This is one of the most beautiful cookbooks I have ever read. The recipes are wonderful, well laid out with excellent easy to follow instructions and beautiful photography. The commentary is enlightening as the author tells where she encountered each dish making this also a kind of travelogue. Also there are asides with information about special techniques needed in the recipe or special ingredient often to with suggestions and links to find specialty items. The cool thing is many of the recipes are simple and can be made with things you have at home or can get at your local grocery store.
I enjoyed reading this book as an ebook, but it is so beautiful and I like the recipes so much I will be purchasing a hardback (or paperback) copy of this book when it is available.

Thank you Quarto Publishing Group - Harvard Common Press and NetGalley for e-ARC of the book.

Mediterranean Small Plates is an amazing combination of recipes and explanation why it’s not only delicious but also beneficial to your health. Clifford Wright divided recipes by regions which taught us how to call an appetizer in different languages as well as what makes it special. Vivid and bright photos will make you want to try to start preparing your own plate immediately.

Not much about this book that stands out I am sorry to say. Mediterranean Small Plates by Clifford Wright sounded promising but it's lackluster. From the photos to the recipes. I would have it go back to the drawing board.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher Quarto Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book includes a multitude of appetizers, board and spreads from around the world. Some are familiar, and some are new (to me anyway). Beautiful photography and easy to understand recipes ensure you will enjoy at least some of these delicious foods.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. A lovely book, well presented and with lots of receipts and ideas to try!

I love to cook, and I love reading cookbooks. I read them less for specific recipes and more for ideas, flavor combinations to try, etc.

“Mediterranean Small Plates” includes both “true” recipes and those that are more ideas for pulling a few ingredients together. That works for me, especially when it comes to appetizers, as I love to offer simple nibbles alongside a few offerings that are perhaps more complex.

I don't care for the organization of the book, which divides recipes by region. I would prefer to see, for instance, all kinds of options for crostini or other topped breads shown together. Within each region, the recipes didn't feel organized in any way.

While I enjoyed some of the commentary/narrative, the author's negative over generalizations about how Americans eat definitely turned me off. There are ways to highlight the Mediterranean way of eating without such derogatory characterizations towards Americans.

3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 because of the introduction.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group for the ARC.

The cover is very eye catching. The recipes are very interesting. I don't think it's really for me. It's not what I thought it was. But nevertheless the recipes look very good and I think others would enjoy it very much. Photos are are great.

I was drawn to this book because of its lovely cover, it felt warm and inviting. And it was, in the same way that your stuffy Aunt, who feels she's just a bit better than everyone else around them, is warm and inviting. Which is to say, that their home is always magazine ready but not somewhere you'd want to settle in for a family night.

The introduction to this cookbook is wholly unpleasant, it is a soapbox vent on how much the author looks down on the very Americans this book is marketed to. He is pretentious, condescending, and will make you cringe with his descriptions of American woman and pedestal idolization of the entire Mediterranean region.

Speaking solely on the recipes, you will get hungry while you read. There are lovely, fresh, vibrant photos would be a welcome sight to see at any gathering. However, if you don't live in the Mediterranean or in a very bustling city center, you may have difficulty finding some of the ingredients (and the author does not suggest any alternatives). There are some sample menus provided near the end, which I did think was a nice touch for anyone who wanted an idea of how to string the recipes together in action.

Overall, the photos were vivid but the writing felt 20 years out of date and not encompassing the passion of cooking or respect of the audience doing the cooking.

3.5 / 5

The book features a wide array of recipes from all around the Mediterranean, with a focus on small plates, appetizers, antipasto, hors d’oeuvres, and the like. All of the recipes I tried came out very nice and I’d definitely be up to trying more.

I’ve a bit of an issue with some of the ingredients; I understand trying to remain as true to the original as possible, but some of the recipes call for things you’re unlikely to find outside of Europe—or at least a good European deli. Now this would be fine, had the author at least attempted to think of some acceptable substitutions, but seemed to go the “all or nothing” route instead. If you’re looking for a good Mediterranean cookbook, it’s unlikely that you live in the Mediterranean full-time, or at least you won’t live in every single one of the areas featured in this book.

