More than just recipes, this book also includes several sections writing about the region and it's relationship to cooking techniques. Also included are explanations of many ingredients, unique to Mediterranean cooking.The book is full of scenic Mediterranean pictures and pictures of the food as per recipe. And this is all done in an overall good balance, with respect to the actual recipes.A hard-core recipe book, it is not. But for someone new to this type of cooking, it is a great primer, that also gives you a little peak into this part of the world.