For more than 500 years the Ottoman Empire and Civilization dominated
much of the Balkans and Middle East and lasted until the end of World
War 1. The trade routes from the Far East ran through their territory
and they developed a very sophisticated cuisine which they introduced
into Europe when they conquered the Balkan Peninsula. They brought with
them foods such as capsicum peppers, complex pastries, and many rice
dishes such as pilaf and rice-stuffed grape leaves, cabbages, peppers,
and eggplants, just to name a few. Serbia came under Ottoman control
starting in the late 1300's. I suspect the Italian peninsula received
their rice from the Orient via the trade routes dominated by the
Republic of Venice who maintained trade routes through Ottoman
territory.

D.M.
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