Cuisine of Ancient Egypt | History of Egyptian Food, Dining Customs, and Diet

After a long, hard day hauling pyramid stones or wrapping up mummies, an Ancient Egyptian needed a decent meal. But what did the Egyptians eat, exactly? What were their staple crops, ingredients and livestock? How was food celebrated in Egyptian religion, and how different is Ancient Egyptian food from the food of modern Egypt? In this talk, we’ll discover the answers to these questions and more, as we explore the role of food in Ancient Egyptian culture, literature and art.
The speaker, Andrew Coletti, is an educator and lifelong history/mythology/fantasy nerd who has been known to throw ancient dinner parties just for fun. Follow his recreations of ancient recipes on passtheflamingo.com, or @passtheflamingo on Instagram and Twitter. Andrew also published a fantasy novel called The Knife's Daughter through Pink Narcissus Press (2018). Get it here: www.amazon.com/Knifes-Daughte...
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[@NegSteLucie]

God alone knows how may cook books were burbed at the library in Alexandria.

[@dorianphilotheates3769]

Neg Ste. Lucie - Yes, I imagine that if one were to eat a cookbook, “burbing” would be the least of their problems.

[@stickwitu3]

Not even him. Judeo-christian god wasn't around during that time.

[@SvobodovaEva]

Not true, there's plenty of evidence of how and what they cooked, there was even preserved food in some tombs as he says

[@cupanodensetsu2420]

@@SvobodovaEva they probably meant a recipe cook book also there were probably a lot more than what they found l mean like everyday food

[@MsEnglishtea]

Yay! I'm not alone! I love to know about Ancient History Cuisines. I love to learn about battles fought and monarchs that ruled but learning about the old languages and food are my most favourite.

[@NegSteLucie]

That method of diagnosing diabetes is still used in Africa and parts of the Caribbean.

[@hannahfreed9294]

Where my nerdy homies at?

[@SJROCKA]

right here bro!

[@unknown-ci9ho]

Here

[@kemetnubiakamp]

They had "tea" from the bark of the acacia tree that they may have drunk medicinally or socially. Acacias are indigenous African trees. Kemet had tree deities depicting the serving of beverages to the deceased in small cups from several trees and acacia is one. They had the citron which is the ancestor of the lemon. It is depicted among women in New Kingdom wall reliefs. Likely since it's no older than the New Kingdom; it is of foreign origin. And I love horchata so... hmmm... tiger nuts. And I wonder since they had okra how much molokhia may be connected to even Caribbean callaloo which is a stew of a green leaf vegetable with okra and served with rice. Interesting. We have a culinary segment in our camp and you've given us more to think about presenting.

[@katjones222]

Just to add a fun fact: their teeth were worn down because the stone mills used to grind wheat into flour were made from sandstone and so as the flour was being made small particles of sand were constantly being ground into it and were then baked into the bread.

[@SvobodovaEva]

He mentioned it at 16:31

[@user-yn9os7uc1v]

comes across a bit ignorant, especially with the audience laughing at the greatest civilisation to have ever existed

[@kangaroofuno]

I hate when an audience don't take anything seriously. Bunch of sheltered people.

[@daveharmon8674]

The Egyptians didn't know what coffee was. Ya right. The Egyptians traveled the whole world. Artifacts of the Egyptians were even found inside the Grand Canyon.

[@daveharmon8674]

A bit ignorant is right. They even made the Best Lasagna.

[@kkibela]

They don't understand what they are seeing...

[@jonesy1589]

@Rvg racist

[@KenDBerryMD]

Very interesting lecture! So basically Egyptians at lots of grains, veg/lentils, poultry, fish, honey. That's the diet recommended to most of us. But then I see that Egyptian mummies of even the middle class are riddled with plaques in their arteries. What's the connection?

[@lunaflamed]

Plant foods clog the arteries and are unhealthy.

[@dealingthereal6922]

Sarah Lunafire 😂. Okay.

[@WolfgangLizana]

Dealing The Real he’s right. Its the grains & seed oils

[@NegSteLucie]

The wealthy are more flesh than the average person.

[@NegSteLucie]

The cones were very real.

[@XxFarida16xX]

Cooked molokhia is actually not bitter at all! Today we usually mince it and cook it into a savory soup that we eat with rice and chicken or other protein.

[@chickendrawsdogs3343]

Mummified meat = thousand-year old jerky?

[@NerdNite]

yuk!

[@SvobodovaEva]

4 thousand

[@jossuegarza215]

Lmfao!!

