The Cretan diet is currently attracting the interest of the international scientific community due to research that has shown that in Crete of previous decades, cardiovascular diseases and neoplasms were extremely rare. The study of archaeological and historical data proves that the dietary habits of 20th-century Cretans differ little from the habits of people who lived on the island in earlier times, even during antiquity. The authors of this book studied the historical evolution of the Cretan diet, examining people's habits, daily and festive foods. At the same time, they managed to gather a vast amount of information and recipes from all regions of Crete, showcasing the character of the island's cuisine and documenting the identity of the Cretan Diet. Through 520 recipes, both from the rural society and the urban families of Crete, the book reveals the small secrets of what is today called the Cretan dietary miracle... The book was first published in 1995 and has been reprinted many times. It is now available in a more modern, expanded, and updated edition. [Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]