Treasure Trove of Benefits and Variety at the Table: A Fourteenth-Century Egyptian Cookbook : English Translation, with an Introduction and Glossary

Fourteenth-century Egyptian cookbook Kanz al-Fawāʾid fī Tanwīʿ al-Mawāʾid is a treasure trove of 830 recipes of dishes, digestives, refreshing beverages, and more. Meticulously translated into English and supplemented with a comprehensive introduction, glossary, illustrations, and twenty-two modern adaptations of its recipes. Contents Preface Acknowledgments List of Figures Notes on Translating the Text Introduction Part I: The Making of the Kanz al-fawāʾid 1 The Text 2 The Provenance 3 Date and Sources 4 A Case of Abridged Borrowing: Kanz al-fawāʾid and Zahr al-ḥadīqa Part II: Medieval Egyptian Food Culture 5 Diet and Formation of a Cuisine 6 What was Cooking in Medieval Cairo? 7 The Culture of Food and Cooking 8 Shopping and Eating Out Part III 9 Medieval Egyptian Cooking as Reflected in the Kanz al-fawāʾid 10 Eating in Good Health Infinite Benefits of Variety at the Table, Containing Twenty-Three Chapters on Cooking Foods, by Various Knowing Experts Chapter 1 Indispensable Instructions For Cooks Chapter 2 How to Knead Bread Dough and Bake It; and Making Varieties of Bread: Enhanced (muṭayyab), Seeded (mubazzar), Salted (mamlūḥ), and More Chapter 3 Measures Taken When Drinking Water, in a muzammal, and Chilled with Ice (thalj maḍrūb) Chapter 4 Qualities of Air-Cooled Water and What the Physicians Said About It Chapter 5 Miscellany of Dishes Chapter 6 Making murrī (Liquid Fermented Sauce), and Preserving Sour Grape Juice (māʾ al-ḥiṣrim) and Lemon Juice (māʾ al-laymūn) Chapter 7 Eggs Cooked as Omelets and Other Dishes Chapter 8 Vegetarian Dishes (muzawwarāt al-buqūl) for the Nourishment of the Sick Chapter 9 All Kinds of Dishes Made with Different Varieties of Fish Chapter 10 Making All Kinds of Sweets (ḥalwā) Chapter 11 Digestive Stomachics (juwārishnāt), Electuaries (maʿājin), and Drinks (ashriba) Offered Before and After the Meal Chapter 12 Making fuqqāʿ (Foamy Beer), and Other Drinks Chapter 13 Dried-Apricot Compote (naqūʿ al-mishmish) Chapter 14 Making Preparations Which Relieve Nausea (adwiyat al-qaraf) Chapter 15 Making Mustard [Condiments], Mild and Pungent Hot Chapter 16 On Making Table Sauces (ṣulūṣāt) Chapter 17 Of Dishes Made with Dairy (albān): kawāmikh (Fermented Condiments), jājaq (Drained-Yogurt Condiment), Condiments with kabar (Capers), and zaʿtar (Thyme), bīrāf (Clotted Cream), and the Like Chapter 18 All Kinds of Pickled Turnips and Onions, Pickling Fruits and Vegetables of All Kinds, and Preserving Lemons, Damascus Citron and the Like, in Salt Chapter 19 Making Cold Dishes (bawārid) Chapter 20 On Aromatics (ṭīb), and the Properties of Toothpicks (khilāl) Made from Willow Wood (ṣafṣāf) and Egyptian Willow Twigs (ʿīdān al-khilāf) Chapter 21 Varieties of Aroma-Diffusing Incense, Which Fortify Spirit and Heart; Aromatizing Pills; Deodorants; and Other Preparations Chapter 22 Top Quality Perfumed Powders (dharāʾir mulūkiyya) and Other Preparations Chapter 23 Storing Fresh Fruits and Keeping Them to Use After Their Season Glossary 1. Beverages for Pleasure and Health 2. Breads, Grains, Pasta, Noodles, and Sweet and Savory Pastries 3. Dairy 4. Desserts, Sweeteners, and Conserves for Pleasure and Health 5. Dishes and Prepared Foods: Main and Side Dishes, Snacks, Condiments, Pickles, Dips, and Table Sauces 6. Fats and Oils 7. Fruits and Nuts 8. Ingredients Used in Foods and Medicinal Preparations: Herbs, Spices, Aromatics, Minerals, Food Colors, and Seasoning Sauces 9. Kitchen and Cooking Implements, and Culinary Techniques and Terms 10. Meat 11. Medical Terms, Medicinal Preparations, and Personal Hygiene and Perfumes 12. Vegetables and Legumes 13. Weights and Measures Appendix Works Cited General Index Index of Ingredients, Dishes, Beverages, Aromatics, and other Preparations Front Matter -- Copyright page -- -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- List of Figures -- Notes on Translating the Text -- Introduction -- Infinite Benefits of Variety at the Table, Containing Twenty-Three Chapters on Cooking Foods, by Various Knowing Experts1 -- -- Indispensable Instructions For Cooks1 -- How to Knead Bread