Egypt's 28 Ingredient Hummus

[@JonahIronstone]

"Can you do this by hand? Yes! Should you do this by hand? NO!" That pretty much sums up 90% of experimental archaeology.

[@RambleOn07]

Looking at all of that horrible arthritis from doing it by hand is the best cure for being a try hard.

[@loke6664]

@@RambleOn07 True, but sometimes it might be worth to try things like that. You do get a rather different taste when crushing things by hand then using a modern mixer. Not in this specific case but when working with spices and herbs. Just compare pressing garlic and cutting it in small pieces with a knife, it do have a different taste in food. So in many cases, trying both ways can be worth it, if the mechanical way works as well then go for it but it can be dangerous to assume it will be the same (or as dangerous as it can get to get slightly less tasty food at least). Grinding flour by hand should be avoided at all costs though. most arthritis cam from that. It is insanely labor intensive.

[@l.m.2404]

It seems to me that the author of the recipe book would have written about the most modern usage of ingredients, tools, methods as he knew of at the time of writing. If he was alive today and writing the same recipes, he would use a food processor. *)

[@SombreroPharoah]

You can make butter in 3-4 minutes with your hands though. Just keep your cream and (obvs clean) hands room temp warm and swizzle your fingers a la whisk (tbf can be quote casually done) in the cream and once it's seperated, pick up the butter and squidge out the buttermilk to use for something else. Add a pinch of salt to flavour and help preserve it, you can also add herbs at this point if you want ready garlic butter for ex. For preservation sake also, try n be as thorough as possible getting the buttermilk out as that'll sour fair quick, but a bit left in does make flavour good if used sooner. Which for 3 mins, why not? This is jpw Iron Age butter was done anywho.

[@SombreroPharoah]

@@loke6664 food processors blitz out a ton of the aromatic components. Always for pestle and mortar if spices, garlic etc.

[@Lauren.E.O]

Stories of people pretending to be sick just so they could get better food is completely fair and entirely relatable

[@jonjohns8145]

Back then, because people believed in balancing the body's humors, Hospital food was actually very good food since most hospitals (unlike in Europe) were Well funded by the state. So yeah, I can totally see that.

[@batt3ryac1d]

@@jonjohns8145 a good hospital nowadays still has decent food cause a good attitude definitely helps with getting better. No idea about American ones maybe if you have good insurance lol.

[@jonjohns8145]

@@batt3ryac1d Even if you have good insurance it's still terrible.

[@gigivarnum]

I mean, I'd do that now, except I cook for myself LOL

[@NeeneeH]

I work at a hospital and we get it all the time

[@jadenyager4007]

I had a thought on why he was so stern about a designated onion knife. They didn’t have the pristine stainless steel knives we have today, they had rougher materials, more porous surfaces, and less abrasive ways of cleaning them. Onions and garlic have very strong lingering scents and tastes. If you were to just chop an onion or some garlic, then turn around and cut up a fruit for dessert, your dessert now tastes of onions! He probably kept them separate to avoid cross contamination

[@1810jeff]

That and garlic and onions patina steel which was a problem because their knives were made from carbon steel but most kitchen knives today have chromium mixed in which makes them resistant to rusting or growing a patina. Patinas on knives don't cause any issues but they might have seen it as damaging to the steel.

[@lisaroy2144]

wrong!

[@OptimusSatanas]

@@lisaroy2144 How enlightening your comment is (blowhard).

[@Amm1ttai]

That was my thought too.

[@DraconiusDragora]

It also falls into the aspect that you have a knife for different jobs. Like you should not use the same knife that cuts raw fish, to cut vegetables or such.

[@xaandr8796]

People of the Near East: "Wow, this hummus stuff is nutritious, delicious, and simple to make!" Egyptians: "Hold my fuqqa"

[@TheChzoronzon]

that was fuqqad up

[@kevinaguilar9454]

Bravo 😂

[@MrArthoz]

"It will come out good, God willing." Thanks. That's a very useful disclaimer to use in almost anything.

[@HeyNonyNonymous]

I assume the origin text uses the phrase einshalla, which is very common, at least in modern Arabic. It's so common I don't think most speakers even consider its religious meaning when they say it. Like an English person might use "thank god", or, closer in meaning, a Hebrew speaker might say "be'ezrat hashem" (with god's help).

[@ThexXxXxOLOxXxXx]

@@HeyNonyNonymous We do contemplation it's meaning actually.

[@foamer443]

Good Lord willin' and the creek don't rise.

[@bodyofhope]

In Christianity, we would say "God willing" because we're not meant to plan bc God is in control of our plans. So we submit the outcome of our hopes over to God knowing He's working all things out for good even if it's not how we thought it would be. So we say God willing, to emphasize our surrender to God's sovereignty over our lives. I imagine it's a similar reason for Muslims.

[@Ashraf-Hrira]

@@bodyofhope he might not be Muslims Egypt had and still has a very large Christian minority

[@charlottekidd2301]

its cool to see something about egypt that isnt strictly ancient egypt ( like pyramid times and stuff) as this medieval egypt is something i rarely see much about.

[@manetho5134]

The Mamluk period in Egypt

[@badgoy534]

@@manetho5134 Fatimid actually

[@manetho5134]

@@badgoy534 he said 14th century Egypt which means the 1300s, that is the Mamluk period, which lasts from 1250 to 1517

[@itsnotyourbusiness3816]

Egypt is 6300 years old 4000 of them are Ancient So what are you expecting 😂

[@tooth_butter9258]

@@itsnotyourbusiness3816 you could say that about most countries, but you still hear of other time periods than ancient time for most places like the UK, Russia, China, etc.

[@noob19087]

9:21 This might seem silly but there's actually a reason for this. Since they didn't have stainless steel knives back in ancient times, their knives would rust and corrode over time if not taken care of properly. With carbon steel, for example, cutting alliums (which contain a lot of sulfur compounds) forms iron sulfide that has a really unpleasant, coin like smell. The oil helps to prevent this reaction from taking place. I'm no historian but I guess they would have had bronze or iron knives, but the same thing applies anyway.

[@TreyNitrotoluene]

Max should read this. Great info.

[@noob19087]

@@TreyNitrotoluene I should mention that I am by no means bashing carbon steel knives. They're awesome. They take a bit more care but can get way sharper than any fancy stainless steel knife can, plus they're cheaper.

[@minhquanphung9641]

now that is some great infomation

[@mnels5214]

I was wondering about this, thank you for the info!

[@martabachynsky8545]

That was my line of thinking; they didn't have stainless steel, so the onion and garlic juice would affect the knives. 😊

[@Geospasmic]

I love how Medieval advice can turn between reasonable and insane on a dime. "Make sure you keep cooking surfaces clean, and also cold water will freeze your liver!!"

[@PurtyPurple]

I wonder how the future would regard our medical practices

[@andrewrobinson1634]

Cold water for tough guys only.

[@HenriFaust]

Just listen to any fad diet today. They range from the sensible ("cut back on calories, especially food high in carbohydrates") to the bats*** crazy (e.g. ketogenic diets for healthy people).

[@NachozMan]

Whilst that claim is totally outlandish, we know now that cold drinks cause your intestines to contract which can cause some people digestive discomfort for some when eating if mixed with hot foods. So I wouldn't be surprised if at some point drinking ice cold drinks was frowned upon as causing some sort of magical intestinal issue before they obtained that knowledge lol.

[@jraaccounts]

traditional chinese medicine to this day advises against cold water, for the reason nachoz man noted as well as others (eg. it reduces your body temp, which means your body has to expend energy to warm back up which could in fact put you at risk for getting ill because it takes energy away from other processes including immune processes). there's also a good reason not to drink lots of water with or right after a meal, which max expressed surprise at: it's because it dilutes the gastric acid needed to digest the food. OK to drink a few minutes before, and also as the book mentioned, when the stomach later feels light. and the description of people who can drink "anytime" sounds like people who have robust digestive systems and therefore could probably handle it. (i do not, and i know FAR more about how to encourage good digestion than i ever thought i would.)

