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(More customer reviews)The Pharaoh's Kitchen by Magda Mehdawy and illustrated by Amr Hussein is just fascinating! We have recently returned from a trip to Egypt, so we found this book to be most enlightening as well as entertaining. The authors have deciphered ancient recipes for the foods native historically to Egypt. Both author and artist are archeologists who live in Egypt and the Arabic version of this book won the Gourmand World cookbook Award for the Best Culinary History Book in Africa. Containing almost 100 recipes the book is illustrated by pictographs from the tombs of the Pharaohs and with photos of Egyptology museum exhibits. The ancient traditions and celebrations are described and some of these are still observed. The recipes, authentically derived from details of the hieroglyphics in the tombs, are given in the ancient form with added text describing how these can be prepared today. The book tells about the ancient Egyptian kitchen, utensils, manners, and ways of eating. In the back of the book the hieroglyphs are shown and the Glossary explains many of the terms used in the text. The book has sections with customs, service, explanations and recipes for Beverages, Breads, Birds and Fish, Eggs and Dairy Products, Meat, Poultry, Vegetables, Legumes, Fruit and Desserts. I found it impossible to see how anyone could amass such a fascinating and thorough book of such ancient customs! EXCELLENT!!! Be sure to get this is you are traveling or living in Egypt.
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Judging from the evidence available from depictions of daily life on tombs and in historical texts, the ancient Egyptians were just as enthusiastic about good food and generous hospitality as are their descendants today. Magda Mehdawy and Amr Hussein have done extensive research on the cultivation, gathering, preparation, and presentation of food in ancient Egypt and have developed nearly a hundred recipes that will be perfectly recognizable to anyone familiar with modern Egyptian food. Beautifully illustrated with scenes from tomb reliefs, objects and artifacts in museum exhibits, and modern photographs, the recipes are accompanied by explanatory material that describes the ancient home and kitchen, cooking vessels and methods, table manners and etiquette, banquets, beverages, and ingredients. Traditional feasts and religious occasions with their own culinary traditions are described, including some that are still celebrated today. A glossary of ingredients and place names provides a useful guide to unfamiliar terms.
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