Treasure Trove of Benefits and Variety at the Table

The Kanz al-faw id f tanw al-maw id, 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-faw id. 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.