[@Goldenretriever-k8m]

My mother in law is from Alexandria and while her hummus isn't quite THIS complicated, she does add quite a few more ingredients than most people do when she makes hummus!!

[@ee214verilogtutorial2]

Average Turk Vs Greek debate

[@Afyj662]

@@ee214verilogtutorial2 Alexandria is in Egypt bro

[@ee214verilogtutorial2]

@@Afyj662 in Greece as well

[@Afyj662]

@@ee214verilogtutorial2 yea but when someone says they’re from Alexandria, the main Alexandria you think about is Egypt not the Greek one

[@joshc5613]

adding olives is honestly a good idea, might have to try that

[@kriegguardsman9117]

“It will come out good, god willing” is such a 14th century celebrity chef thing to say

[@vonp588]

Inshallah

[@KazakhToon]

midwives too

[@mell7702]

Muslim saya inayalah translating to god willing in everything we do

[@konstantinapapaioannou4306]

Inshallah.

[@matasa7463]

@@mell7702 Or when you want to decline something politely.

[@TokyoRaindance]

This is hands down one of the best channels on KZbin, quality is top tier and very enjoyable to watch. Great job with the knowledge and pronunciation. Here’s to the road to 1 mil!

[@mylesjude233]

Agree with you there, this channel is certainly one of the best on the site and will be glad to see Max break into 1,000,000 subs

[@TastingHistory]

Thank you 🙏

[@douglasparkinson4123]

we already have 1 mil(ler)

[@tjarsun]

It even has random Pokemons on the background!

[@christopherneelyakagoattmo6078]

Max. You and your man deserve all the good things. Love your faces. Y'all should have more subscribers than Pewdwe Pie. Like 10Millon, at least. Y'all are much better looking and easier to listen to all the live, in food and booze form. If everyone understands what it is to be so nice to each other; the world can be a better place. Keep teaching us the good things. History to chew on, next on Drinking History. Why do we put celery in Bloody Marys? History of fiber, booze, and tomatoes. 🍅 next on tasting/drinking History.😬🔥👍💓💗😂🎵🎶

[@OA-hm9xn]

Max, I really appreciate and admire how much effort you put into actually trying to correctly pronounce words in other languages. So many others try to elicit a quick laugh by mocking other languages or saying things like "I'm not going to even try to pronounce that" etc. (when really almost any language is difficult to pronounce if one isn't a native speaker). Great attitude towards the study of the history of other cultures.

[@finn4435]

"im not even gonna try to pronounce it" is such a cop out. And the joke isnt funny anymore so they're just copping out. Especially nowadays where you can google pronunciation.

[@ahmed.abdelaleem]

@@finn4435 u are an absolute r***ed if u think any body should learn a foreign pronounciation to utter a proper foreign name,,, just pronouce as if it is in ur language "im not even gonna try to pronounce it" it is ok to say that, i dare u to read any polish or arabic name right

[@graeshoppa9998]

I always interpreted people saying "I'm not going to even try to pronounce that" as mocking themselves more than the language

[@verticalmatt]

yes! i feel the same way. he is very graceful

[@an3582]

As a former ESL instructor, It rubs me the wrong way that people are AFRAID of mispronouncing words and offending someone. How is anyone expected to learn without making mistakes?

[@ragnkja]

If the knife was made of a slightly porous metal it makes sense to have a separate knife for onions and garlic, just like you would have a separate cutting board for the same reason.

[@ragnkja]

@@user-A-png Exactly.

[@anananandsdsdsds3486]

Before the industrial revolution dropped the price of steel a hundredfold, wrought iron would be the metal of choice for kitchen knives, as being the cheapest ferrous metal going (fills the same niche as mild steel does today, basically) and yes, it's porous. Even finely polished, it has all kinds of microstructures and nooks and crannies that strong flavours could get impregnated into and you'd have the devil of a time trying to clean it out without wrecking the metal.

[@mitchdarklighter9133]

The best knives of the time (probably made in the middle east actually) would be made of carbon steel, which is reactive. An unoiled blade will literally turn red onions blue and then turn itself and everything else black.

[@lightningkitten]

precisely what i was thinking

[@Mrtheunnameable]

@@user-A-png We have dish soap.

[@SilvaDreams]

The onion knife makes a bit of sense as the oil would potentially stop the smell of the onion.. And protect the iron blade from the acidic fluids of the onion which would blacken the blade that could come off on other foods leaving streaks of black oxidation.

[@oneblacksun]

So, it only matters if you live in the middle ages.

[@ragnkja]

​@@oneblacksun Or for some other reason only have access to knives whose blades are a bit more porous than you'd like.

[@SilvaDreams]

@@oneblacksun Yes and no, there are still "carbon steel" blade out there for sale that will blacken when exposed to acidic food but it is much slower than from a cheaper iron knife.

[@clint4004]

I enjoy keeping a patina on my Dexter carbon steel knives.

[@elliephants7047]

yeah, I was THINKING that that didn't sound as unreasonable as it...would, these days, with different sorts of metal mixtures and onions' overall extra-ness.

[@sapphoculloden5215]

I got really curious about the "smelly meat", particularly given Ahmed Elsawaf's comment below and the fact that Max is drawing on a period source, rather than a view from centuries on. It seemed to me that this may not have been the standard myth about European cooks using spices to cover up the flavour of rotten meat (not only does this not make financial sense, given the cost of spices, it seems to come from a misunderstanding about "greene" venison with Jack Cecil Drummond interpreting it as meaning rotten meat when, in fact, it refers to meat that has not been aged see 'Drummond's Rotten Meat: When Good Sources Go Bad' by Daniel Myers). So, I did a little digging and found a translation of Indispensable Instructions For Cooks which has limited searchability (I also found a new way to spend $50 AUD ... I need this book!). It appears that the "smelly meat" was, in fact, not rotten. "... the meat to be used must be initially sweated in some rendered sheep-tail fat, and a bit of sesame oil ( shayraj ), as this is an essential step to remove the meat’s undesirable greasy odors ( zafar ) before boiling it." This is what I have pieced together: '... cook [meat, I believe] in a pot along with some whole walnuts, after piercing a hole all the way to the core of each one of them. They will absorb all the unwanted odors and their insides will stink even worse than carrion. In addition, an egg broken into the pot will absorb the meat’s bad odors. [Another way is to], boil a bit of fenugreek ( ḥulba ) with the smelly meat, and then pour off the liquid, and cook it in a fresh change of water. The meat will no longer smell bad and will taste so good that its eater cannot tell whether it was initially fresh or not.' The editor/translator goes on: '[mastic] was believed to remove the unpleasant smell of meat ( zafar ) while cooking, and aid the digestion. Egyptian cooking today is still distinguished for the way mastic is used with savory dishes, such as soups and stews, unlike the rest of the Arab regions, where it is reserved for seasoning sweets ... 'It is particularly notable that mastic gum is used in all the meat dishes in the Kanz recipes. Using mastic with savory dishes and particularly with meat was, indeed, uniquely Egyptian, and still is. One clue to this culinary practice can be found in Ibn al-Ḥājj’s observation about Egyptian meat; he said it had a strong gamey smell, unlike meat in Iraq, the Maghrib, and the Hijaz. He even recommended that one’s hands should be thoroughly washed after eating it.' The cook is actually quite focused on removing bad odors, and really likes walnuts for the job. "If the cooking pot develops zuhūma (undesirable greasy odors), throw one or two whole walnuts into it, and leave them for an hour, and they will absorb all these odors. You can tell that this worked by sniffing the walnuts after you take them out of the pot―you will not be able to tolerate their unpleasant greasy smell."

