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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The Origin of the Name Carob and Its Names in Different Languages
Since carob is a tree that has been known in the Mediterranean basin for thousands of years, it is called by different names in every language and even in different regions of the same country. It is called "carob" and "carob" in Turkish, "carob" in English, "algarroba" in Spanish, "garrofa" in Catalan and "carruba" in Italian. Most of these names go back to the Arabic word "kharrūb". The scientific name Ceratonia siliqua is derived from the Greek words "horn" and Latin "pod".
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