I skipped the introduction originally, as it’s an introduction in a cookbook—which I never bother reading—but went back after browsing a few of the reviews. And…

Ah.

Well, he’s entitled to his opinion, but I can see how this intro would put some people off the entirety of the book. Especially one specific opinion about American women.

Still, the recipes are solid and the photos are stunning; the array is immense, as are the regions featured in a single book. I’d still likely recommend it—particularly if you’re like me and usually skip reading the introduction. But if you live in a rural or out of the way locale (also like I do), then you may struggle to find even half of the ingredients. So… mixed bag, but overall a win.

Small plates is a good recipe book if you love Mediterranean food and have a love for the following ingredients…. olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, onions, and fresh herbs. The author gives you a tour of different foods from different areas with a Mediterranean feel. An enjoyable cookbook with a wealth of flavors to try. Five huge stars for great photos and a gorgeous cookbook!

I received a complimentary copy to look at and voluntarily left this opinion! Kudos to the author!

After reading I felt like I had been on a wonderful Mediterranean food tour. The dishes are easy to prepare and can be mixed and matched to create the perfect small plate menus. The meatballs is one recipe I can not wait to try. A valuable cookbook for anyone looking for something new to cook or maybe just want ideas on ingredients to spice up an already meal staple.

Mediterranean Small Plates by Clifford Wright is a celebration of the who’s who of Mediterranean cooking, including Tapas in Spain, Antipasto in Italy and Mazza in the Middle East and North Africa. It takes you on a culinary tour of the region, highlighting some of the best dishes in Mediterranean cooking.

The book is beautifully photographed and the majority of the ingredients are accessible in a well-stocked grocery store. With few exceptions, the recipes are not complicated and should not take much hands-on time to prepare. All dishes are smaller, appetizer-sized servings, instead of stand-alone meals. A handy meal planner is included to assist in creating party menus for a complete feast.

This would be a great book for someone wanting to experiment with Mediterranean-style cooking or wanting to explore this diverse region more fully in their own kitchen.

Thank you to Quarto Publishing group - Harvard Common Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to review an Advanced Reader's Copy of this book.

Flipping through this wonderful read has repeatedly made me hungry. A whole array of colourful starters from different parts of the Mediterranean is topped by insightful explanations about the ingredients and their preparations and rounded up with rich language that reflects the love of food.

The variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes are accompanied by interesting explanations of the food and the concept of starters in that particular region, so whether you enjoy Turkish meze, French hors d'oeuvres, Italian antipasti or something else, the book offers a bit of everything.

Beautiful photos of the starters are an added plus.

Thank you Harvard Common Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

The recipes are grouped by broad region - Spain, France, Italy and so on. Some are very simple with practically no effort (sliced bread with tomatoes and olive oil) with others needing a certain amount of preparation and cooking (pork and pine-nut meatballs) but all are straightforward, relatively easily obtained ingredients (even here in south west Scotland) and there are obvious acceptable alternatives if you think about it, or Google, for the less accessible ingredient (if you don't want to buy at expense from the web) - eg kashkaval cheese (never heard of that but seems similar to provolone, halloumi, fontina - so varied I guess). I liked the menu suggestions and ideas of numbers of plates for numbers of guests; the photographs are good but only about ?half of the recipes are illustrated.. The author's ideas about cultures are rather generic shall we say although Americans 'eating to live' and Mediterraneans 'living to eat' certainly has a ring of truth about it from the European perspective! Massive portions, eat fast compared with smaller and leisurely noshing. Nothing stunningly "wow" about the book but a nice collection of recipes that could easily be multiplied up for a main course if need be although that would lose the ambience of Mediterranean eating. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

The photos are bright and colorful, complemented by the baby blue and mustard yellow accents. Very appealing on the eyes. The recipes are grouped together by region and the narrative throughout the book is beautifully written. Nice variety of ethnic foods.

