Albanian Cuisine

The cooking of Albania, a representative of Mediterranean cuisine and an example of the Mediterranean diet built on olive oil, fruits, vegetables and fish. The environment suits the cultivation of nearly every kind of herb, vegetable and fruit, and olive oil, produced since antiquity particularly along the coasts, is the most ancient and commonly used vegetable fat. Hospitality is a fundamental custom, and serving food is integral to hosting guests, following the medieval code of honor called besa. The cuisine can be divided into three major regional cuisines, and the northern one has a rural, coastal and mountainous origin.