[@stargirl7646]

I always wondered about this! Having eaten spoiled meat before myself (and suffered greatly for it lol) I can’t imagine it being an everyday occurrence!

[@sapphoculloden5215]

@@jennystpierre5501 - yes, indeed, and I do think that's what we're discussing here.

[@sapphoculloden5215]

@@stargirl7646 - that is the other thing that makes the spices/rotten meat myth so unlikely, of course. If it's actually spoiled, spices won't stop it from making the consumer ill.

[@Veepee92]

@@sapphoculloden5215 The bacteria that make fresh meat slimy and/or smelly are also different bacteria to those which spoil the meat and produce toxins, so it makes sense to try remove the stink because the meat isn't necessarily bad yet. The Chinese people very commonly use cooking wine to remove unwanted rank odors of meat (膻/shān) or seafood (腥/xīng). It's actually a really effective method that also acts as an extra seasoning in marinades, but in medieval Cairo wine obviously wasn't a thing so they clearly came up with their own ways.

[@rosegreensummer]

Pepys' diary includes references to eating meat that is on the turn, including a meat pie sent to London by coach by his sister, and maggoty meat. But he also ate meals like a pound of pickled cockles and several pints of bear (just that), so i think he could have eaten depleted uranium without ill effect....

[@mounamounayer4818]

Coming from a country where hummus is a staple, I would advise, when soaking chickpeas, adding a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. It helps reduce that pesky flatulence, you mentioned.

[@oz_jones]

Sodium bicarbonate truly is a miracle worker. It's amazing.

[@mnels5214]

Thank you! EDIT: Actually my husband thank you. haha.

[@anti-ethniccleansing465]

I always deskin them because that makes much smoother hummus.

[@rustyjones7908]

So am I the the only person that doesn't fart after eating beans? I live on dried beans...

[@anti-ethniccleansing465]

@@rustyjones7908 Haha I don’t have such issue either.

[@seanpoore2428]

Honestly going to the local lord's house and buying discount leftovers would probably be the best restaurant in town lmfao

[@OlEgSaS32]

It really would be

[@Swishy_Blue]

It's like celebrity culture on full blast. "The Lord's favorite lady bit this pear! Now it's MINE!"

[@SukacitaYeremia]

3rd world country startups needs to get in on this!

[@mothturtle7897]

Although it makes me think of that movie, The Platform, where each successive level of the prison gets the leftovers of the previous levels.

[@l.m.2404]

Most have been a pain in the tuchus for those food vendors that fed their families from the profit of their business.

[@victorunbea8451]

Max: "1/2 a teaspoon of mace. Mace is actually the coating on the outside of nutmeg..." Me with a pepper spray in one hand and a teaspoon in the other: "Oh..."

[@elizabethkeen7851]

😂 I hope this is just a joke.

[@victorunbea8451]

@@elizabethkeen7851 Talk about spicy hummus

[@Cara-39]

🤣🤣🤣

[@leilei49-51]

A hummus with a grudge.

[@samanthab3292]

✨ extra spicy ✨

[@danielm5535]

“Mace is the outside of nutmeg… I prefer it.” *Townsend fans collectively clutch their pearls.*

[@EphemeralTao]

Don't let John hear about that...

[@Overlord99762]

MEN, GATHER YOUR ARMS

[@lhfirex]

I think Townsend fans would love it. Max can use the outside of the nutmeg, and leave all of the inside for John!

[@Amy_the_Lizard]

@Emmy MacDonald Huh. Most of my family's from Northern England originally (except for some Irish people, a few Native Americans, and an alleged 'Dutch Viking') and I also prefer mace over nutmeg. Well, Scotland adjacent I guess...

[@extropiantranshuman]

@@jannguerrero nutmeg's great - it's the secret ingredient to everything. Mace is nice in that it's what we want to see in cardamom but cheaper :)

[@Director_Orson_Krennic]

Max, on the subject of the Long Pepper - I was actually researching this within the last week. The reason it went by the wayside is the main reason the Old World used it was as a form of spice, like how the world tends to use chile peppers and the derived species from such. However, once the Spanyards discovered the New World and learned of the chile pepper, this quickly took off. Not only provided the flavor profile of long pepper in greater concentrations, but also was able to be grown in climates much more suitable for europeans to grow them, as opposed to long pepper being locked into very specific climates to grow properly. As such, the popularity of long pepper rapidly declined around the 15th and 16th centuries as chile pepper cultivation in the various european colonies kicked off

[@toddellner5283]

I barely use black pepper any longer. It's almost all long pepper.

[@Zzyzzyzzs]

It's a bit of a weird reason if true, as long pepper doesn't taste at all like chilli. It's more like a more fragrant black pepper, as if someone crossed a black pepper with a black cardamom. It can deliver a similar amount of spice (though never equivalent) but not the same flavour. I suspect the limited ability to grow it was the primary reason, plus the various geopolitics at the time which would have made procuring lots of these spices incredibly hard for whoever didn't control the trade. If you haven't already, look up the story of Run Island (or Pulau Run, or Puloroon), a tiny island in the Moluccas that was the source of 90% of the world's nutmeg.

[@Director_Orson_Krennic]

@@Zzyzzyzzs that's what I'm figuring as well, but being used for the spiciness, given the lack of much else in the Old World that seems to fit that flavor profile that also made it to Europe, I can totally see preferring to swap to something that does that job better, while being easier to cultivate. Is like using Scotch tape to hold all your stuff down, having to add tons of it for some things, then on one hunt deep into the garage you find a roll of duct tape you didn't remember. It'll do the job a lot better for a lot of it, though there'll still of course be some things the Scotch tape would be better at doing. Alas, the duct tape gets used on most of those uses, as did chile pepper versus long peppet

[@toddellner5283]

@@Zzyzzyzzs More to the point with Grains of Paradise rising in popularity and Black Pepper becoming cheap and flooding the market Long Pepper declined since it couldn't compete on price. A better product driven out by a cheaper one. The introduction of chilis was a factor, but the reduced cost of Black Pepper is the real kicker

[@dorjemakes]

@@toddellner5283 also long pepper didn't travel so easily by sea. It went mouldy a lot more easily than black pepper

[@asmrlistening5945]

Me: I added some roasted red peppers to my hummus. Feeling fancy! Medieval Egyptians: you are like little baby, try this

[@AgentPedestrian]

Watermelon rind contains pektin so I assume by "cook" they mean "thicken" faster. Since pektin is a natural thickener that makes marmalade the way it is

[@modestoca25]

Pectin*

[@AgentPedestrian]

@@modestoca25thank you but I'm not welsh

[@heftylad]

@@AgentPedestrian lmao what

[@josealonsoneto]

Papaya skins have and enzime who tenderize meats. I don’t know if other fruits have similar properties. But, I thing the pectins also is a good explanation.

[@angrydragonslayer]

@@josealonsoneto pineapple will dissolve meat more than actually tenderize it but it works

[@alsatusmd1A13]

“Hummus that invigorates coitus”…one of the funniest phrases in any language.

[@lhfirex]

It helps that it rhymes in English!

[@vaevictis2789]

@@lhfirex "And then the nuts come"

[@skeeterleestrinkets6982]

The more you eat the more you...... 🤔

[@LieseFury]

@@lhfirex no it doesn't

[@rickhernandez7666]

I take it Jose nixed this one?

[@candidethirtythree4324]

Until recently I used "Old Hickory" knives that had been handed down, they were carbon steel and had to be treated almost like cast iron pans, they had to be washed and dried immediately, oiled and they also had to be sharpened...often! People who have only had stainless steel have no idea how bad a carbon steel knife can smell LOL!

