Eastern Mediterranean and North Africa

Gastronomic customs of the Middle East have been influenced by trade with other Mediterranean nations, as well as the Silk Route trade with Central and East Asia. The expansion of Arab culture from the Levant over the Maghreb to parts of Spain during medieval times had a substantial impact on the societal and cultural makeup of the region. The introduction of new crops, along with innovative agricultural techniques and irrigation systems, transformed the arid plains of North Africa into fertile farmland. After the Renaissance, the exploration and colonization of Africa and the New World by European powers brought yet another great variety of new produce and techniques to the region’s cuisine.