Meze

The small dishes of the Greek meze table comprise an array of ingredients chosen to complement each other in flavour, aroma, colour, taste, and texture. The cuisine is extremely versatile - choose from as few as four, to as many as 24 dishes (and even more!) to feed any size gathering. Small Bites, Big Flavours offers over 60 meze recipes that use fresh, seasonal ingredients like greens, vegetables, fish, lamb, and cheeses. Olives, olive oil, nuts, yoghurt, preserved fish and capers make the dishes taste distinctly Mediterranean. Each plate is light enough for a small snack or appetizer, but when combined with others can become a light lunch or dinner. Planning parties is simple when using these dishes because they can be mixed, matched, and easily doubled and even tripled to accommodate any number of guests. Chapters are divided by Mezedakia (appetizers), Cold Plates, Greens & Salads, Hot Plates and Savoury Pies, and From the Grill. The Glossary and Sources sections are handy for descriptions of unusual ingredients and how to find them.