[@Cin9999]

Um how exactly is stainless not carbon steel?

[@SomeOne-vf1rs]

Cin After a quick google search: Stainless steel has chromium in it which protects it against rust and corrosion. Yes it has carbon but it’s not the only thing it has. It not rusting is its more useful aspect so I don’t see your confusion at stainless steel not being “carbon steel”.

[@Cin9999]

@@SomeOne-vf1rs I know that stainless steel does not rust as easily thats kinda the point. But I dont see why carbon steel especially high carbon steel would smell easily

[@SomeOne-vf1rs]

Cin Non-stainless steel can rust and corrode very easily, you also can’t wash it as easily as you can a stainless steel knife. I have a cast iron pan and you’re not supposed to use soap on it, since soap breaks down oils and fat, and to keep the pan from rusting you have to season it with oil. So maintaining a carbon steel knife is probably much more tedious, and even if it doesn’t rust, washing smells out would be harder.

[@Cin9999]

@@SomeOne-vf1rs cast iron =\= steel

[@THSWF]

I have an explanation for the “rotten meat” thing. The author refers to smelly meat, which you can easily get in warm climates whilst the meat still being edible. It’s why cultures in warm climates (including Egypt) tend to wash beef and chicken etc sometimes even with lemon and vinegar, which is what my mom does. You don’t get this in the west due to the climate being cooler, and when you get smelly meat 9/10 times it is rotten. I always recall meat being smelly in Egypt but never in the Uk where I live. Love your videos and keep up the great content! 👍🏼❤️

[@Rose-jz6sx]

This makes a lot of sense, thank you!

[@toddellner5283]

Makes a lot of sense but isn't actually true if you take a look at the history of spices and the spice trade. It gets passed on to generation after generation of middle school students with no attribution, but if you actually go and look into the laws - the laws against selling putrid meats were draconian - and culinary traditions of the time - if you were a cook in a household that could afford lots of meat and spices you would be quietly beaten to death over a slow fire if you regularly served decayed crud to your Patron - the evidence just isn't there.

[@toddellner5283]

@@alessandrodelogu7931 Nonsense. First, people who could afford meat and spices could also afford to get rid of meat that would kill them. And again, there were draconian laws against selling rotten meat. . Second, I have spent years cooking older recipes from early European cookbooks. They didn't "drown" the meat in spices. But they used them in different combinations using mroe complex combinations. It was only when spices became cheap that European cuisine moved to reducing the number and variety of them in order to highlight the taste of the local ingredients. If you look at spice mixtures from, say, the 15th century you see a greater _variety_ in the mixtures. If you look at them from, say, the 18th century you see fewer in a dish. The Arab and Persian worlds, India, Chiuna, etc. didn't develop this reverse snobbery and kept their complex mixtures. But they don't "drown" dishes in them.

[@anti-ethniccleansing465]

@@DraemoraH Gross.

[@THSWF]

@@toddellner5283 interesting. I’m not as well read when it comes to history as yourself to be honest. My explanation was simply mostly based on personal experience. That being said, I get your point on spices etc, but my comment was mostly on washing the meat to get rid of the string smell that comes with it. I can’t relate that directly to boiling the smelly meat, but I’m only using it that maybe that was the trail of thought behind it, which probably got discontinued some time later as evidenced by the outdated information in the rest of the book and that it doesn’t seem to be a popular thing anywhere 🤣. I can’t speak for the specifics of the “culinary industry” at such times, but I presume a lot of commoners had access to meat, even if much less frequently than we do by modern standards. At least it seems that way since the book seems to be targeting the average person with all the health advice etc. Or maybe that was just how things was at that time and different at others. I’d be interested to know what you think and feel free to cite any relevant sources if you wish 😃

[@EmeraldLance]

What interests me most about history isn't the big events or the famous people, but the day to day life of the time. And nothing encapsulates that better than the food that was served back then. It really feels like peeking into the past, much more than any history book I think.

[@Dragonwing16]

absolutely! especially when you find things they did then that are completely relatable to today.

[@michagolonka6932]

I had the same thought recently, so funny! I think that study of history isn't complete without understanding how people lived throughout time. Its such a fascinating subject. Thinking that they ate some good hummus and perfected recipies, so long ago, warms my heart in some way.

[@arlysveen706]

I love genealogy and want desperately to not know the facts and dates but something about their day to day life!

[@flapjakhatstak]

As a music geek that ended up as a chef, I always appreciated how the spectrum of smell/taste was like that of sound. Some dishes/songs are about the individual notes and others are about striking a chords of sound/flavor.

[@HappyBeezerStudios]

that is actually a pretty good description

[@4LLT0G3TH3R]

All sensory experience

[@fennecf4431]

- I'm at the part where max lists the ingredients and deeply hope he'll talk about how amazing Ceylon cinnamon is. Also I'm glad there's another recipe for the spikenard I got after the Hippocras episode

[@CookwitchCreations]

I only just managed to find Spikenard here (UK) so I had better make this!

[@kimquinn7728]

I agree. After growing up with grocery store cinnamon aka McCormick, Spice Island, etc...what a revelation Ceylon and Saigon cinnamon is! Knocked my socks off how much sweeter and richer tasting it is. Will never go back.

[@DanielCoffey67]

And in the UK we are spoiled for choice - have a look at the Spice Mountain as they certainly have the Ceylon Cinnamon and Long Pepper.

[@mwater_moon2865]

Penzey's Spices in the US has Ceylon, Chinese Tung Hing, Vietnamese Cassia, and Indonesian Korintje (plus their own blend of all of them together). They're also my go to for real saffron, Juniper berries, mace, pink peppercorns, Sumac/Zatar and food grade Lavender. None of which are easy to find in my "local" grocery store (though World Market is usually good for rose water, and sometimes Zatar) No spikenard though :(

[@AlexHamelMusic]

Ahhh, enjoying this one already. Fortunately, I live in Greece where we're broke, but have great olive oil.

[@MT-od7mc]

Yeah for Greek olive oil 🫒

[@pabloschulman4726]

Dude, you at least live in Greece. I live in Brazil, where we're broke AND don't have great olive oil.

[@pointerish]

@@pabloschulman4726 Lucky you, I live in Nicaragua. Enough said.

[@MsLeenite]

Oh, Alex, you are blessed. Not just great olive oil, but the best of all the world cuisines (that I've tasted). I'm sorry you're broke, but when you can afford food at least it's delicious food.

[@TreyNitrotoluene]

At least none of you live in California.

[@jimmullenax2872]

I think one of the best things about Max’s work is he gives credit to his sources or people who help him with gusto. He seems genuinely excited to praise them and their work or assistance. Idk I find his enthusiasm refreshing

[@MrCrisTheRo]

I'm really glad that Max didn't go back to Disney. I love it, cooking, facts, and a great personality. I'd be a little sad if he didn't come back.

[@latoxica9493]

This is cruel of you, Max, I didn't want to cook today and now I have to make this. Both my mom and I love hummus.

[@Nobert594]

Hummus good

[@skeeterleestrinkets6982]

Charcuterie board level up! 🍄

[@anti-ethniccleansing465]

Lol, like you can cook it on the day you found out about this recipe. You got some internet shopping to do first, and then wait for that delivery! ;p

[@RandomHairCo]

As an Egyptian who hasnt been outside of cairo much. THIS IS SUPER INFORMATIVE! I am so happy i found this channel I’m going to scour for this book now😊

[@Raminess]

It wasn't until I actually went to Egypt that I realized just how incredible hummus truly was. It was always kind of meh for me until I had it over there. Now I have hummus cravings. I'm so thankful for this video!

[@mohmedelsayd6071]

We don't eat hummus in Egypt 😂

[@SetuwoKecik]

@@mohmedelsayd6071 Don't lie, you.

