Peter Heine Book order

The Fertile Crescent region—the swath of land comprising a vast portion of today’s Middle East—has long been regarded as pivotal to the rise of civilization. Alongside the story of human development, innovation, and progress, there is a culinary tradition of equal richness and importance. In The Culinary Crescent: A History of Middle Eastern Cuisine, Peter Heine combines years of scholarship with a personal passion: his knowledge of the cookery traditions of the Umayyad, Abbasid, Ottoman, Safavid, and Mughal courts is matched only by his love for the tastes and smells produced by the contemporary cooking of these areas today. In addition to offering a fascinating history, Heine presents more than one hundred recipes—from the modest to the extravagant—with dishes ranging from those created by the “celebrity chefs” of the bygone Mughal era, up to gastronomically complex presentations of modern times. Beautifully produced, designed for both reading and cooking, and lavishly illustrated in color throughout, The Culinary Crescent is sure to provide a delectable window in the history of food in the Middle East.

Exploring the intertwined cuisines of the Near East, Middle East, and North Africa, this book delves into how ancient cultures and diverse climates shape culinary traditions. It highlights the influence of major monotheistic religions on contemporary eating habits among Muslims, Jews, and Christians, with a focus on Arab Muslim food cultures. Additionally, it examines the effects of colonialism, globalization, and modernization on these foodways, offering a comprehensive understanding of the region's culinary landscape.