What a beautiful book and just in time for summer! This book covers everything from Spanish tapas to French hors d'oevres, Italian antipasto and meze & mazza from Greece, Turkey, the Balkan region and Middle East & North Africa. This book would be a great one to use when hosting a themed (dinner) party. You could easily serve a few plates from one of the cuisines, or even more fun: make it a whole "small plates around the world" dinner, depending on the number of guests. What I really like are the suggested party menus, that way you don't have to do any thinking yourself whatsoever and just follow the suggested menu. The reason why I gave this 3 stars is that I think that more seasoned cooks already have a lot of the recipes that are mentioned in this book. Which doesn't make this book much of an addition to the collection of a home cook.

Lovely book of recipes, with beautiful pictures. Broken down by region, the recipes are fairly simple, so anyone could make them, and there is really something for everyone. (For me, it's the beignets recipe)

The sample menus are a nice touch!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Mediterranean Small Plates was full of beautiful pictures of delicious and mostly healthy small dishes. These small plates would be great for small parties or even a date night.

The stunning Mediterranean is comprised of several countries and regions and its healthy food is fresh, varied, simple and sublime. Half of my time is spent in the Mediterranean and food is just one of thousands of things to love about it. Access to various vegetables, interesting fruits North America has never heard of, fabulous wild herbs, pine nuts, fresh cheeses, olive oil, seafood and fish, charcuterie and truffles translate to incredible meals including small plates to share. Hospitality is legendary.

Author Clifford Wright briefly describes what comprises the Mediterranean, a bit about culture and the lifestyle including what/how people eat which is emulated elsewhere. But it's not new in the Mediterranean where people have been eating and living like this for centuries. He describes constructing small plate, platters and spreads including helpful Suggested Party Menus at the end of each chapter.

Though short and sweet, this little book divided by region delivers a punch with gorgeous photographs and lovely inspiration with traditional and new recipes for all cooking levels. You can easily choose one or many components. Often it's a matter of arranging a plate rather than cooking as summers are baking hot. Cooking is done mostly outside. Swordfish or Shark in Tomato and Saffron Sauce looks incredible...we eat both regularly and are always seeking new flavour combinations. It would go super nicely with Fried Baby Potatoes in Allioli. I have a sudden hankering for Pork and Pine Nut Meatballs in Romesco Sauce, Celeriac Batons and Roasted Red Bell Peppers in Mustard Preserve, It's about time for me to make Homemade Ricotta again...this version is a slightly different than those I've used. Then there's White Beans and Lentils with Shrimp, Marinated Mushrooms in the Tuscan Style, Polenta with Porcini Mushrooms, Octopus and Radicchio Salad (what a textural treat!), Grilled Feta Cheese in Grape Leaves, The Imam Fainted (that name!), and Diced Vegetable Salad. The Potato, Onion and Parsley Frittata looks fantastic, one I have not made before. I have been inspired to make the Carrot Slaw in Yogurt Sauce this evening. We just bought a large bag of lemons, perfect timing for Moroccan Chickpeas with Preserved Lemons.

The Mediterranean is large; hopefully there are books with further recipes/ideas planned for future such as more representation from the Balkans!

My sincere thank you to Quarto Publishing group - Harvard Common Press and NetGalley for the privilege of devouring this delectable book.

This is a lovely, and comprehensive, book that offers 'bang for your buck' in terms of the quantity of quality recipes it offers!

For me, this is a great resource to recreate some amazing cuisine I have enjoyed on my travels, in addition to encouraging me to sample some new delicacies! Some of the recipes have photos, some not, but all sound incredibly delicious.

I enjoyed the range of cuisines sampled, that Spanish tapas would be in there was a no-brainer ('Id be disappointed if it weren't featured!), but `I hadn't considered French cuisine in this bracket, and was delighted to some new recipes to try from this cuisine. In my humble opinion the author has saved the best till last with some amazing eastern European dishes featured! My overriding observation - Olive oil creatures heavily throughout!!

This is a book I would highly recommend to anyone with an interest in cookery, travel, or a combination of the 2!

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

Around the Med in small plates! Fantastic! I love tapas style meals and this is packed full of recipes that I can’t wait to try and create, I also love how sample menus were included at the back, definitely a useful bonus when trying to plan. The pictures were great and the recipes seem easy to follow.

I found this book completely unattainable. The ingredients are too difficult to obtain. Just unrealistic. The photos were lovely though.

I loved Mediterranean Small Plates by Clifford Wright. It was beautifully presented with great photos. Lots of wonderful ideas

I enjoyed that this book was about smaller dishes and serving sizes. I just would have preferred it if every single recipe had an image to go with it. I for sure consume food media with my eyes and it would have added to that experience. Otherwise a wonder book.

Mediterranean cuisine has always been appealing and this cookbook has many recipes. So many wonderful sounding recipes.

As a vegan, I was able to find some recipes I’m excited to make (Corsican Chickpea Salad, Artichoke Bottoms (with vegan mayo), Eggplant and Tomato Marmalade, Moroccan Chickpeas with Preserved Lemons, Stuffed Grape Leaves in Olive Oil, Tabbouleh (I’ve made this for years but listing regardless, because yum, it’s one of my favorite things to make and eat), and Fattush.

Non-vegans/vegetarians will find so much more. My husband and teens already found a bunch of recipes they’re interested in as well.


Recommended.

This book is beautifully presented and recipes seem approachable. The recipes are separated into sections based on geography (e.g. Italy, Spain, etc). It is not vegetarian friendly, but has a good representation of mezze from the region.

OmG. I found myself salivating over and over again with so many of these recipes. Beautiful pictures, readable and relatable recipes. A veritable smorgasbord. Can’t wait to try some of these out.

This is an inspiring food journey through the Mediterranean region, celebrating appetizers and small plates. The chapters are divided by the countries Spain, France, Italy, Greece, and the Middle East with a varied selection of dishes from each region and includes bright and colorful photos. I can’t wait to make my own Tapenade and Ricotta! At the end of the book there is a helpful chapter dedicated to “suggested party menus”. Thank you Netgalley, Quarto Publishing Group-Harvard Common Press, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

What a nice little cookbook.
I like that it's all separated by region, every culture has small 'snack' plates, all called different things but all incredibly similar.

Mediterranean Small Plates is filled with bright and vibrant photos every other page or so which really helps with a cook book! You'd think it was something obvious but somehow it's what a lot are often missing. It does what it says on the cover, no more, no less - and I have to say I really appreciate the no nonsense approach.
You'll find all the usual comfort food like empanadas, tapenade and stuffed vine leaves (gosh I miss those, not had Greek food in ages!), as well as more unusual dishes like almond chicken with raisins.

What I really appreciate most, aside from the warm introduction, is at the back of the book, there's menu suggestions and measurement equivalents. I learned to cook from my mum and later from my auntie, true Maltese women who cook with Mediterranean instinct (that is to say by eye and with little measurement), so to have tables of conversion is such a small thing but genuinely amazing help!

Thank you so much to Net Galley, the publisher, and author for providing this book for my honest review. I love how this book is separated according to region. There are so many varieties of foods from salads to empanadas to frittatas. I can’t wait to try these recipes. I also really love the beautiful photographs that go along with the recipes. It makes it so much easier to follow when there are pictures of what it should look like. This book also has measurement conversions, party menu ideas, and a list of staple ingredients to have on hand. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy cooking and eating a healthy Mediterranean diet. I especially can’t wait to try the red and green bell pepper empanadas. Thank you again to Net Galley, the publisher, and author for providing this book for my review.