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Medieval Arab cookbooks
Sep. 16th, 2020 01:46 pmI am fond of Middle-eastern food. Lebanese, Turkish, Iranian, Moroccan, Egyptian, they're all good. My main resorts for actual cooking are Claudia Roden and Arto der Haroutanian's books, Nawal Nasrallah's "Delights From The Garden of Eden" which I believe is about to reissued in a second edition, and 'Entertaining the Persian Way' by Shirin Simmons, which seems to focus on Zoroastrian cuisine.
Aljazeera English recently had a lovely piece on English translations of medieval Arab cookbooks, which sound absolutely fascinating, and which I will buy as soon as Book Depository resumes local delivery SOME DAY.
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/medieval-arabic-cookbooks-reviving-taste-history-200514062518909.html
The titles are:
"Treasure Trove of Benefits and Variety at the Table", Nasrallah's translation of a 14th century Egyptian cookbook; and
"Scents and Flavours", a translation by Charles Perry of a 13th century Syrian cookbook.
I consider it utterly delightful that a Sassanian gentleman would have kept a personal recipe collection. Very right and proper, and a habit that I would encourage. I do it myself.
Aljazeera English recently had a lovely piece on English translations of medieval Arab cookbooks, which sound absolutely fascinating, and which I will buy as soon as Book Depository resumes local delivery SOME DAY.
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/medieval-arabic-cookbooks-reviving-taste-history-200514062518909.html
The titles are:
"Treasure Trove of Benefits and Variety at the Table", Nasrallah's translation of a 14th century Egyptian cookbook; and
"Scents and Flavours", a translation by Charles Perry of a 13th century Syrian cookbook.
I consider it utterly delightful that a Sassanian gentleman would have kept a personal recipe collection. Very right and proper, and a habit that I would encourage. I do it myself.
