Following the food trail around the Mediterranean is like following the people. Although each country has its own distinctive traditions, the same primary ingredients tend to feature and this factor results in a number of similar dishes continuing to reappear around this fabled sea. The seasonal vegetables quickly fried or grilled and served with fresh, soured or grilled cheeses, or garlicky sauces; the fish and the seafood; the salads which appear in unusual and exotic combinations with fruit and nuts; and the winter soups made with pulses and rich stocks. The fundamental links are the olive groves, the wine grapes and the aromatic herbs which colour the hillsides of the Mediterranean countries.