Newly live on ckbk on publication day Egypt: Recipes and Stories from an Ancient Land is a gorgeously written book, an invitation to enter into Egyptian culinary heritage and its home kitchens, explore, try, and savor dishes from one of the world’s oldest civilizations now adapted for the modern cook.

He writes evocatively about dishes that are familiar, and those that are unexpected and exciting. Writing of the mixtures of influences that form the diaspora experience, Omar references recipes from Suzanne and Rawah’s new book, and across ckbk. He also shows how the depth of content on the site is an invaluable tool in the search for culinary knowledge of all kinds. A beautiful piece about his particular journey, the article has universal resonance.

If you are in the UK and looking for more foodie events, there are a few live events coming up you might want to check out. The authors of Egypt (see above) are in conversation about their gorgeous book on September 17 at The Kitchen Table, a specialist culinary bookshop in Shaftesbury, Dorset. And on October 14 they will be at Divertimenti cookshop in Knightsbridge.

The fig tree is a descendent of a wild tree, and the bulb-shaped fruit is actually a structure containing almost 1,500 tiny fruits, which are normally thought of as the seeds. Cultivated first in Egypt or Arabia probably between 4000 and 2700 BC—figs have been found on early wall paintings and have been eaten both fresh and dried since Roman times.