Customer Reviews

A Biblical Feast: Foods from the Holy Land

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Have you ever wondered what it was like to live in Biblical times? Or just wanted to try making your own yogurt or unleavened bread? A Biblical Feast gives insight into daily life in the Middle East in Biblical times, foods mentioned throughout the Bible, as well some unique recipes! Highly recommended for something different!!

Moroccan raised cook and cookbook author researches and produces an exceptional cookbook on biblical land cuisine, not to invent any biblical haute extravaganza, but to provide examples of what the Lord and apostles might have dined on.

The layout adorning these recipes and commentary is neat --- it's sort of a faux ancient look and feel, which with the Biblical text quoted with each recipe, creates an unusual and attractive backdrop for this collection.

These are not hard recipes to prepare either technique wise nor ingredients. They are basic and using foodstuffs of that age: lamb and goat and olives and wine and nuts and wheat and beans and spices and leeks, etc.

This is well researched and produced with nice written comments throughout. I've tried several: Flatbread with Cheese and Melon; Barley Gruel with Honey, Dates and Raisins; Pomegranate Honey-Glazed Grilled Fish (unbelievable that tilapia was likely fish of Jesus' choice). They are edible and enjoyable and takes one away from all frills to basics.

This is fascinating book to use and to give as meaningful gift.

Originally stumbled across this gem of a reference/cookbook in the cooking section of the public library. Found it fascinating. In 2000 I used it to plan & prepare "Biblical finger foods" for a Maundy Thursday service at the church I belong to. We served all the foods from handmade pottery and baskets on a bed of palm fronds (from Palm Sunday). Along with the Lenten music program provided by our choir and a slide presentation of the Holy Land narrated by our pastor the Biblical foods were one aspect of a very moving "multi-media" evening for over 100 people. I can't wait to have my own copy.

Now this is a book to be cherished. The author has taken a good amount of time exploring the actual foods from biblical times and creating/discovering recipes that we can all enjoy. This book is great for both the anthropolical reader as well as the gourmand. It is worth owning if this is your area of interest.

I teach religious education at my parish & I wanted to share something with my students that Jesus might have eaten. The book is very interesting & full of history.

This a nicely designed cookbook whose only fault in that it doesn't include photos of any of the recipes, but other than that is quite pretty and has useful information. There is an introductory essay "From the Holy Land to Today's Table". Then there is a dictionary listing of "Foods of the King James Bible" from Anise to Wine (with their botanical and zoological names, 84 food ingredients in total). Then there are the food categories, and recipes using ingredients commonly found Biblical times and/or Middle-Eastern cooking for each category. Each recipe include one or two Bible verses (Hebrew Scriptures and/or New Testament) which illustrate one or more ingredients. SIMPLE DISHES include: Ground Sesame Seed Dip; Leek Dip; Toasted Ground Almond and Sesame Dip; Cumin-Laced Garbanzo Bean Spread; Flatbread and Goat Cheese with Melon; Brine-Cured Seasoned Olives; Bitter Herb Salad; Lentil Salad with Watercress and Goat Cheese; Millet with Saffron and Walnuts; Fresh Fava Bean with Olive Oil and Garlic; Braised Cucumbers and Leeks with Fresh Dill; Fried Fava Beans; Dilled Cucumbers with Olives and Goat Cheese; Leeks with Olive Oil, Vinegar and Mustard Seed; and Squash with Capers and Mint. MAIN DISHES include: Basic Lamb/Beef Stock; Lamb and Lentil Stew; Chicken, Leek, and Garbanzo Bean Stew; Lamb and Fresh Fava Bean Stew; Goat, Squash and Olive Stew; Jacob's Pottage of Lentils, Barley, Mustard Greens and Mint; Barley, Beef and Onion Pottage; Three-Bean Pottage with Wheat Berries; Barley Gruel with Honey, Dates and Raisins; Barley with Lentils and Onions; Pomegranate Honey-Glazed Grilled Fish; Cumin-Rubbed Roasted Lamb; Grilled Sardines with Fish Sauce; and Grilled Quail. BREAD AND DESSERTS include: Sourdough Starter; Ezekiel's Bread; Unleavened Griddle Bread; Leavened Griddle Bread; Harosset (Dried Fruit, Cinnamon and Red Wine Compote); Sundried Raisins; Abigail's Fig Cakes; Apricots with Pomegranate Seeds and Toasted Nuts in Honey Syrup; Almond and Honey-Filled Dates; and Barley Cakes. BASIC AND BEVERAGES include: Goat's Milk Cheese; Homemade Yogurt; Herb-Coated Yogurt Cheese; Grape Honey; Pomegranate Honey; Date Honey; Homemade Red Wine; New Wine (Fresh Grape Juice); Vinegar; and Spiced Pomegranate Wine. Finally the book includes a chapter on Cooking Techniques for quite a few of the ingredients; a chapter on Resources for purchasing specialty ingredients used, and a Bibliography. All in all this is a great gift for those Jewish or Christian cooks who are into historical foods and entertaining!

Contains beautiful illustrations, interesting recipes and meaningful Bible passages. Something from Bible times that we can use in the here and now.

This book was purchased to give away. I have ordered several and they are a treasure to have and a treasure to give as a gift.