[@mohmedelsayd6071]

@@SetuwoKecik why i have to lie 🙄.. we really don't eat hummus its not common in Egypt

[@SetuwoKecik]

@@mohmedelsayd6071 "it's not common" eh. It means its still exist in Egypt 😉

[@No11Scalpel]

@@SetuwoKecik Egyptions brefer Fava bean which they mix with Tahini rather us, their northern neighbours n the levante , Prefer Hummous with Tahini & Our Favas with a chimichurri like dressing . Even our Falafel is from Chickpeas ( Hummos ) & thiers which they call Ta'ameyah is from Fava ....

[@jjn11235]

Ceylon cinnamon is also called cinnamomum verum or "true cinnamon" and it can often be found (inexpensively) at Mexican markets or groceries.

[@meganh4011]

I was just checking my pantry and I had two types of cinnamon but it wasn't called Ceylon it was called 🤩 cinnamomum! Thank you💞

[@TheArcSet]

Ironically, in the UK, perhaps because there's a bit of a stigma around Cassia being passed off as the more expensive Ceylon, in most shops, if it's labelled cinnamon, it'll be Ceylon and you'll have to go to specialty shop for Cassia.

[@mollyscozykitchen4693]

Interesting! I've only ever used cassia cinnamon; it's more commonly available where I am. I would love to try ceylon cinnamon sometime, though.

[@ohrats731]

Americans might also be able to find cylon cinnamon in health food stores. Some say it has health benefits where as cassia might be hard on your body in large regular amounts. Statements not evaluated by the FDA, as they say lol

[@koffz-nl2118]

@@TheArcSet it's very common in the Netherlands as well. Most cinnamon is Ceylon here.

[@zsigmondkara]

The onion knife is because they didn't have stainless steel back then, the acids in the onion and garlic have a strong corrosive effect on carbon steel. It makes sense to have a separate knife, so you don't ruin the sharpest and best one. Steel and knives were orders of magnitudes more expensive in the period. Edit: also the olive oil is to minimize the onions getting green from the non-stainless knife.

[@Siluialwin]

Watermelon rind can be used as a meat tenderizer...along with honeydew melon, pineapple, kiwi etc. So basicly he is making a powder meat tenderizer when he dries and pounds it. Also there are still many types of hummus made in the Middle East still...including with lamb...having grown up there I always find it interesting how the west has added things to hummus like roasted peppers or roasted garlic but still hasn't tried many of the origional recipes.

[@lilac.1008]

Yeap, I was coming to say meat tenderizer. In Brazil people use papaya. I like to go with kiwi (for Christmas and Reveillon meats) and sometimes pitanga (Brazilian cherries), if they are available.

[@anti-ethniccleansing465]

The less things made with lamb, the better (not to mention their f’d up haIaI method of sIaughter). Glad we don’t have lamb hummus in stores.

[@AABraun]

in Pakistan raw papaya or betel nuts are used to tenderize meat

[@durch_meine_Augen]

Should we all go stand outside Max's door and get his leftovers? He makes some tasty stuff on this channel

[@piperpanda6587]

Yep, and let's bring frosted flakes in exchange XD

[@Nikki-tx6kh]

Fan historical fact- for a long time, kings and nobles did give their leftovers to the poor people of their areas. In another words, Max is our king and we'll gladly wait at his door for food.

[@JonatasAdoM]

You'll have better luck with the man that cooks for a village smiling. Have you seen how much food he makes?

[@mikajen9126]

@@piperpanda6587 and bread! He loves bread lol

[@piperpanda6587]

@@mikajen9126 gotta make the bread out of ancient wheat and using a clay kiln, with the recipe accurate to a historical ancient papyrus found in Egypt and dated to be from 7000bc though! (Ngl I feel I watched another KZbinr did this, they also used all they're ingredients from their own green house / garden...) We gotta kidnap them first and have them help! All in the name of free food!

[@Kamishi845]

Hey Max, one thing I always wondered about is how these old civilizations stored their food in a safe manner. You mention to put the hummus in the fridge over night, but obviously this was not possible for our ancient Egyptians, so how did they do it? I'd love for a couple of episodes where you dig into the various ways of preserving and storing food. That would be so interesting!

[@wewenang5167]

they have ancient fridge...a cupboard with water underneath

[@Moalli14]

About the "fast cooking hack" with the watermelon: Pure water boils at 100ºC, so it's impossible to go over 100ºC with pure water on normal pressure (that's why pressure cookers are used). If you add impurities to the water (eg. salt), you can move the boiling point slightly higher depending on the concentration of said impurity. Salt increases the boiling point by 0.5ºC by every 58 grams dissolved in 1kg of water. Maybe they found out that watermelon can do the same trick without changing the taste of the food

[@paintrane1179]

You mean it lowers the boiling point

[@Moalli14]

@@paintrane1179 Lower pressure lowers the water boiling temp... That's why people boil water at 68°C at the Everest. Higher pressures and/or impurities increases the water boiling temperature.

[@pmberkeley]

My thoughts exactly!!! Now I wanna test that!

[@pmberkeley]

@@paintrane1179 higher temperatures cook food faster... think about it. They aren't trying to evaporate the water faster, they're trying to cook it faster.

[@ELYESSS]

Or it could have a chemical compound that help break down tough food

[@newzinski6946]

I always laugh when Max purposely picks a pokemon that fits the culture/food's theme in the background

[@siyacer]

And Jose

[@drskelebone]

char-BOK!

[@kkkender]

Always?

[@raziyatheseeker]

Agreed, especially when some of them require some thought. I was like "Arbok...?" before realizing it's a Jafar reference from Disney's Aladdin, given Ottoman influence on Egypt at the time. :p

[@sarahgilliss3503]

It was pretty cool that he threw in that "Aladdin" clip to tie everything in. Arbok: Egyptian cobra, Jafar's transformation. "Aladdin": current cultural influence to the region. Well done, Max!

[@MediaTribeUSAAus]

Wow! I had about 12-15:of these ingredients so I went ahead and made it. The flavor is remarkable. I don’t even know how to describe it except to say that Max’s response makes perfect sense now. I couldn’t wait a day to eat some and I’ll never do hummus without all the goodies. I love this show. First time I made the historical recipe so now I’m doubly hooked. Thanks, Max!

[@Anesthesia069]

I found a paper stating watermelon rind may increase pH upon cooking, perhaps a bit like adding sodium bicarbonate to beans makes them cook faster? Seems a bit overly complex though....

[@GarrettDore]

Adding some base to chickpeas breaks down the husks, like nixtamalizing corn. The husks can then be washed off for a smoother, sweeter hummus.

[@beth8775]

Less complex ,however, than trying to find baking soda in ancient times.

[@Anesthesia069]

@@beth8775 potash was plentiful.

[@GarrettDore]

@@beth8775 They could have used ash from fires.

[@mitchdarklighter9133]

Increasing the pH is where my head was at too, I couldn't find the documentation. Good detective work.

[@angelique_cs]

Things I love about this episode: Hummus The source material Felix Unger references That shirt you're wearing Seriously; that shirt is great

[@thatsalt1560]

Yes, there is something about men wearing shirts with flower patterns.

[@deniaridley]

I was loving the shirt too...and Felix Unger of course!

[@Earthstar_Review]

Hmph. I don't know why I never go for floral patterns. I must fix this.

[@retf8977]

Another amazing video, My salutations from Egypt!🇪🇬🇪🇬

[@MetalDragon199]

The onion and garlic knife was a thing at my Egyptian home when I was growing up.

[@TastingHistory]

It lives on!

[@scaper8]

Do you know if it is some sort of cultural thing? I can see the need for it in the past, where iron or lower quality steel was still the norm for cutlery. The acid could really do a number on that and could also transfer over to other foods. But to still do so now? I'm curious as to why.

