Food At The Time Of The Bible: From Adam's Apple To The Last Supper

by Miriam Feinberg Vamosh

Was the "forbidden fruit" of the garden of Eden really an apple?  What is St. Peter's Fish?  What was in the bowl that Jesus dipped into at the Last Supper?  Within the pages of this book you will find a uniquely in-depth and easy-to-read survey of every aspect of food in the Bible, accompanied by fascinating illustrations and photographs.  You will learn not only what people ate and drank in Bible days, but how they raised their food, stored it, traded in it, and prepared it.  You will take a fresh look at food through the eyes of Scripture, seeing new and deeper symbolic meanings behind many a menu. Best of all, you will find an exciting collection of biblically-inspired, easy-to-prepare recipes for a cornucopia of delicious dishes to share with friends and family. As you enjoy learning about what our biblical ancestors ate, you will find yet another way of coming closer to Bible days and Bible ways.  Through this book you will discover that Scripture, t

Genres: Nonfiction, Cookbooks, History, Christian, Food

108 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2004

About the author

Miriam Feinberg Vamosh, an author based in Israel since 1970, is renowned for her works that delve into ancient times in the Holy Land. Her latest book, "Ahōti – A Story of Tamar," co-authored with Eva Marie Everson (Paraclete Press, release date May 2024), takes the tragic story of David’s daughter Tamar to a new place of redemption and healing. Her bibliography includes "Daily Life at the Time of Jesus," which has been translated into over 30 languages, "Food at the Time of the Bible," "Women at the Time of the Bible" (Palphot) and "Teach it to Your Children, How Kids Lived in Bible Days," (AviMedia), the award-winning "Reflections of God's Holy Land: a Personal Journey Through Israel" (with Eva Marie Everson, Thomas Nelson ) and and a historical novel, "The Scroll" (Toby Press). A native of Trenton, New Jersey, Miriam’s passion for the Bible and ancient sources evolved over many years as a tour educator, and her interest in Christianity began thanks to the respect she learned at home for people of diverse faiths and cultures. A member of the translation team on the news desk of the Israeli daily Haaretz for two decades, she has juxtaposed the complexities of writing, translating, and editing about millennia-old events, with her work for a cutting-edge Israeli newspaper. This is the complexity that for Miriam makes life in Israel an unending search for meaning, healing and justice. With the passing of her husband Arik (Aharon), Miriam continues to cherish their two wonderful daughters and sons-in-law and five grandchildren.

Reviews

[iva° · Rating 5 out of 5]

zabavno, informativno i nepretenciozno. pregled svih namirnica/jela koje se spominju u bibliji, od smokve iz edenskog vrta do isusove pashalne večere. osim jela (meso, riba, voće i povrće, začini, slastice i sve ostalo...), autorica se bavi i hranidbenim običajima, metodama skladištenja hrane i biblijskim mjernim jedinicama, a sve je potkrijepljeno biblijskim navodima pa ne saznaješ samo o hrani, nego dobivaš i širi uvid u način života i mentalni sklop izraelaca. posebna poslastica su recepti koji djeluju autentično i, bez namirnica koje smo danas navikli koristiti u kuhinji, bazično i oskudno. ipak, to me ne bi trebalo spriječiti da u skoroj budućnosti pripremim biblijski tulum na kojem će biti posluženi gideonovi ječmeni kruščići, jišajeva sarma od vinove loze sa sirom, teleći gulaš sina razmetnoga, salata od repe i grožđica, a za desert punjene datulje u medu.
nice job, miriam.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Food at the Time of the Bible" is a Bible background book focusing on food and eating. It had nice full-color pictures and illustrations of the various foods, animals, and harvest & storage methods mentioned in the text. The author used the Bible, the Mishnah and Talmud (oral law), and archaeological findings to describe what people ate during Bible times (especially in Jesus' lifetime). There were 11 recipes in the text which used Bible verses to provide the ingredients while the author filled in the missing amounts. At the end of the book, there were an additional 36 recipes (from bread to sweets) also based on Bible or Mishnah cooking descriptions. They allow you to sample what the food was like back then.

The topics were covered with some detail--probably with as much detail as is available. Still, me being me, I would have liked to know even more. The topics covered were dining customs; grain & bread; grapes, wine, vinegar, & beer; olives & olive oil; fruits (dates, figs, pomegranates, carobs, citron, walnuts, almonds, peaches, apples, plums, apricots, & caper); vegetables; fish; (livestock) meat; milk, cheese, & other milk products; sweets (honey, etc.); herbs & spices; storing & preserving food; the last supper; and biblical measures & food costs.

The book was easy to read and interesting, and I would recommend it. However, I was disappointed that the author placed archeology (human interpretation) over the Bible. She used a timeline that went back past 6000 BC, said things like "some people say that humans didn't used to eat meat based on Genesis 1 & 2" like she thought humans have always eaten meat, and twice said that Jericho is "the world's oldest city."

[Cecile · Rating 2 out of 5]

Catholic but not labeled so

[Karen Gennari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last June I had the idea to invite a group of friends for a Biblical dinner. The requirement would be to bring a food item made strictly of ingredients that were available in Biblical times—no cheating! Before doing any substantial planning, I needed a book that not only included recipes but that would also get me better acquainted with day to day living at the time of Jesus.

After perusing several related books on Amazon, I chose Food at the Time of the Bible. I got more than I expected from it. I was fascinated with its description of daily life at the time, especially the dining customs—from the poor who could apply for "charity" to the members of the wealthy upper class. And I was surprised at the variety of food they grew, especially the herbs and spices.

There were nine diners at my house. Each person brought one or two homemade items using the recipes in the book. The meal was undeniably unique and a real learning experience. And most recipes actually tasted quite good. If you want to try a one-of-a-kind meal with your friends, try a Biblical dinner and pick up Food at the Time of the Bible for recipes and lots of background information.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful and accessible overview! Love all of Miriam’s work. This book includes plenty of pictures and gives great chunks of information without being overwhelming. A good resource for those who want to build their knowledge base but need something brief and succinct. Also includes biblical recipes in the back, which is fun!

[K B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent materiel -- well written