Cooking with the Bible: Biblical Food, Feasts, and Lore - Hardcover

Chiffolo, Anthony; Hesse, Rayner

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0313334102 ISBN 13: 9780313334108

Publisher: Bloomsbury 3PL, 2006

Since biblical times, the Judeo-Christian lifestyle has centered on meals. Extending hospitality to both friends and strangers was a divine command, and an invitation to dine was sacred. The Judeo-Christian bible is peppered with stories of meals; these range from simple meals put together quickly in order to feed a few unexpected guests, to elaborate feasts carefully prepared to please dozens of partygoers for many days. Cooking with the Bible looks at eighteen of these meals found in the Scriptures, providing full menus and recipes for re-creating some of the dishes enjoyed by the peoples of biblical times. While describing how ancient cooks prepared their foods, Cooking with the Bible also explains how contemporary cooks might use modern techniques and appliances to prepare each of the meals. In addition, the authors recount the lore of all the ingredients used in the book, detailing their origins, the history of their cultivation, their nutritional value, and their various uses. To set the scene for each meal, the book examines the scriptural text in detail, describes the backstory for each, and, in the process, traces Judeo-Christian history from the ancient city of Ur to the lands of Egypt to the holy city of Jerusalem. Along the way, the reader will learn about the history of the bible itself. In the Middle East, eating was not and is not for daily sustenance alone-it is a way of life, and Cooking with the Bible reflects that reality, providing multiple feasts for the body, mind, and spirit. Each chapter begins with the menu for a biblical feast. A brief essay describing the theological, historical, and cultural significance of the feast follows. Next come separate recipes for the dishes served in the meal, followed by more commentary on the dish itself, preparation methods used in biblical times, how the dish was served, and the lore surrounding individual ingredients and dishes. Recipes for a wide variety of breads, stews, rice and lentil dishes, lamb, goat, fish and venison meals, vegetable salads and cakes are detailed, all of them carefully tested. Make delicious dishes such as Rice of Beersheba, Rebekah's Tasty Lamb Stew, Date and Walnut Bread, Ful Madames and Scrambled Eggs, Pistachio Crusted Sole, Bamya, Goat's Milk and Pomegranate Syrup Torte, Haroset a la Greque, Pesach Black Bread, Watermelon Soup with Ginger and Mint, Date Manna Bread, Oven-baked Perch with Tahini, Braided Challah with Poppy Seeds and Lemon, and Friendship Cake.

Review:

"In an effort to describe thousands of years of food preparation as related in the Bible, religion writers Anthony F. Chiffolo and Rayner W. Hesse Jr. (also an accomplished chef) have created the massive Cooking With the Bible, Biblical Food, Feasts and Lore. This comprehensive encyclopedia explores not only the biblical stories revolving around 18 meals found in the scriptures, but examines the role of food and fellowship during that time. The book provides full menus and recipes and includes the lore behind ingredients such as St. Peter's Fish and various herbs." - The Times of Acadiana

"Highly original and comprehensive....Scintilating conversation is essential to enjoyable dining and Cooking with the Bible nicely lays the groundwork for this....[s]et time aside to work with this book, and make cooking with the Bible a special occasion." - Social Justice and Faith Magazine/TheSocialEdge.com

"No. The Bible is not a cookbook. However, its history is a great source for culinary research. Performing this research was Anthony F. Chiffolo, Editorial Director of Praeger Publishers and prolific author and Rayner W. Hesse, Jr., an Episcopal priest. They titled their interesting compilation, Cooking with the Bible. Mediterranean cooking is exciting due a bold use of fruits, nuts and wheats with vegetables and some meat. The areas recommended wines are paired with each meal.This is healthy eating!" - foodsiteoftheday.com

"Here's a fresh approach to the Bible, serving up a new understanding of the call to hospitality. With the holiday seasons approaching and hostesses' thoughts turning to welcoming guests, the new book Cooking with the Bible-Biblical Food, Feasts, and Lore has much to offer." - Pittsburgh Catholic

"Five Stars The book is full of interesting facts....[i]t does stay true to its title by providing a host of recipes for dishes that are sure to wow your guests (or at least stimulate conversation). Can you say theme party?" - families.com