[@SilvaDreams]

@@scaper8 Same reason, lower quality knife might blacken and transfer to other foods and or pass the flavor along. We're rather spoiled in Europe and the states for good cutlery while many might still be buying knifes from local smiths there.

[@anananandsdsdsds3486]

@@SilvaDreams Or it's just something that lives on from the days when you got your knife made of wrought iron by the local smith, which are just as long-gone in Egypt as they are in Europe. Traditions like that can be surprisingly long-lived long after they've passed from practicality into superstition.

[@ΑγγελικήΚουρή]

@@anananandsdsdsds3486 Egypt is in Africa

[@hpcrewsmith22]

I feel like “Can you do this? Yes! Should you do this? NO!” can be applied to a lot of things in life.

[@MsLeenite]

Yes, it's the basis for much of Buddhist ethics, particularly the Precepts and the Noble Eightfold Path. And the basis for much of ethics in general.

[@JonatasAdoM]

Insert here Jurassic Park quote

[@wesleythomas7125]

That's remarkably wholesome that the Sultan gave away the leftovers of his feasts to those in need.

[@jakeadams97isawsome]

Max I found you towards the beginning of quarantine. You have easily become my favorite channel on KZbin. When you released the video about Disney I was so afraid we were gonna lose you. Keep up the awesome videos!

[@theJellyjoker]

When I make Hummus, I replace tahini paste with peanut butter because tahini was hard to find when I started making my own and since then I have come to prefer the peanut flavor it adds over the sesame derived tahini.

[@TastingHistory]

Ooh I bet that’s good

[@annbrookens945]

I used to use peanut butter, too! I found some tahini but I haven't made hummus since I got it!

[@azuregiant9258]

Jeff, hey that’s a great tip! I have to travel almost 20 miles to the nearest shop that sells tahini. From a bedtime snack, to an energy boost in a rush……the humble jar of peanut butter never fails 🥜✨

[@chezmoi42]

@@azuregiant9258 * sigh * "...the humble jar of peanut butter". When I lived in Seattle many long years ago, we used to buy it in gallon cans from the Sunny Jim factory. Now in France, I'm lucky to find a precious 340 g. jar of Skippy. Just as well for my hips.

[@ohrats731]

@@chezmoi42 oh you just brought back memories from my study abroad in Bhutan lol. We were excited to find peanut butter and Nutella at this one store but then it was $15 for containers hardly bigger than a cup of yogurt! And the peanut butter was Skippy lol

[@megancarney411]

Just wanted to say that I love your show, and I made this hummus for a friend's birthday party. Every person there loved it! It was really fun tracking down all the ingredients, and I can't wait to try more recipes.

[@urdin2242]

6k views within a half hour of uploading? Max you’ve made it. Thank you so much for continuing this show.

[@FlowerOfMoons]

"Let the ingredients get to know each other" sounds like something Babish would say

[@TastingHistory]

🤣 I wonder if we both go it from Kevin when he makes chili on The Office.

[@Nobert594]

@@TastingHistory hello pretty food man

[@deirdregibbons5609]

I also think there is a lot of influence from Alton Brown's classic "Good Eats" series.

[@Ajehy]

Team up! Team up! Team up!

[@irreverentseraph7372]

Should definitely have Alton on the show....

[@KayElayempea]

Max, I have had the same thing happen with Frosted Flakes! It happened with me in two different countries, one in South America and one in Europe. I don't normally eat them... I did appreciate the hospitality! I will have to try this hummus recipe.

[@staceyn2541]

It makes me wonder what marketing campaigns are saying!

[@friendlyneighborhoodcrackh6059]

I imagine the instructions on onions and garlic might have something to do with the lack of industrial strength soap, and perhaps a slightly more porous knife. It seems to be intended to keep the scent and taste from clinging to the knife and further spreading to any other ingredients you chop.

[@particlemannn]

Between the nutmeg and "letting the flavors get to know each other" you keep teasing the epic Tasting History/Townsends/Binging With Babish crossover we're all demanding.

[@katiearbuckle9017]

Voltaire of Gothic Homemaking has been Mentioning Nutmeg too. Also he would love that Death Bread recipe. He made Acorn Squash two ways recently.

[@HarrDarr]

First two sure, last one no, thank you.

[@00muinamir]

@@katiearbuckle9017 wait wait wait... when did Voltaire start doing Martha Stewart style DIY shows?! Like, I'm not even surprised he is, I'm just mad no one told me sooner, LOL. Gonna have to check that out.

[@peetsmcgoo5869]

11:11 I read (of sources i can't locate) that drinking water in close proximity to a meal actually has the effect of spiking blood sugar; and that waiting 30 min to an hour is actually helpful in controling glycemic amplitude!!

[@sideburnchef4957]

In the restaurant kitchens I've worked in, we treat cut onions almost like meat. Clean the cutting board after chopping, store them separate and covered. They're a breeding ground of Bad Stuff. Sounds like the Egyptians were a bit ahead of us in that time :) Then again, medicine was way advanced in and around that region.

[@CindyduPlessis]

wha???? What like salmonella bad?? I've never heard of this... though to be fair, I hardly cook, but when I do, I enjoy adding onions and garlic...

[@illmnts]

@@CindyduPlessis You've never heard of this because they're not a breeding ground for bad stuff infact they barely even rot and most of the time they just dry up instead. The reason you'd wash the chopping board and keep them covered is because you don't want the next thing you cook to smell or taste of onions.

[@CindyduPlessis]

@@illmnts oh, well lol that's common sense... though I've had onion flavoured fruits etc before lol, so it's not that common lol

[@ZackeTheBrute]

@@illmnts Makes sense, they grow in the ground so they need a lot of fungal and bacterial protection.

[@jonahs92]

Onions are not a "breeding ground of bad stuff" at all. Quite the opposite, in fact. Onions are naturally antimicrobial! That's why they can last so long at room temperature without rotting.

[@burnedbread4691]

I just finished making this. Oh my GOD what a hummus. It was really fun to make wit hall the ingredients - i ended up using "only" 26, but i totally recommend making this!

[@be.A.b]

Tip for making smooth humus. “Cream” the chickpeas alone in the blender/food processor before adding any of the other ingredients. Add a bit of aquafaba or water if needed. If using nuts, soak, discard the water, then “cream” along with the chickpeas before processing other ingredients. Nuts can be roasted beforehand for more flavor. I love hummus too 🥰

[@AP-eq6fv]

that's good to know. thanks! may make myself some one of these days

[@vardamir0397]

Just wanted to say thank you for your videos. I've used a fair few of your recipes to flesh out my DND games and my god does it feel nice and engaging when players get that verisimilitude pumped up through the roof. The hippocras has been used with two groups and I've linked your videos both times :) It always leads to great talks. Cheers from Canada!

[@taekwongurl]

Ancient* Egyptian cuisine is quite rare, I guess it's time to start buying cook books written by historian nerds!

[@batt3ryac1d]

Max trying to translate some hieroglyphics into a decent recipe would be great lmao

[@sarakamal7358]

Most food is served today in Egypt so it is not rare or anything

[@moosemaimer]

There might still be some unopened tombs left... look hard enough and you could find some jars of food

[@kremove]

You mean written by historian awesome people.

[@taekwongurl]

@@kremove of course they are, that's why I said I'd start buying a niche product from a group of people who specialize in writing and interpreting recipes from bygone eras.

[@dianaperez6369]

I find the water bit interesting because my moms doctor told her to avoid drinking water(or any liquids) right before, during or right after eating because of the stomach acid(small sips are ok if you feel like you're choking 😆). Also in some Asian countries drinking cold water is a no no and they find it odd that here in America we have an obsession with cold drinks and ice water.

[@tamarquaye]

Was thinking the same thing!