A really good cookbook, one I'd like to own because I want to try so many of these recipes! I really like Mediterranean cooking and this books provides such a wide explanation of it.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. Very good cookbook! They all sound good and I can't wait to try the recipes.

Do you want to learn new recipes that can only be found in small cafes and family homes around the Mediterranean? These foods are served before the main course or put together to make up an entree.
You will find salads, appetizers, bean dishes, hummus, pizza, frittatas, seafood, beef. liver and even caviar dishes!
Discover Tapas from Spain, frittatas made with eggplant and zucchini, shrimp and garlic and lamb and salami empanadas.
Learn how to make Hors D Oeuvres like Red and Black Caviar Canapés, Mushroom and Eggplant Terrine, Corsican Chickpea Salad, and Banquettes with Crab and Mayonnaise.
Feast on Homemade Ricotta Cheese, White Beans and Lentils with Shrimp, and Homemade Pizza and Calzone.
There are Greek dishes too - Sptnikopta, Grilled Feta Cheese, Mussels with Feta Cheese, and Eggplant and Tomato Marmalade.
There are Turkish meals such as Stuffed Swiss Chard Leaves, Carrot Slaw in Yogurt Sauce, Diced Vegetable Salad and Cheese Crescents.
Enjoy Middle Eastern dishes such as Hummus, Kibbe with Yogurt, Stuffed Eggplant and Tabbouleh.

I love Mediterranean dishes and was intrigued by a "small plates" cookbook, but frankly the author was off-putting and insulting to American readers in his introduction. He makes generalizations about American eaters as human garbage disposals, while romanticizing, and hetero-normalizing, Mediterranean eaters.
Drawn into the idea of cooking and serving small plates after a sublime Tuscan dining experience, the author describes the versatility of the small plates, as appetizers and endings to great meals, or as many small parts making up a large meal. The introduction is short and leads quickly to the recipes, though heavy with jabs at American food culture.
The recipes are fairly accessible and are delicious sounding, and the photos included are very nice. Some recipes are better suited to more adventurous cooks with access to more uncommon ingredients, overall I don't think I would reach for more than a couple of the recipes. I like that there are suggested party menus, I wish more cookbooks would include full menus.
Overall this cookbook is fine, but the author's attitudes and insult soured it for me.

Disclaimer: Received this as an advance reader copy via Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group (Thank you!!!)

Imagine if your grandpa was a snooty, well traveled, retired chef, and he wrote a cookbook...

I almost wish I skipped the introduction to this cookbook, it really soured my perspective going in and bummed me out because I LOVE smaller plate recipes. Apparently, as someone from the U.S., I eat to live, feed at a trough of all-you-can-eat restaurants, drink beer or several martinis before meals on an empty stomach, admire men who are human garbage disposals, and apparently women like to brag to their dates about not being cooks. It's not clear to me why the author needed to disparage us in this way, I mean sure, this may be an accurate description for some people, but it is not fair description for all of us, and it's off putting as a reader.

Throughout the book the author makes gross generalizations about people of various cultures in the chapter introduction. I don't think it's meant to be offensive, but it does seem to date the author as someone from an older generation who might not realize it's offensive. If anyone is to blame I would point a finger at the editor for not fixing these things.

Visually, the book has a lovely layout with many appealing color pictures of the finished dishes. The recipes themselves are not geared towards inexperience cooks, the instructions are clear, but, for example, if you've never cooked a live lobster, the instructions in the recipe aren't enough to adequately prepare you.

There are some good anecdotal tidbits parsed throughout that provide some historical context on ingredients and dish origins. I do plan to try the Tabbouleh recipe, and the Eggplant and Tomato Marmalade (when I have 4 hours to cook it down!).. If you have cook in your life who would like to expand their repertoire and would only look at the recipes, this could be a nice gift.