Category:  Cooking, Food & Wine

Reviewed by Francesca : Known for healing every disease (except death), cumin is as important as a spice in recipes and as a medicine for colds and other such conditions. This book also shows the effectiveness of black cumin in treatments for asthma, allergies and acne. The authors provide fascinating information on this plant, including its important use in Ancient Egyptian times. Recipes are included for the knowledgeable or curious cook. Well illustrated, this book is recommended mostly for health and food aficionados.

From the publisher's website: This is a book about all aspects of meat processing in ancient Egypt. The book lists and examines the different types of meat consumed by the Egyptians: poultry, fish, and mammal, and their immediate by-products, such as blood and fat. The author discusses how each type of animal was slaughtered and processed for either immediate consumption or stored for later use, using pictorial, artefactual, textual, woodarchaeological, ethnographic and experimental evidence. Slaughter, jointing, and general processing locations are discussed, as well as storage locations, vessels used for storage, and transportation of animals as well as processed meat products. The book concludes with an attempt to determine how much meat was consumed in ancient Egypt, by whom, and what type. The appendices include lists of scenes showing meat processing as well as pig farming.
From AEB: The author points out that, although meat was obviously important in Ancient Egypt - given the richness of iconographic data - it has received relatively little attention from excavators until recently. The written records contain relatively little information, no kitchen manuals or recipe books being known.

From AEB: The author points out that it is not impossible that there is a direct link with the Biblical tradition about a seven-year famine in Egypt. The document remains an important witness for the extent and impact of historical knowledge in Ancient Egypt and the degree to which it was still cultivated under the Ptolemies for political goals.

Wolfgang Helck analysiert altägyptische Grabreliefs und Texte, die sich mit der Bierproduktion und der Rolle des Bieres als Lebensmittel, aber auch in der Medizin und bei kulturellen Handlungen eingenommen hat. Der Autor verfolgt die erste Erwähnung des Bieres bis in das dritte vorchristliche Jahrtausend.

Reviewed by Francesca : The author discusses food production and preparation in Ancient Egypt. She describes what the Ancient Egyptians ate and how the food was possibly cooked; many details are provided on bread, beer, fruits, vegetables, meat, fowl and fish. She also writes about their beverages, and the importance of gardens. With numerous line drawings and illustrations, as well as a short glossary, it is a recommended reference for all.

Reviewed by Francesca : Interesting moments in our history are those that brought us from eating berries to spending time in fast food eateries. This book explains this most important part of our evolution. This is a great reference for those who wish to know more about man's food habits at any moment of its history. Written by Italian Egyptologist Edda Bresciani, the chapter on Egyptian food summarizes what exactly was eaten and drunk in Ancient Egypt, providing much information. Beautifully researched, and easy to read, this book offers details useful for all to know.

From the book cover: To discover what man eats is to discover - and understand - a host of inter-connected factors in the fields of history, archaeology, medicine, agriculture, art, mythology and religion. The role that food plays in society is more than merely providing sustenance : food has great cultural and political significance, and the choice of a particular food may well involve issues that are of crucial importance to the human race. In recognition of these influences, the authors of this finely illustrated two-volume work have focused their attention on food habits, attitudes and taboos in Ancient Egypt and the beliefs from which they sprang. Splendidly preserved records of this civilisation offer a wealth of information for such a study. The sources of information and the techniques of validation as well as the reasons for erroneous interpretations are lucidly presented. The first volume concentrates on animal based products - chiefly the prerogative of the affluent - while the second deals with cereals, vegetables, fruits and alcoholic beverages, the staple diet of the majority of the race.

Reviewed by Francesca : An excellent little book, the author has included various recipes for starters, soups, snacks, main courses, desserts and breads, both from ancient and modern Egypt. In the introduction, the basic knowledge of food in Ancient Egypt and the importance of the ingredients is explained. Recipes such as melokhia, hummus, koschaf, tajine, are included and all are worth a try. Reading this will make you want to travel to Egypt and eat as the Egyptians do. An excellent cookbook to consult.

From the book cover: A world-wide survey of the eating and drinking habits of early peoples, [this book] covers a broad geographical range, from the early populations of Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the Americas to the more familiar Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Greek, and Roman worlds. From meat, insects, vegetables, and fruits to cooking oils and beverages, each source of sustenance is described in terms of who consumed it, how it was prepared, and how it spread from its region of origin.