Carob in Mediterranean Cuisine
Carob is one of the rare fruits that grows on almost every coast of the Mediterranean and has therefore become the common culinary heritage of the region. It turns into syrup and pastel in Cyprus, syrup and bread in Crete, fasting desserts in Malta, molasses with tahini and Ramadan drink in the Levant; in Spain, it takes place both in the memory of the famine years and in modern food research.
Read MoreCarob Tradition in Malta and the Mediterranean Islands
The Mediterranean islands are among the places where carob has the most deep-rooted traditions. In Malta, the tree is the symbol of the rural landscape and a sign of longevity in language; In the southeast of Sicily, carob pastures are part of the cultural landscape; in Crete, it takes place in daily life with its syrup and wood; In Cyprus, it carried the island's economy as "black gold" for a while.
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Carob in Ancient Egypt and Greece
Carob left its mark in different ways in the two great cultures of the ancient Eastern Mediterranean, the Egyptian and Greek world. The Egyptians used a sign in the form of a carob pod when writing the concept of "sweet"; The Greeks, on the other hand, compared the pod of the tree to the horn and gave it the name that forms the basis of today's scientific name.
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Carob and Molasses Culture in the Ottoman Empire
Carob is a tree that grows almost all of the Mediterranean coasts where the Ottoman Empire ruled for a long time. In regions such as the southern coasts of Anatolia, Cyprus, Crete, the Levant and Egypt, carob fruit was used as animal feed, sweetener, beverage and trade goods; In many of these regions, carob molasses and sherbet traditions were formed, which are still alive today.
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