Ancient Egyptian Food For the Wealthy. When the clay was then cracked open and removed, it took the prickly spikes with it. To learn more, click here for our comprehensive guide to Ancient Egypt. [4], The baking techniques varied over time. Falafel, or ta'ameya as we call it in Egypt, is an all-time favorite street food. Mice and hedgehogs were also eaten and a common way to cook the latter was to encase a hedgehog in clay and bake it. [2], Food could be prepared by stewing, baking, boiling, grilling, frying, or roasting. This possibly included partridge, quail, pigeon, ducks and geese. All rights reserved. Today this Egyptian green soup is considered to be a national Egyptian dish along with Kusheri and Ful. When the river flooded, mud and silt was deposited onto the surrounding area. [15][16][17], A 14th century book translated and published in 2017 lists 10 recipes for sparrow which was eaten for its aphrodisiac properties. Food such as meats was mostly preserved by salting, and dates and raisins could be dried for long-term storage. Geese, ducks, pigeons and quail were also quite common. Before the food was served, basins were provided along with aromatics and cones of scented fat were lit to spread pleasant smells or to repel in… Beer was such an important part of the Egyptian diet that it was even used as currency. Meat and Dairy in Ancient Egyptian Food. Fruits were figs and sycamore. The fish was dried and salted, fried or boiled. It was then dried in the sun, winnowed and sieved and finally milled on a saddle quern, which functioned by moving the grindstone back and forth, rather than with a rotating motion. Crocodile-shaped loaves were common because the crocodile was seen as a symbol of good luck in ancient Egypt, according to the ''Egypt Independent.'' The concoction was often shaped into decorative loaves. Site created in November 2000. Poor Egyptians only ate meat on special occasions but ate fish and poultry more often. Vegetables and legumes also played a very important role in ancient Egyptian cuisine. The main staple of the commoner was bread. [3], Foie gras, a well-known delicacy which is still enjoyed today, was invented by the ancient Egyptians. As popular as tiger nuts were, bread and beer formed the true bedrock of ancient Egyptian cuisine. A number of pulses and legumes such as peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas were vital sources of protein. The staples of both poor and wealthy Egyptians were bread and beer, often accompanied by green-shooted onions, other vegetables, and to a lesser extent meat, game and fish. The poor Egyptians didn’t eat meat that often, but did eat poultry and fish. The goddess Hathor was often invoked during feasts. From grains like emmer and kamut to cloudy beer and honey-basted gazelle, this week’s Hungry History focuses on the meals of ancient Egypt. Men and women were separated unless they were married. First the grain was made into flour. The technique of gavage, cramming food into the mouth of domesticated ducks and geese, dates as far back as 2500 BC, when the Egyptians began keeping birds for food. Yes No No Preference. Fish, poultry and meat were boiled or roasted and they used a number of seasonings for flavor, including salt, cumin, pepper, fennel, dill, sesame and coriander. Considered a luxury food, meat was not regularly consumed in ancient Egypt. Fish was the most common type of flesh eaten in Egypt, since the Nile provided good fishing. AD 477–1500 Börek – known from 14th century Persia in a poem by Bushaq-i-Atima, although it may be far older. [3], Egyptian bread was made almost exclusively from emmer wheat, which was more difficult to turn into flour than most other varieties of wheat. [18], Honey was the primary sweetener, but was rather expensive. Poultry and fish caught from the Nile were commonly eaten by all ancient Egyptians. Vegetables were eaten as a complement to the ubiquitous beer and bread; the most common were long-shooted[check spelling] green scallions and garlic but both also had medical uses. Recent evidence suggests that barley malt may also have been used in the process. And part of that progress, is traditional Egyptian food. Although this allowed the flour to be p… Unlike vegetables, which were grown year-round, fruit was more seasonal. The ancient Egyptians did mead way before any Europeans tried it out. The grains were first grounded into flour, a job usually carried out by women. They also had fruits, vegetables, lamb, and goats for food. While not all ancient Egyptian fare suits a menu for children, enough foods remain familiar today to put together an Egyptian snack buffet. 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