The Everyday Gourmet: The Joy of Mediterranean Cooking
by Chef Bill Briwa, The Culinary Institute of America

Course Overview

Tapas. Olive oil. Clean eating. Three of the biggest trends in the world of food aren’t really trends at all—they’re hallmarks of the close-to-the-earth style of cooking known as Mediterranean cuisine.

With one foot rooted firmly in tradition and one balanced on the cutting-edge, Mediterranean cooking is both quintessentially classic and utterly contemporary. It’s one of the most flavorful, fresh, and varied cuisines in the culinary canon—not to mention one of the most healthful styles of eating in existence.

Numerous studies have demonstrated this oil-abundant diet’s power to reduce your risk for heart disease, and there’s evidence linking it with the potential to prevent diabetes and cancer as well. While such a thing as an ultimate, silver-bullet diet may not exist, the Mediterranean diet is as close as it gets. And it just so happens that it’s also simple to prepare and a pleasure to eat.

Across 16 informative, inspirational lessons, The Everyday Gourmet: The Joy of Mediterranean Cooking reveals how you can revitalize your culinary repertoire and take full advantage of the benefits of a Mediterranean diet by creating iconic regional dishes right in your own kitchen. Presented by Bill Briwa, a renowned chef-instructor at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, this course is filled with detailed demonstrations of the techniques, ingredients, and signature dishes that make Mediterranean cuisine so delectable to the palate and beneficial for your well-being. As you embark on this culinary journey through Morocco, Spain, Italy, southern France, Greece, Turkey, and Tunisia, you’ll discover a wealth of revelatory recipes to return to and a newfound knowledge of how to use Mediterranean flavors and methods in your everyday cooking.

Dish after satisfying dish, you’ll see that this healthful approach is far from a “diet” in the restrictive or temporary sense. Rather, it’s truly a way of life—and a wonderfully robust, vibrant one at that.

Tour the Mediterranean without Leaving Home

As you explore the diverse countries that make up the fabric of the Mediterranean, Chef Briwa helps you identify the common threads woven throughout. You’ll explore each culture’s cooking traditions, techniques, and ingredients, while teasing apart their flavor profiles so you can approach Mediterranean food with more understanding and confidence, no matter what your level of expertise.

Filmed at the CIA’s Greystone campus in Napa Valley, California, and featuring dozens of chef-tested recipes, these lessons teach you how to make delectable dishes and complete meals that reflect the flavors and traditions of each region.

Get clear instructions and tips for making:
   - starter soups, such as stracciatelle and avgolemeno;
   - flavorful mezze and tapas, from dolmas to flaming bartender’s chorizo;
   - bright salads made with purslane, mesclun, and other tender greens;
   - hearty main dishes, such as ricotta gnocchi, seafood tagine, and Turkish hunkar begendi; and
   - simple desserts like coffee granita and poached apricots with yogurt and pistachios.

Whether he’s demonstrating how to make pasta from scratch, temper eggs for hot yogurt soup, or fry up the perfect golden-brown falafel, Chef Briwa walks you through the entire process step by step, so there’s nothing left to the imagination. With his guidance, you’ll no longer be intimidated by any Mediterranean ingredient, be it a whole artichoke or an entire fish.

Cook Iconic Mediterranean Dishes with Authenticity

Whether you’re cooking for one, a family of four, or a dinner party of eight or more, these lessons provide an array of menu ideas to please everyone at your table. Chef Briwa introduces you to the full spectrum of Mediterranean fare, from street food to dishes worthy of a fine dining restaurant, arming you with recipes that can be quickly whipped up on a weeknight, as well as more labor-intensive dishes that are sure to impress a house full of guests.

You’ll learn how to make time-honored favorites from paella to bouillabaisse like a local, and how to work with the bevy of exotic ingredients prevalent in this rich culinary tradition.
   - Sweet spices: Cloves, ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon—spices we often relegate to holiday baking—are frequently used in savory dishes throughout North Africa.
   - Spice blends: Signature seasonings such as the za’atar, dukkah, and herbes de Provence imbue food with distinctive flavor and aroma.
   - Harissa: Hailing from Tunisia, this chili paste lends heat with rehydrated and pureed dried chilies, garlic, coriander seed, and caraway.
   - Salt cod: Popular in the south of France, Spain, Italy, and Greece, this cured fish is a uniquely Mediterranean delicacy.
   - Preserved lemons: Cut into slivers, these impart sourness in lieu of vinegar in cultures where alcohol is forbidden.

You’ll also learn the nuances of sherry and gain confidence in working with traditional Mediterranean vegetables and proteins, including lamb, poultry, and most notably fish, as this is very much a coastal cuisine.

Last, but certainly not least, is olive oil—a nutritional powerhouse you’ll learn to incorporate in everything from eggs to vegetables to a chocolate dessert.

Cook Alongside an Accomplished Chef

Taught by a culinary educator who has spent much of his illustrious three-decade career sharing his craft with audiences around the world, this course delivers a depth of instruction you can’t find in the pages of a cookbook or a superficial television demo.

You’ll feel as though you’re in the kitchen being treated to a private lesson as Chef Briwa shows you the fundamentals of cooking these iconic dishes from prep to plating, and illuminates how history has influenced the evolution of each country’s remarkable cuisine.

Whether you’re searching for culinary inspiration or a more heart-healthy way of life, look no further than The Joy of Mediterranean Cooking. From the very first lesson, you’ll be ready to start experimenting in the kitchen—and fully convinced that healthy food can be delicious food.