[@anncbower5564]

The topography of the river Nile, upper Egypt was higher in elevation than the delta - lower Egypt. That’s why the river Nile flowed from south to north.

[@anthonylynch1407]

He said the beer is still made in Africa today.

[@The_Becomings]

I love how he teaches his people appreciation for my peoples culture. Thank you, brother.

[@kangaroofuno]

Why is the audience laughing?

[@itssnoopy333]

I promise you I only went to the comments to look for this ✌️🙏

[@taheelur1]

It's Snoopy Ok.

[@hericaneves7308]

I thought that, like whats funny?

[@kangaroofuno]

@@taheelur1 "It's snoopy ok." Can you please clarify your comment?

[@sknmc35]

i know right! nothing was funny.. also i dont think he talked much about cuisine.. it was just basic food stuff..

[@kingofearth777]

That's false the blacks were everywhere not only in Egypt

[@UVtec]

I am so disappointed he did not use Papyrus font for his presentation. Such a wasted opportunity!

[@rendonschannel1683]

Does that matter?

[@rendonschannel1683]

@ if you are nitpicky or artistic,we'll, I'm not.

[@-Minuano-]

rendon belizard woooooooshhhhhhhh.

[@kingofearth777]

The technology they had back then was way better than what we have right now

[@RenadoMalo]

Buy they couldn’t grind wheat efficiently without bits of sandstone throughout their flour and breads

[@oneofyou6773]

The translation of molokhia is Jews Mallow, or Nali Saag, or edewu, or Jute potherb. It's baby jute. Yesو the same ''jute'' as in a jute bag. Egyptians will be up in arms if you say this to them as they think it's grown solely in Egypt. It's known all over Africa by many names and is eaten in some parts of the sub-Indian continent, too. In the UK, I buy it from Bengal stores or Kenyan shops.

[@nourhanelshafaay1667]

I am Egyptian and I know all about ancient Egypt so pretty much it I will subscribe to your channel

[@Regalman]

You are arab not egyptian

[@Regalman]

@Arminius Egypt is African with many shades black and brown. no arab not white not chinese not mexican

[@Regalman]

@Arminius but greece conquered egypt a couple of times and of course race mixing happened after but that was after the decline of egypt. just facts

[@Regalman]

@Arminius also arabs worship one god! egyptian worshipped many. arabic as a written language is no where on temples. Sudan and Egypt have African images and scripts all over. DO YOU RESEARCH and stop listening to a random white person lol

[@Regalman]

@Arminius LOL you are whitewashing egyptian history just look at the paintings idiot.You are living a lie.

[@EvilSmonker]

Lmao the audience just laughs at some odd moments.

[@yourdaddyonceler1239]

Laugh tracks are creepy. Lmfao.

[@hanaini]

He doesn't know Egypt's history at all.

[@LifeisAisha]

The speaker contradicts himself. He stated Egyptions didn't eat corn yet they drink it as beer. Whether it's eating or drinking - they did consume it. Good content though - appreciate the presentation. Based on that contradiction, however I would heavily question his research.

[@LV-426...]

Nice remark! However, they had even in ancient Rome grains that were translated as corn in English later on. Of course he needs to be more aware of this when speaking to modern audiences. But the truth is that their beer wasn't brewed out of modern corn. It's the same thing with beans. Ancients were eating Fava Beans. We, on the other hand, are most familiar with beans brought from the Americas. In many manuscripts they are simply translated as just beans. But they are still two different plants.

[@LifeisAisha]

@@LV-426... thanks for your comment - I appreciate your thoughts / insight.

[@ronaldj5070]

What's so weird about the Nile flowing into the Ocean don't all rivers flow into the Ocean?

[@user-lf4yh7cy9n]

It's considered weird because it flows from South to North, most rivers are from north to south

[@SvobodovaEva]

Nile doesn't flow into the ocean, it flows into the Mediterranean sea

[@ronaldj5070]

@@SvobodovaEva so long ago why did I get this now?

[@yeshazion4098]

The Mediterranean Diet Of course❤💪❤

[@MeryraPepi_]

Pepi II 11:30

[@sknmc35]

yessss

[@psatinstormyrahchelzeruiah9615]

That's interesting I always imagined them as pestatarian they show pictures of them very lean not that ,that matters much

[@jenniferogormanarafa8920]

The “dates” you mention look more like the Duom nut the Egyptians eat today.

[@jeffaholics2289]

You need to eat mulukhiyeh ASAP

[@reggea4ever]

Is it good?

