Meze are small plates of appetizers, often served with anise-flavored liqueurs:ouzo in Greece, arrack in the Middle East, or raki in Turkey. Middle Eastern dishes such as hummus, stuffed grape leaves, and pita bread are part of the meze table.

Meze from the Middle East

As with Spanish tapas, olives and roasted peppers are served, along with salads of eggplant and couscous. The term mezecomes from the Persian mazas for “taste” and “relish.” Wherever the Ottoman Empire had once been, meze dishes are still served. The countries of Egypt, Israel, Armenia, Iraq, Greece, Lebanon, Morocco, and Turkey all share the meze tradition.

Antipasto from Italy

Antipasto are served as appetizers before the pasta course in an Italian meal. Antipasto literally means “before the pasta” in Italian. A table full of Italian appetizers to eat while drinking wine is basically Italian tapas. Some popular small plates of antipasti are prosciutto-wrapped melon; caponata (eggplant relish); a variety of roasted, grilled, and pickled peppers; bruschetta; and olives. Wine, Sambuca (anise-flavored liqueur), grappa, or aperitifs such as Campari or Cinzano are enjoyed with Italian antipasto.

All-Important Olive Oil

Olive oil is used extensively in the Mediterranean cuisines of Spain, France, Italy, Greece, and Turkey, and also North Africa and the Middle East. It appears in those cuisines in various forms — in a dish for dipping, combined with garlic and spices as a sauce for pasta, and as a medium for cooking meat and vegetables, to name a few.

The aspect of olive oil that often confuses people is the difference between “extra-virgin,” “virgin,” and regular olive oil. Extra-virgin olive oil comes from the first pressing of the olives, has the most intense flavor, and is the most expensive. Use this for salads and for dipping breads. Virgin olive oil is from the second pressing. Less expensive than extra-virgin, it can be used for the same purposes. “Olive oil” indicates it is from the last pressing; this is the oil to use for cooking since it does not burn as easily at high temperatures.

While these guidelines are helpful, there is another more hands-on approach to comparing the quality of different olive oils. Simply pour a few drops on your palms and rub them together to warm it. Then cup your palms under your nose to smell the aroma of the oil. Every time you get a new bottle do this to build up your olfactory inventory. It's kind of like wine tasting. You'll find that extra-virgin olive oil has more bouquet than subsequent pressings, and you will get to know the varieties of olives used to make olive oils in different countries.