Friday, January 06, 2006

Eat like an Egyptian with Isis



In the beginning of the year Isis is being celebrated. Isis is one of the best known Goddesses. She is the main Egyptian Goddess, who was worshipped all over the Roman empire, and who is the main model of Virgin Mary mother of Jesus. Isis is a foremost symbol of motherhood, wifehood and sisterhood, and thus she is the Goddess of Women. Some women don't like the submissive trait in Isis, and choose to worship another face of Goddess. But there is a lot more about Isis people would need to know and find out...

"Isis rules life, magic, fate, civilization, spells, motherhood, maternal love, Nature, Egypt (especially the Nile Delta and the city of Alexandria), growth, decline, decay, regeneration, spirituality, laws, wind, rivers, sleep, dreams, serpents, daytime, moisture, storms, thunder, lightning, secrets, initiation, agriculture, orchards, cycles, war, peace, necessity, navigation, seaports, anchors, sea breezes, the sea, the heavens, outer space, stars (especially the northern constellations), material reality, solid form, the year, conjugal love, household arts, writing implements, medical schools, the Mysteries, and human affairs. She also rules mooring poles, travel by sea, Words of Power, breeze from the North, the breath of life, the crashing of waves, the sprouting of seeds, the unfurling of leaves, the opening of flowers, the waning and waxing of the Moon, the ebb and flow of tides, the cresting and flooding of rivers, and the entire Universe. Isis is the matron of widows, single mothers, and travelers."

I am very interested in ancient cooking, so Isis is going to serve an ancient Egyptian dinner to her servants.
The poor people usually ate bread, beans, garlic and beer, but Egypt was a center of culture already when Isis was openly worshipped there. There were fruits, oil and wine from all around the world - people even suspect that there was a trade route to South America, because they have found traces of cocaine in some mummies... and cocaine exists only in South America. There was a great variety of meats, cattle, mutton, camel, birds of all kinds (not chicken, though...) and a lot of fish. Even pigs were eaten at Nile delta. Milk products were also present. As Egypt was the center of wheat farming area, the baking skills were very high, and all kinds of breads and cakes were served.

Ancient Egyptian recipes
Modern Egyptian recipes

Ancient Egyptian date candy

And here's Nancy's Egyptian Resources, for more recipes, but mainly for entertainment for Isis' dinner - among other things; how to pronounce ancient Egyptian...

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