[@alexshigeta6285]

As someone who lived in Japan for a long time, I found your comment about Frosted Flakes really funny. Japanese people don’t generally eat a lot of cereal, and for the most part only two types are sold in stores: “fruits granola” (basically just oats, granola, and little pieces of dried fruit), and Frosted Flakes.

[@atsukorichards1675]

As a Japanese, I apologize about the cornflakes at the breakfast table. I totally understand why the waves of the particular cereal hit you repeatedly. (Just blame it to the American movies and TV shows, which were their only sources of the information.) Well, our breakfast menus are so different, so your host families thought hard to come up with the fool-proof idea of cornflakes for an American kid. And at that time, there were very few choices of cereals on sale there. So, that one! I would do the same. (Or I could go on the evil mode, and serve the grilled whole sardines with eyes and a raw egg on rice...)

[@thebaron512]

I saw cereals that my japanese hostel offered and skipped most of them, but I am picky...

[@raerohan4241]

@@kx2174 I mean, I definitely remember episodes of shows like iCarly where someone would be munching away at a bowl of cereal (typically cornflakes) while watching tv in the afternoon or night. While I think that was meant to demonstrate the character being young and unable to cook, perhaps the Japanese just thought that was a normal American thing to do

[@flyingdragon67]

Raw egg on rice is great

[@SetuwoKecik]

Why you have to apologize? Not your fault tho.

[@atsukorichards1675]

@@SetuwoKecik I know. I was just joking. A Japanese can make a joke, too, you know.

[@candicekellyhomes]

I’d love to see the pre Columbus or Marco Polo food of Italy. What did they eat before tomatoes and corn for polenta from South America or pasta from China? That would be fascinating!!

[@bromomento3950]

Pasta isn’t Chinese, the Romana had been drying wheat dough for hundreds of years

[@staceyn2541]

This is one of my biggest questions. All food seems to be based around tomatoes now, so what was it like before? Indian, Turkish, European.. it's hard to find a recipe that doesn't have tomatoes. Since I am apparently allergic to them now, I need to know more than ever.

[@bromomento3950]

@@staceyn2541 it was certainly simpler than it is now, or in the case of the rich, heavily spiced with asian spices. it was also less available and there was less variety of dishes. the tomato, potato, corn all made food in general more accesible and in the specific case of tomato (i think) it has vitamins which were otherwise harder to get reliably in italy.

[@cerberaodollam]

Ketchup is basically modern garum, nah?

[@poojan423]

@@bromomento3950 yes Indians didn't even have chillies may be our ancestors in India ate simple non curry based, less spicy food . The curry based rich creamy food was probably because of the Muslim invasion.

[@soldier6958]

"and then, the nuts come." Yes, my friend, they do be coming

[@Two-Checks]

God willing.

[@ghostboys8161]

I was hoping someone would catch that and say this…and god, who better than a commenter named Soldier 69

[@alfatazer_8991]

Verily Allah provides bountiful *_NUTS_* for his servants.

[@michaelcadette1174]

I thought this wasn’t the recipe “to invigorate coitus”?

[@bryanb6747]

I had to scroll to see if someone would call that out. This isn't that sort of channel but it needed to be quoted for sure. Glad you did it Soldier 69. By your name, it couldn't have been anyone else. God willed it to be so.

[@Not_Your_Usual_Username]

Please read “The Drunken Botanist” if you haven’t already it’s all about the different plants that are/were used to make and flavor the alcoholic beverages of the world, I can’t recommend it enough especially for someone as interested in exotic/historical foods as you

[@catherineoneal1030]

I got the missing ingredients and made the hummus. Very interesting flavor as you said, but delish! No one ingredient stands out and it is very thick. The texture is also exactly as you described. I will be making this often as I love hummus as a dip, and as a side dish. Besides, it's good for you.

[@druidtrucker6038]

I just got my Serve It Forth shirt today! I look forward to explaining it across the country.

[@TastingHistory]

I love having to explain my shirt 🤣

[@TastingHistory]

I love having to explain my shirt 🤣

[@Exayevie]

Somebody get their Cricut and make me a plaque for my kitchen that says "It will come out good, God willing."

[@megmcguireme]

I also need this.

[@katherineelmore8608]

That would be a great merch idea!

[@megmcguireme]

@@katherineelmore8608 That was my thought

[@bodyofhope]

He definitely needs it in his merch shop.

[@ranjith9152]

I accidentally found your channel, and I can't stop watching your style of narration. Thankyou for all the history lessons

[@jiru331]

“If it is for a turk, add garlic with it.” As a turk i agree sm

[@cerberaodollam]

Hungarian, but you hung out here for 150 years, maybe that's where I got my love for garlic from 😅

[@Kr-nv5fo]

Whenever the weather gets hot i get strange cravings for garlic and fenugreek. And i _do_ have pontic ancestry...

[@jeanche2420]

And garlic keeps everyone socially distancing from you as well 😄

[@Ajehy]

Italian-American here. Garlic is a necessary food group.

[@oz_jones]

I might be an honorary Turk then, since everything is better with garlic. Well, most things.

[@Lauren.E.O]

“The cook should be an agreeable person” ...Someone send this book to Gordon

[@TastingHistory]

🤣

[@SandraNelson063]

Gordon can be VERY agreeable. In the right situation. It's just that full blown idiocy FRUSTRATES him.

[@BrentLorend]

@@SandraNelson063 Only him?

[@wernerviehhauser94]

@@BrentLorend I try not to display my frustration the same way Gordon does. Its hard, though, when you wish for a cast iron pan to beat the stupidity out of some blatant fool...

[@damienthonk1506]

@@wernerviehhauser94 I'm pretty sure he plays it up for the camera.

[@Michael_______]

I'm amazed at the research, writing, production value, knowledge, comedy, intrigue and just how much of everything else went into this one. You're very good Max, and deserve more attention for your work.

[@mikkelboisen5543]

My guess is that the melon rind alters the pH or contains an enzyme (like a pineapple). Sound advice on the onion knife considering the metal being used for knives at the time.

[@olenickel6013]

My bet was pH too. Adding baking soda to water when boiling legumes is a common trick.

[@slowbro1337]

Ancient Egyptian health department be like: Your Rotten meat is in order and boiled to temp but I see your onion knife touched a carrot. We going to have to shut you down.

[@ragnkja]

Worse, the fruit-peeling knife touched a clove of garlic.

[@Nobert594]

You used the onion knife on a carrot, so were gonna use the onion knife on you

[@ryno1509]

Not really Ancient Egyptian, mediaeval

[@stinkytoy]

And don't even *think* about opening back up until you've had a manicure 🤨

[@toddellner5283]

@@ryno1509 Nope. Another old lie we've been taught was true. If you look at the history of the spice trade it always comes up, but never with any attribution. In fact, there were incredibly strict laws in Medieval Europe against selling rotten or adulterated meats, and the same people who could afford lots of spices and lots of meat were the same ones who could get, well, Medieval on your ass if you sold them spoiled product. Spices were valuable for a lot of reasons, but covering up the taste of moldering pork wasn't even in the top dozen.

[@TwilightSpeaker]

It would be so cool to have a falafel episode! I made some a couple of months ago and it was probably the most laborious recipe I've ever made. Lots of kneading. But I also know from my limited knowledge that falafel recipes are quite varied depending on the region, so it would be cool to learn about :)

[@reluctant-to-change]

I love how your videos are both highly entertaining and well-researched with sources cited. Too many history-related channels on YT are only one or the other.

[@gigivarnum]

The Spice and Tea Exchange sells Ceylon cinnamon by the ounce, in case anyone wants to order from somewhere other than Bezos

[@Kelly_Grey]

YES!! Thank you for this.

