In case anyone would like to read and/or watch along with the recipes, resources, and inspirations…
The Reference Game Threads
Research and reference books, videos, inspiration points, and cat lols
- Chai and Charmcraft thread
- Haroun and the Study of Mischief thread
Research
Books
- Kitab al-tabikh by ibn Sayyar al-Warraq (10th c Baghdad) translated as Annals of the Caliph’s Kitchens by Nawal Nasrallah and as A Baghdad Cookery Book by Charles Perry (thanks again to C. M. Kanagy for checking it out and reading the print copy I couldn’t read!)
- Canon of Medicine by ibn Sina / Avicenna (11th c)
- Zakhira-i Khwarazmshahi by Ismail Gorgani (11th c Persian)
- Manasollasa by King Someshvara III (13th c Deccan / southwest Indian)
- Kitab al-Wusla (13th c Syrian), translated as Scents and Flavors by Charles Perry
- Fiḍālat al-Khiwān fī Ṭayyibāt al-Ṭaʿām wa-l-Alwān by ibn Razin al-Tujjibi (13th century Andalusia), translated as The Exile’s Cookbook by Daniel L. Newman and as Best of Delectable Foods and Dishes from al-Andalus and al-Maghrib by Nawal Nasrallah
- Anwāʿ al-ṣaydala fī alwān al-aṭʿima (13th c Andalusia), translated as Smorgasbords of Andalusi and Maghribi Dishes and Their Salutary Benefits by Nawal Nasrallah
- Kanz al-Fawa’id fī Tanwi‘ al-Mawa’id (14th c Egypt), translated as Treasure Trove of Benefits and Variety at the Table by Nawal Nasrallah
- Zahr al-hadiqa fi ’l-atcima al-aniqa by ibn Mubarak Shah (15th c Egypt and apparently a condensed version of Kanz / Treasure Trove above), translated as The Sultan’s Feast by Daniel L. Newman
- Medieval Arab Cookery by Maxime Rodinson, A. J. Arberry, and Charles Perry — collecting up translations of several otherwise-untranslated cookbooks in essays and works from 1939 to 2001
- Medieval Cuisine of the Islamic World by Lilia Zaouali (2007)
- Food and foodways of medieval Cairenes : aspects of life in an Islamic metropolis of the eastern Mediterranean by Paulina Lewicka (2011)
- Silk Roads by Anna Ansari (2025)
Websites
- Salma Serry’s connection of her grandmother’s faludhaj to rahat al-hulqum
- Bazmaward: Nawal Nasrallah’s version, Daniel Newman’s version, my version
- Salt-preserved lemons: Christine Benlafqih of Taste of Maroc
- Sikbaj: Daniel Newman’s sikbaj
- Takhlil al-Shamar al-Akhdar: Nawal Nasrallah’s rose fennel pickles
- Zirbaj: Daniel Newman’s zirbaj
- Dassana’s Veg Recipes dahi / hung yogurt cheese (and many others!)
- Archana’s aam ka achaar/mango pickles (and many others!)
- Portraits from Fayum
Videos and Playlists
- Ancient Recipes with Sohla el-Waylly
- Food: A History and Cooking Through the Ages with Ken Albala
- Tasting History with Max Miller
- Daniel Newman making zulabiyya
- Flavors of the Arab Golden Age pt 1, pt 2, pt 3
- Meherwan Irani
- Mark Wiens
- 4,500 year old beaded Egyptian dress
Cat videos in particular lol
- r/shouldercats: the live action Katayef and Kittens backstage documentary 😸
- Pyaari, the most decent princess cat, who’s my cat-fancasting for Sahar
Lynn Strong 