, but also by the ancient spice routes, which played a huge role in shaping Mediterranean cuisines,’ says Ainsley Harriot
Over the course of the journey, I discovered that although the food of the Mediterranean is diverse, with each country having its own distinctive style, there are many similarities, both in cooking methods and ingredients. Olive oil is a prime example of this – each country producing uniquely different flavours. Bread is also at the heart of most Mediterranean meals and there is an enormous variety across the region – from rustic loaves and stuffed breads to a wonderful array of flatbreads.
The countries I visited are linked not only by the Mediterranean Sea, but also by the ancient spice routes, which played a huge role in shaping Mediterranean cuisines.
Get 20% off the book
Ainsley’s Mediterranean Cookbook by Ainsley Harriott will be published on 26 March by Ebury Press, price £20. To preorder a copy for £16 with free p&p until 5 April, go to mailshop.co.uk or call 01603 648155.
Ainsley’s Mediterranean Cookbook by Ainsley Harriott will be published on 26 March by Ebury Press
Ainsley’s Mediterranean Cookbook starts on ITV today at 10.30am