[@kawbmxful]

You a real one 🤌

[@gigivarnum]

They also sell asafoetida powder, or at least they used to. And urfa pepper (although not long pepper, alas!)... Also, they are franchises, so if you want to especially support a small business owner, decide what you want to order and then call a store and make your purchase over the phone (if you feel comfortable doing so). Orders placed online only give a partial credit to a particular storefront, even if you select that as the store you wanna shop from. I live in Key West, FL and the owners of my local franchise Katie and Matt, opened only a couple of months before COVID shut everything down here, so I make it a point to patronize them as much as possible so they can try to stay in business through the pandemic. P.S. spices make great gifts!!

[@kathk]

Penzey's Spices has Ceylon cinnamon as well, plus an... extensive catalog.

[@gigivarnum]

@@kathk yes, Penzey's is also a fantastic company. They have many seasoning blends that are wonderful to season a whole dish with, but I've found that The Spice and Tea Exchange offers a somewhat wider variety of individual spices, for when you're making your own seasoning blends. I have many spices from both companies and really enjoy they high quality from both!

[@bridgetboyle687]

I’ve been watching you since the very first post. Each video gets more in depth, more fun and more lively. I am over joyed at your continuation in the series. Thank you so much. Looking forward to more learning.

[@connorgolden4]

Can’t wait to see you get to 1 million subs Max! I think you’ll get it before the end of the year.

[@sarahburke6739]

So, you had me at hummus. You really had me. I was super excited. Then you said mint, and I was all “you lost me”. Then the olives happened “you double lost me” and you described how it tasted. And I was all “ok, maybe we will try it.” You actually sold mint and olive to me!

[@salahuddinyusuf]

Well? How was it with all that mint?

[@whiteeyedshadow8423]

1:57 the "god willing" at the end of that is what I'm assuming to be a translation of the arab/muslim phrase Inshallah (literally meaning "god willing" or "with the grace of god"). People to this day will say things like "Inshallah we will do well" or "inshallah it will come out well".

[@defectiveshark7602]

This honestly sounds like incredible hummus. It's always extra fun watching Max try something he really enjoys, too

[@LfromHell19]

It's always so great to see Max going into the past culture of societies and peoples that are so often overlooked when studying history in the west! Honestly one of my favorite channels on here hands down, keep up the amazing work!

[@RuzzNP]

I'm so glad your channel is doing well. I can't tell you how happy I am for you. Love the videos!

[@Jacob-yg7lz]

Meidicine in the 4 humors era was wild "Oh man your back's aching? You must've ate too many onions they're heating up your intestines too much."

[@Jacob-yg7lz]

@@judeirwin2222 Go touch some grass

[@ThePasadam]

Thats also in Ayurveda. The connection between large intestine and lower back pain is pretty straightforward.

[@Jacob-yg7lz]

@@ThePasadam I made this up as a joke lol

[@WaterfaerysDomain]

I loved the background music for this one! I would love to find a copy of that cookbook as well. It sounds like it's as much entertainment as it is a cookbook. Fascinating as always, Mr. Miller!

[@anti-ethniccleansing465]

You can read that language without needing an interpretation?

[@tzor]

You reminded me of this Greek restaurant who used to give this mortar and pestle of chickpeas so patrons could mash their own hummus while the food was being prepared. I generally tended to mash it until it was "good enough." After a while, they stopped doing that, although it might have been because they changed hands.

[@danielplatts9446]

I love this channel, and honestly anyone who is bold enough to attempt a recipe of this complexity deserves a lot of credit.

[@theogaillard3601]

Loved everything about this recipe. Concerning "Macedonian parsley", we have a plant growing in Europe (Mediterranean region mainly, but it spread everywhere) called Smyrnium olusatrum (horse parsley, or "maceron" in French) that is sometimes referred as "Alisanders" or "Alexanders" and I think the name might be hinting at Alexander the Great, king of (precisely) Macedonia. This might have been (though I am absolutely not sure) what the Treasure Trove of Benefits and Variety at the Table was referring to, since it seems to be fairly common and available in the Mediterranean area. What do you think ?

[@apmoy70]

Actually, it's the name of parsley in Arabic مَعْدُونِس /maʕduːnis/ which comes from the Ancient Greek name for it, μακεδονήσιον /mɐkedonɛ́ːsion/ = Macedonian (plant)

[@mercuryfalconog]

the work you put into those recipes and the history is remarkable!

[@MrArthoz]

I'd like to add something about the discussion in the book about drinking water. In Muslim tradition there is a long history of scholars debating about what temperature of water, how much to drink and when one should drink. Everyone have a lot of theory. There's also included debate about fruits like whether to eat it before or after a meal. Over the centuries there's a myriad of subject about dietary theories being practiced. There's even subject on what type of water that is safe to use for bathing and hygiene...we could talk all week about the subjects of diet and health...there's even subject of how long one can leave grape juice stale and out in the open before it is inedible. Then I learned about one scholar put forward this theory: eat when you are hungry and stop just before you are full -- consume in moderation. I wish I could get my hands on more translated work of Arab scholars. Their way of thinking and ideas are fascinating. Nobody is perfect but really enlightening to glimpse at the great minds of that era.

[@MsLeenite]

Sounds like the Internet, lol, especially KZbin. When it comes to diets, nutrition, and health, watch 100 videos, get 101 different opinions.

[@DraemoraH]

That's very interesting! I watched a video once of a man, I don't remember the country exactly but it was of Muslin culture, and he said that you should always drink teas and warm/hot beverages because cold drinks will make you naturally want more liquids, and that can be very bad if you have little access to water and such.

[@davidjoelsson4929]

So you guys do admit islam has traditions and culture?!

[@MrArthoz]

@@davidjoelsson4929 I'm sorry if there is misunderstanding in expressing my ideas since English is not my first language...it's a direct translation of native expression. When I use the world "tradition" it's a close word to describing something of a chain of events or situations over a long period of time. How do we say in English about something which is under lengthy debate/discussion/research where each findings/opinions/ideas are then countered by another with their own framework of studies/ideas/experiment again and again over a long period of time that goes over generations? I guess it's a process of growth or maturity or advancement in something. Sorry now I'm confusing myself...it is difficult to discuss abstract ideas when I was thinking about Arab concept in my native language and trying to transmit it in English. There's so many words that does not translate well into English from our native words. For example our word "thank you" would mean in direct translation "receive my love". I hope you could understand my difficulties...also I'm not an Arab person, just an Asian guy from Southeast Asia. Though I'm not sure about what other commenters are referring to because Muslim people who practice the creed are made of a lot of different races and cultures all over the world.

[@billthorne1]

Oh, Max! You never disappoint! You always produce a great show. My wife and I are 7-year vegans and big fans of history. This show offers us an opportunity to try an ancient take on one of our favorites - hummus. Thank you for doing all the research, trying out the recipes and tasting them for us -- especially the meat ones which would never pass our lips.

[@AhmedEtman79]

What a fantastic video! I'm Egyptian and I've never heard of this book before, now I'm really interested in getting it, I hope I can easily find it. We no longer do hummus in any way like that old recipe, we just do it the modern way with three simple ingredients. I'm really interested find out how this taste like. I'll try to make it.

[@TheFLViking]

When you said you prefer mace to nutmeg, I almost expected Townsend to burst in with the mortal kombat theme lol

[@davefried]

"...and then the nuts come..." i lost it 🤣

[@KaynadianGinger]

Aha! I was looking for this comment! 🤣

[@rayneraccoon]

LOL....yeah I just about spit my drink out laughing.

[@Mrtatarius666]

At 12:50 the portrait is murad the first the ottoman empire, not the author 😊 nice to see some ottoman sultans👍🏻

[@SleepNeed]

I love hummus for it's simplicity but maybe I'll try this one, despite it having 22 more ingredients than my usual!