Poor in (animal) fat, high in nutricion, the Cretan diet is based on pulses, bread and olive oil, and an enormous variety of green vegetables, salads and fruits. It is one of the healthiest dietsin the world. The benefits of this diet upon the good health nad long life span of Cretan is videly known. It is healthy, but it is also delicious, as you can see in the many detailed recipes contained in this book. Nicholas Stavroulakis has made a fascinating investigation of Cretan cuisine, retracing the history of each dish and comparing the local variations. His often funny presentaion describes the atmosphere of this unique island where many communities - Roman, Jews, Venetians, Ottomans, and Modern Greeks have flourished on this bitter yet extravagantly nourishing land.