Download Radishes, choriander, cabbages, endive [7], cucumbers

Ancient Egyptian Foods from www.touregypt.net website
Meats - Meat, while daily fare on the tables of the rich, was eaten by the poor on festive
occasions only if at all. Apart from game hunted in the Delta or desert, people kept various
kinds of domesticated animals, some exclusively as sources of meat, such as geese, some breeds
of cattle and, until the New Kingdom, Oryx antelopes for temple offerings.
Every kind of meat was prepared in its own way, some boiled as stew, or roasted. One specific
cut of beef for instance was called "roast".
Beef from cattle was frequently eaten by the rich, but appeared on the tables of common people
usually only during festive occasions, when a sheep or goat might be slaughtered. We also see
from tomb paintings, the preparation of wild game such as antelope, ibex, gazelles and deer.
Pork was eaten, though the animal was associated with the evil god Seth. Early on it was widely
consumed in Lower Egypt, but rarely in Upper Egypt. Yet we know that pigs were later bred
and pork widely eaten throughout Egypt.
Fish Some fish were shunned by the Egyptians because of their taste, but otherwise there were
few restrictions as to their consumption. Perch, catfish, carps, mullets and eels were especially
important. Tilapia, elephant-snout fish, tiger fish, moon fish and many others were also eaten.
Bread - The dough was made of flour, water and leaven - either some sour dough left over from
the previous day or some leaven from the last brewing of beer - and was left to rise in warm
moulds [3] and then baked in closed ovens [1]. During the New Kingdom ovens big enough to
bake several loaves simultaneously came into use. These ovens often had ceramic steps on the
inside and their outside was covered with clay. Round imprints made with jar openings
prevented cracks forming in this outer layer.
Sesame seeds, honey, fruit such as dates, butter, eggs, oil and herbs were often added to the
dough to flavor the bread. In the first millennium BCE yeast came into use, instead of the
sourdough. Over forty varieties of bread and cake were made in the New Kingdom.
Bread was often used as a synonym for food and hospitality
At first, and really for even later common consumption, bread was usually cooked in the shape
of a pancake. However, later bread was made in long or round rolls, and sometimes even shaped
into figures, particularly for ceremonial purposes. Large, soft griddle cakes were also made,
just as in Nubia today. Sometimes thick loves were made, with a hollow center that was then
filled with beans, vegetables or other items. Sometimes flat bread was made with raised edges
in order to hold eggs, or other fillings.
Eventually, bread was made with various other ingredients, but there was no distinction
between bread and pastries. Yet bread was often sweetened with honey or dates, or flavored
with sesame, aniseed or fruit.
Nuts and Peas - Obviously, even for the poor, other items such as vegetables, fruit and fish
were consumed, all gifts of the Nile. They often ate beans, chick peas, lentils and green peas,
just as modern Egyptians do today. Leeks and Egyptian lettuce was also popular. garlic were
eaten, as well as thought to repel agents of diseases, and onions were popular, as well as being
used for medical purposes
We know that figs were eaten, but mostly from illustrations and references. Grapes were
popular when available, and were also sun-dried to make raisins. We have even found a watermelons in the New Kingdom tomb of Nebseni. Olives were probably bought into Egypt.
While milk, cheese and butter are not well attested to, at least in text, we certainly believe that
the early Egyptians were familiar with all of these dairy products. We do find a number of
scenes showing men carrying what appears to be pots of milk or cream, and in one Theban
tomb from the 19th dynasty, we find a seated woman pulling white cones of what is probably
butter or cheese out of a large vessel.
Fats and Oil - There were also a number of different oils and fat used in the preparation of
food. We know of beef, goat and other fats, and the Egyptian language had 21 different names
for vegetable oils obtained from sesame, caster-oil plants, flax seed, radish seed, horseradish,
safflower and colocynth. Horseradish oil was particularly popular. Oil and fat was mostly used
for frying meat and vegetables, though food was also cooked in milk or butter.
Seasonings and Sweeteners - Sea salt, because of its connection to the evil Seth, was not
consumed but salt from the Siwa Oasis was available. Pepper, however, only appears from the
Greek period, but other spices were also used, including aniseed, cinnamon, coriander, cumin,
dill, fennel, fenugreek, marjoram, mustard and thyme.
Sugar itself does not appear in the Egyptian diet until late in history, though honey was used by
the rich for a sweetener, but was probably too expensive for the poor. Common people used
various fruits as sweeteners, though the most popular seems to have been dates.
Without doubt, because of Egypt's rich soil and lush vegetation, the rich of Egypt probably
always ate well, even during times of draught. In the worst of times, common people probably
suffered to some extent, but mostly they were probably fed well, though not as lavishly as the
rich. Banquets were frequent, as were various festivals and other celebrations, and at these
times, it is likely that everyone enjoyed the bounty of the Black Land. In fact, it is likely that
their superior nutrition had much to do with their success in the ancient world.