"Cooking with the Bible presents 18 meals found in the Scriptures, along with complete menus and recipes for re-creating some of the foods enjoyed by people in biblical times. Sixteen of these menus are for dinner, one for a noontime meal (from the story of Ruth) and one breakfast (Jesus cooking for the disciples on the shore of Lake Genessaret). These meals include Entertaining Angels Unawares, A Birthright Worth Beans, All for a Father's Blessing, King David's Nuptials, A Meal in the Wilderness and the Prodigal Son Returns....[e]xtremely well-researched and informational. Chiffolo and Hesse spent three years researching and testing recipes. The reader will learn not only biblical history and cooking methods of the past, but will feel part of the history as well when they read the story behind each meal." - mywesttexas.com

"In Cooking with the Bible, Hesse and Chiffolo have taken 18 Bible stories in which food is an important element and created recipes and, in some cases, entire menus to pair with them. To create the recipes, they extensively researched ancient and contemporary Mideast cooking, filling in textual gaps with their imagination. A hefty section in the back examines the lore of biblical ingredients, cooking methods and ancient weights and measures. The authors have included some humorous additions (Angel Food Cake) to keep the book from taking itself too seriously." - The Bismark Tribune

"Potluck dinners are a part of congregational life, so why not delve a little deeper to the biblical origins of food? In Cooking with the Bible: Biblical Food, Feasts and Lore, authors Anthony F. Chiffolo and Rayner W. Hesse Jr. explore 18 meals found in the Scriptures, spicing the accounts with tidbits of background information." - Topeka Capital-Journal (Kansas)

"Since biblical times, the Judeo-Christian lifestyle has centered on meals. Extending hospitality to both friends and strangers was a divine command and an invitation to dine was sacred. The Judeo-Christian bible is peppered with stories of meals. These range from simple meals put together quickly in order to feed a few unexpected guests, to elaborate feasts carefully prepared to please dozens of partygoers for many days. Cooking with the Bible explores 18 of these meals found in Scripture, providing full menus and recipes for re-creating some of the dishes enjoyed by the peoples of biblical times. Each chapter begins with the menu for a biblical feast. A brief essay describes the theological, historical, and cultural significance of the feast. Recipes for a wide variety of breads, stews, rice and lentil dishes, lamb, goat, fish and venison meals, vegetable salads and cakes are detailed, all of them carefully tested." - The Asheville Citizen-Times (North Carolina)

"This meticulously arranged cookbook is the brainchild of Chiffolo, editorial director of Praeger Publishers, and Hesse, a chef and ordained Episcopal priest....A chronology and maps precede 18 biblically inspired menus, which make up Part 1. The passages from which the menus are derived were taken from six different translations of the Bible (whichever one presented the most information about the meal). Notes are given where appropriate. Many wonderful, easy-to-follow recipes illustrate the care that was taken to explore the tastes and traditions of the Middle East, including Egyptian Caraway Seed Bread (eesh baladi ), Roast Quail with Apricots and Pecans, and Ground Lamb with Potatoes and Tomatoes (Kufta ). Part 2, The Lore of the Ingredients, is a culinary dictionary, religious reference, and historical analysis in one. The book finishes with an appendix for biblical weights and measures and separate recipe and subject indexes....Recommended for most public libraries and academic libraries with strong religious or culinary studies programs." - Library Journal

Synopsis:

Since biblical times, the Judeo-Christian lifestyle has centred on meals. Extending hospitality to both friends and strangers was a divine command, and an invitation to dine was sacred. The Bible is full of accounts of meals; from simple affairs put together quickly in order to feed a few unexpected guests, to elaborate feasts carefully prepared to please dozens of partygoers for many days. "Cooking with the Bible" looks at eighteen of these meals found in the Bible, providing full menus and recipes for re-creating some of the dishes enjoyed by the peoples of biblical times. While describing how ancient cooks prepared their foods, "Cooking with the Bible" also explains how contemporary cooks might use modern techniques and appliances to prepare each of the eighteen meals. In addition, the authors recount the lore of all the ingredients used in the book, detailing their origins, the history of their cultivation, their nutritional value, and their various uses.

To set the scene for each meal, the book examines the scriptural text in detail, describes the background for each, and, in the process, traces Judeo-Christian history from the ancient city of Ur to the lands of Egypt to the holy city of Jerusalem. Along the way, the reader will learn about the history of the Bible itself.

• Publisher: Bloomsbury 3PL
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0313334102
• ISBN 13: 9780313334108
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 412