Dough and Bake It; and Making Varieties of Bread: Enhanced (muṭayyab), Seeded (mubazzar), Salted (mamlūḥ), and More -- Measures Taken When Drinking Water, in a muzammal,1 and Chilled with Ice (thalj maḍrūb)2 -- Qualities of Air-Cooled Water and What the Physicians Said About It1 -- Miscellany of Dishes1 -- Making murrī (Liquid Fermented Sauce), and Preserving Sour Grape Juice (māʾ al-ḥiṣrim) and Lemon Juice (māʾ al-laymūn) -- Eggs Cooked as Omelets and Other Dishes -- Vegetarian Dishes (muzawwarāt al-buqūl)1 for the Nourishment of the Sick2 -- All Kinds of Dishes Made with Different Varieties of Fish -- Making All Kinds of Sweets (ḥalwā)1 -- Digestive Stomachics (juwārishnāt), Electuaries (maʻājin), and Drinks (ashriba) Offered Before and After the Meal -- Making fuqqāʻ (Foamy Beer),1 and Other Drinks2 -- Dried-Apricot Compote (naqūʻ al-mishmish) -- Making Preparations Which Relieve Nausea (adwiyat al-qaraf)1 -- Making Mustard [Condiments], Mild and Pungent Hot1 -- On Making Table Sauces (ṣulūṣāt)1,2 -- Of Dishes Made with Dairy (albān): kawāmikh (Fermented Condiments), jājaq (Drained-Yogurt Condiment), Condiments with kabar (Capers), and zaʻtar (Thyme), bīrāf (Clotted Cream), and the Like -- All Kinds of Pickled Turnips and Onions, Pickling Fruits and Vegetables of All Kinds, and Preserving Lemons, Damascus Citron and the Like, in Salt1 -- Making Cold Dishes (bawārid) -- On Aromatics (ṭīb), and the Properties of Toothpicks (khilāl) Made from Willow Wood (ṣafṣāf) and Egyptian Willow Twigs (ʻīdān al-khilāf)1 -- Varieties of Aroma-Diffusing Incense, Which Fortify Spirit and Heart; Aromatizing Pills; Deodorants; and Other Preparations -- Top Quality Perfumed Powders (dharāʾir mulūkiyya) and Other Preparations1 -- Storing Fresh Fruits and Keeping Them to Use After Their Season -- Glossary -- Beverages for Pleasure and Health -- Breads, Grains, Pasta, Noodles, and Sweet and Savory Pastries1 -- Dairy -- Desserts, Sweeteners, and Conserves for Pleasure and Health -- Dishes and Prepared Foods: Main and Side Dishes, Snacks, Condiments, Pickles, Dips, and Table Sauces -- Fats and Oils -- Fruits and Nuts -- Ingredients Used in Foods and Medicinal Preparations: Herbs, Spices, Aromatics, Minerals, Food Colors, and Seasoning Sauces -- Kitchen and Cooking Implements, and Culinary Techniques and Terms -- Meat -- Medical Terms, Medicinal Preparations, and Personal Hygiene and Perfumes1 -- Vegetables and Legumes -- Weights and Measures The Kanz al-fawāʾid fī tanwīʿ al-mawāʾid , a fourteenth-century cookbook, is unique for its variety and comprehensive coverage of contemporary Egyptian cuisine. It includes, in addition to instructions for the cook, a treasure trove of 830 recipes of dishes, digestives, refreshing beverages, and more. It is the only surviving cookbook from a period when Cairo was a flourishing metropolis and a cultural haven for people of diverse ethnicities and nationalities. Now available for the first time in English, it has been meticulously translated and supplemented with a comprehensive introduction, glossary, and 117 color illustrations to initiate readers into the world of the Kanz al-fawāʾid . The twenty-two modern adaptations of Kanz recipes will inspire further experimentations. It is a valuable resource for scholars of medieval material culture, and for all lovers of good food and cookbooks The Kanz al-fawāʼid fī tanwīʻ al-mawāʼid , a fourteenth-century cookbook, is unique for its variety and comprehensive coverage of contemporary Egyptian cuisine. It includes, in addition to instructions for the cook, a treasure trove of 830 recipes of dishes, digestives, refreshing beverages, and more. It is the only surviving cookbook from a period when Cairo was a flourishing metropolis and a cultural haven for people of diverse ethnicities and nationalities. Now available for the first time in English, it has been meticulously translated and supplemented with a comprehensive introduction, glossary, and 117 color illustrations to initiate readers into the world of the Kanz al-fawāʼid . The twenty-two modern adaptations of Kanz recipes will inspire further experimentations. It is a valuable resource for scholars of medieval material culture, and for all loversof good food and cookbooks