[@reggea4ever]

@nurhann pls send me a link 😁

[@reggea4ever]

@nurhann im not vegan but i would still like to try it 😁

[@dorianphilotheates3769]

Jeff Aholics - A dish so singularly unpopular among the Greeks that any mention of it is taken as a vicious personal affront. You’re right, though - the Egyptian version is very good.

[@jeffaholics2289]

Dorian Philotheates I didn’t even know they ate mulukhiyeh in Greece!

[@mgray999]

I don't know why they laughed at the ants and diabetes part.

[@meethuula]

"horchata" *audience laughs* 😂 ohh college.

[@00GreyEyedGirl00]

did they harvest potatoes?

[@cashargis6950]

That the Ancient Egyptians didn't have access to foods from the Americas is actually not true. We have some evidence that they had some trade with the Americas, or at least traded with other cultures who had trade with the Americas as Ancient Egyptian mummies have been found with tobacco and coca, both of which are stimulants only grown in the Americas. It's entirely possible there was exotic food traded along with the drugs. Maybe even some transfer of technologies and other goods that we just haven't found evidence of yet. If you find this sort of thing interesting you should check out the Tarim mummies of China for some really exciting evidence of long distance travel and trade almost 2,000 years before the establishment of The Silk Road.

[@SvobodovaEva]

That's really interesting, thanks for the information. But I think he isn't exactly wrong, those things would most likely be available only to the very privileged, right?

[@jstantongood5474]

Many African felines exhibit canine like behaviours. So this isn't so strange.

[@jstantongood5474]

@Lafayette Williams omg 🤣 apparently it was so popular in Germany that parliament had to legally bann it. It was against the canine rights of the animal.😳😳😳

[@kingofthebeast4024]

I mean, they had domestic cats like the ones we have, they just trained them

[@eurocatscanada]

@@kingofthebeast4024exactly

[@kkibela]

This is really cool but he kind of skipped over the part where Greece invaded Egypt and burnt all the info they could find in order to claim the knowledge as their own.. Also have he only way that dude was hunting with a cat is telepathy.. So there's that Also.. There are Egyptian geese near me and all the other animals treat them like the royal family Also they were obsessed with death because they knew it wasn't the end... Its like being obsessed with rocket ships or planes because it taking you some where else

[@saandyy900]

The Romans burned it all, not the Greeks

[@angelinap7898]

Not the Greeks!! The Roman's...

[@NegSteLucie]

Telepathy? Really dude? Ease off on the science fiction and fantasy novels.

[@scheduledmaintanence1616]

Oooh and add the Islamic betrayal that occurred in 600’s

[@christianh4723]

All the "info" and that massive compilation of knowledge wouldn't have existed in the first place if it wasn't for the Greek dynasties who built and maintained the library at Alexandria. History is not as hard as you're making it for yourself. Then again, you believe in telepathy...

[@florrie8767]

I would have thought they would eat fruit.

[@GFSLombardo]

So does the RHINE...(not weird) Mr. Colleti is described as an "ancient food historian" and studied "Classics" in college. Academics, real or self invented, often like to "break the ice" and do stand up comedy schtick during their lectures. This is in the hope that by being funny, charming, self effacing and not "boring", the audience of "ordinary people" will not hate them because of their "massively superior intellect".(LMAO) Its the scholarly equivalent of the beautiful movie goddess being required to occasionally look foolish or "plain" in her movie, as if to say to the audience: "please do not hate me because I am so beautiful. I am really an ordinary person just like you-----almost"..

[@SvobodovaEva]

You're silly

[@egyptiangirl3105]

True Africa hair features.

[@legatushedlius]

No chickens until Roman times.

[@XxxXxx-vg1ux]

forgot to mention the ancient egyptians where black but modern historians wouldnt want us knowing that...;)

[@kingofearth777]

Also, the Egyptians documented everything the caucasians burned all the documentations

[@douglashagan65]

But we're looking at the Egyptian diet which is consists of carbohydrates and grains versus the protein diet of the caveman

[@longgroove]

So much opinion here... the arrogance is staggering.

[@yourdaddyonceler1239]

The Bible explains Egypt very well.

[@ShoppinBagLoso]

Tilipia??? 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@numbersletters2920]

Christianity forms a origin on what Christians would accept into there diets from other cusines the Bible is basises of some cusine nd diets dine on. Origin of one,s morals on cusine is as vital as any origin.

[@kingofthebeast4024]

Idiocy???🤣🤣🤣

[@supportnetwork7005]

"The Nile flowed weird, down up" and "they didn't have a lot of resources". 😅 So wrong this guy is.

