“The American housewife— man or woman— is potentially the best of all possible cooks; for even in times of scarcity she has in shameful abundance all the necessary ingredients. She lives in a veritable paradise of flesh, fish, and fowl; of fruit, vegetables, and dairy products; while the great transoceanic liners bring to her market all the condiments and ingredients not indigenous to the region in which she lives. All she needs is the will to take advantage of her opportunities. For the increased joy of her precious brood, may she do so with all speed.”

— Angelo Pellegrini, *The Unprejudiced Palate*, 1948

Fresh tomato, green onion, basil, extra virgin olive oil, and flaked sea salt is all that’s needed to top a nice piece of fish like seared halibut. (Photo by Caren Alpert)

More than a season, Mediterranean Summer is an attitude.

Using quality ingredients is paramount. Asking questions and knowing about the food we buy makes us better informed. Embracing variety and being flexible expands the repertoire. Being resourceful and organized will make us nimble in the kitchen. Comfort with basic techniques builds confidence. Minimizing waste is very important. When these principles become a part of our nature we reap the rewards of great eating.

The harmony of fresh ingredients with the pantry is the basis in this style of cooking.

Throughout the year fresh ingredients provide a wonderful range of color, aroma, flavor, and texture. The ingredients in your pantry, much more than the storage of shelf stable items enhance just about everything you make. The constant interplay of the two creates endless opportunity to satisfy your personal taste.

Quality doesn’t mean the most expensive.

Rather, it’s making sure what you choose is attractive, appealing, and above all, flavorful. At the same time you will always hear me say Mother Nature has done a lot of the cooking for us when it comes to how something tastes. This takes a lot of the burden off us in the desire to make delicious food. All that’s needed is a method by which to cook (or not if you’re making something raw), some seasoning, a sauce or a condiment, and perhaps an adornment or two.

Ingredient-driven decision making.

Your main ingredients will help determine if there is a need and how much of something else should be added. A dry-aged steak may call for very little due to the cattle’s diet and what the aging process did to the flavor of the meat. Sometimes seafood may not need very much additional salt because of the salinity of the seawater where it’s from. Or instead of salt, it might be better with a splash of lemon juice, an herb, or a dash of ground chili. A slightly under ripe tomato may require something different than an overripe one. The former may only need a pinch of flaked sea salt, the later might be better in a sauce, soup, or braise.

To put ingredient-driven cooking into context here’s a quick story. Years ago during my younger bronco-riding days as a line cook, the sous chef at the highly regarded Campton Place Restaurant in San Francisco where I was working had the privilege to dine at the downstairs dining room at Chez Panisse in Berkeley. A signature of Chez Panisse is a set dinner menu that changes daily. At the time I was much too naïve to realize this was not to be showy but instead a nimble, flexible, and grounded way to match combinations and cooking methods to the cornucopia of ingredients that were constantly coming into the restaurant.
The following night during a lull in dinner service the sous chef gave a course-by-course description of the meal to all of us on the line. Everything sounded delicious. When it came to dessert the sous chef said, “all they served were peaches.” Expecting to hear more than that as a crescendo to a coveted meal, we all had dubious “what, that’s it?” expressions on our faces.
The peaches story left an indelible mark in my food soul. From that night at work, it took me many years to realize it was a conscious decision to leave those peaches alone. The menu planners were making a statement there was nothing that could have been done on that day that would have made them any better. If you grow your own fruit and vegetables, you know what I’m talking about.

What you choose for your pantry.

The ingredients in your pantry all have their own distinct flavors. They are huge contributors to the satisfaction of what you eat. Consider the range and variety of extra virgin olive oils and vinegars. It’s hard to have just one of each. Capers in brine are different then capers packed in sea salt. I prefer the latter. Dried chilies offer a variety of heat from warm to very hot. Garlic, depending on where it’s from, how it was stored, and what time of year you use it changes like the weather. The freshness, quality, and provenance of herbs and spices can pay off in spades. For example, when a recipe calls for saffron, go for the threads from the La Mancha area of Spain or northeastern Iran and stay away from saffron powder. For salt the mineral content of the sea varies from where it’s from. You’ll taste a marked difference between the salt from Trapani, Sicily and salt from the Gulf of Lions in France. Basically, know your ingredients!

Read also: The Message is In the Bottle

Trust your senses.

You know when something smells great and tastes delicious. If you drink your coffee or tea sweetened you know how much sugar is right for you. As you’re cooking it’s your choice how much or how little of an ingredient should be added. One can offer a suggestion but if you like things spicier, hotter, more tart, more garlic, less salt—that’s up to you!

In Italian recipes you will oftentimes see “QB” in the ingredient list or in the method. It means quanto basta—just enough— essentially it’s your call how much or how little to add. I love “QB.” “QB” is liberating. I use it a lot when sharing how to make something or what goes in a dish.

The ultimate transformation.

We all set goals for ourselves. Lose weight. Exercise more. Stop smoking. Spend more time with the family. Get into gardening. One of the biggest we can achieve is to gain confidence and sustain this personal mission statement:

“With ease I can turn pure ingredients into something to eat I know is good for me.
I shop for food with this in mind.”

Everyone’s version of this will differ. It could be an underlying health condition that needs a fix through nutrition, a preference for seafood over meat, or one way of making tomato sauce over another. In any case research continually shows devotion to a Mediterranean style of eating puts one on the path toward betterment. The results are the benefits of mindful eating instead of the detriments of mindless eating.

There is an almost infinite amount of how-to information available with tips, tricks, and short cuts bound by qualified studies, seasoned wisdom, and cultured opinions. Outside of molecular gastronomy it’s reassuring most of this help and advice is not new. It means there’s been a desire to share for thousands of years.

With a dose of practice and a dash of common sense the ongoing discoveries you make from where you buy food and while you’re in the kitchen can lead to success on the plate with minimal effort. When you use quality ingredients, stick to basic techniques, and keep it simple you’ll make great things to eat.

Mediterranean Summer Cooking