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A sensational discovery that led American scientists to set up in the 70s a widespread program of preventative medicine based on the studies conducted by Keys in Cilento. Thus followed the international success and popularity of this Mediterranean diet consisting of whole and natural foods, essential for the health of the individual. The basic elements of this diet are cereal (bread, pasta, polenta), legumes, vegetables, fruit and olive oil. Normally the word "diet" carries a negative connotation, associated with limited food, depending on a particular pathological state or an excessive increase in "fat" in the body. Instead if we look up at the etymology of the word "diet" in the dictionary, we find that it originates from a Greek word with the meaning of "life, lifestyle, way of living".
In fact eating is one of the fundamentals of our life and being
more aware of it can help us to live better and longer. Today
all doctors agree on prescribing a diet based on a Mediterranean
model, that appropriately divides the daily calories for the
different nutrients in order to prevent the beginning of the
"diseases of affluence":
In this way we can recognise the shape and content of the various cultures that are once so well-blended as in the case of Mediterranean Greece or northern Denmark or once so rich, various and even contrasting as in the case of France and Italy. To understand better how these elements are located on our silent map, let's look at the sumptuously laid tables, where every nation offers not only a view of their own gastronomic heritage but also the lifestyle that has created it. Going through the calendar we can see how the dates, names and seasons have become "festivals". Even if the number of days, the weather of the seasons, the government of countries change, The "festivals remain - San Nicola in the north, Santa Lucia in the south, Christmas and Easter. The churches themselves seem to have re-thought the eating precepts, with which they used to prepare and follows the celebrations. The fasts for Lent, Advent and Sunday morning are finished, yet none want to give up a good banquet of pheasant, or German goose, or Italian capon, or the international turkey. In Europe every Country has interpreted the holy and the secular days according to their history and culture - for example Easter is more important than Christmas in Orthodox Greece, but the differences are hazy, only small signs remain. Some religious festivals have been lost - San Giuseppe gives very few tortelli in Lombardy, less zeppole in Naples. The new celebrations find difficulties to establish themselves, but the true greed-inspiring inventions and spectaculars of modern Europe use the past. They bring it back to life and make it more efficient - Oktober fest in Germany, Kermesse in Fiandra, with a festivity of games, the Palio in Siena and the Feria in Spain, all tap into a breathing and well-fed affluence.
To lay the table sumptuously, decorate it with flowers, place markers and candles is a traditional gesture which brings all of Europe closer to a common feeling of secular or religious respect for the meal and the guests. The styles and occasions are many but the spirit which dominates the banquet table is the same. A center piece of freshly picked flowers in the south or dried flowers in the north. Place markers of rough and curved wood in continental Europe, clay or terracotta figurines in the peninsulas and islands of Europe. Silver candelabras for winter, floating candles in a glass bowls for summer evenings. From East to West, from North to South, the tablecloth is required: snowy-white, simple cotton, modern prints and lines.
European eating habits are much more similar from East to West than from North to South. From Berlin to Dublin there is a thread of common foods the names of which may vary. The English chester and the Belgian hevre are variants of the classic Dutch red and brilliant rind cheese. The meat based diet of the Irish Celts was almost identical to the Teutonic one. Northern and central Europe have imposed canapčs in all its forms: hapjs in Holland, smųrrebrų in Denmark and smörgds in Germany. Moving south towards the Mediterranean are, Spain, southern France, southern Italy and Greece we have a fairly similar overview . Beef disappears, replaced by sheep and goat which influences the wide consumption of different cheeses, quite similar from region to region in color, shape and consistence: feta in Greece, manchego in Spain, chevre in France and pecorino in Italy, fresh or seasoned. Butter main role in northern cooking is replaced by olive oil. The cooking becomes tastier and enriched with a wide variety of herbs and spices growing from Portugal to Rhodes, from Provence to Tuscany. In the North, blueberries, raspberries and forest berries soften the strong taste of red meat and the rather particular taste of game. Around the Meditteranean sea thyme, rosemary, mint, marjoram and parsley flavor the white and delicate chicken meat and fish. Courtesy of AOLMAIA Small groups touristic tours in Tuscany
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