[@oliviahope3728]

How could they have made butter?? I think he made that up for his recipe lol Also it was proven that ancient Egyptians were vegetarian

[@droopsmoop]

Don't you just churn a bunch of milk until you get butter? Doesn't seem too complicated for Egyptians to figure out.

[@PM_____]

they were pescatarians

[@bustingbubbles4025]

No, that's bullshit. They ate meat too, and you can see the pictures proving it on the temple walls in Egypt. I was there and saw many such depictions myself.

[@kingofthebeast4024]

Explain the images of Egyptians hunting hippopotamuses

[@jermainehnbhwalls822]

Ancient black people

[@jermainehnbhwalls822]

@ϥⲣⲁⲟⲛ what you go do Fuck boi

[@scheduledmaintanence1616]

ϥⲣⲁⲟⲛ explain the ankh petroglyph In South Africa added to the thousands of cultural similarities spreading further?

[@bustingbubbles4025]

@@scheduledmaintanence1616 care to be more specific or a link to show it? or is this statement just more circle jerking and an attempt at cultural appropriation?

[@kingofthebeast4024]

@ϥⲣⲁⲟⲛ you lost all credibility with that last comment

[@niteshpandey6711]

ROMAN AND GREEK write ABOUT FOOD, HAVE YOU READ ENY BOOK WRITEN BY GREEK OR ROMAN, NO ONE HAD, IT IS JUST SAID TO BE A COPY. IN REAL THE WESTEN COUNTRY DOES NOT HAVE ENY CULTURE, FOOD, LANGUAGE, ALL ARE INDIAN OR ARABIC.. EVEN THE RELIGION THEY HAVE SEE WHAT NAME THEY HAVE IT IS ALL ARABIC FROM THE JEWS CULTURE.

[@XDMASE]

Lol when he says the wigg. No that was their real beautifull hair

[@Regalman]

it was a wigg

[@bustingbubbles4025]

Stop Lol'ing and get educated. They wore wigs. The museums are open again so why don't you go have a look.

[@mazaislielais23]

Egiptyans never claimed they built piramyds yet he claims that he knows what food workers ate when they built piramyds!!

[@teegreenburg]

Intars Noviks you cant even spell pyramids lol

[@mazaislielais23]

@@teegreenburg 😅

[@NegSteLucie]

Yeah, I guess your granny built em smh

[@NegSteLucie]

Kemet, Great Ancient Black African civilization!

[@bustingbubbles4025]

Kemet, which means black earth as opposed to deshret, red earth of the desert. That word has nothing to do with skin color. Many of them were indeed dark skinned, though.

[@evag4535]

@@bustingbubbles4025it had every bit to do with skin color…they were black Africans….look they represented themselves as dark skinned, frizzy hair people….that’s black African…..

[@Kemet3.0]

Actually you mean ancient Kemet. "Land of Blacks" adding the the km.t, people. Kemet was the mix of the Horn of Africa, Sudan and West Africa. Ancient Kemet/Egypt came 2500 years before the Greeks,Romans and Arabs. Again you must clarify that was the era of the African culture. Even ancient Kemet/Egyptian face for hieroglyphics was a African face. Dance, Music and culture that was all from African culture the Greek, Ptolemaic/Roman era had nothing like that.

[@98superstar41]

This guy needs to get his facts straight,corn is present in the Bible in frequent associations with Egypt,many many times over...

[@SnowstormBurning]

Hi there-I’m the presenter. The corn referenced in the Bible is not the plant most commonly known as corn or maize today (Zea mays), which comes from the Americas and was not known in Europe before the Spanish conquest of Mexico. “Corn” used to be used as a generic term for any type of grain. You will also see older English translations of Roman literature referring to “corn” when they really mean wheat or barley. Similarly, “apple” used to be a generic term for any type of fruit.

[@pinchevulpes]

Asushunamir bless your heart for not going in on this kid.

[@Master_Blackthorne]

98 Superstupid: You are an ignoramus if you go to the Bible for facts. There was no Moses, no Exodus and Canaan was occupied by Egypt.

[@Myrcella_Rykker]

Corn is an old time way of referring to the main type of grain in that region of the world. "Corn" is called Maize in all corners of the world except in the U.S.A. So I am assuming your live in the US and are using the Bible as reference. Please read up on some history in actual non religious non fiction books. Knowledge is a powerful resource

[@listenup2882]

@@Master_Blackthorne the bible contains tons of historical fact smarty pants.