The Fujairah Feast (وليمة الفجيرة)

This month, I curated three medieval banquets in the Emirate of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, as part of a research project on ‘Medieval Arab Cooking: Identity and Culinary Heritage’. The events were organised under the patronage of His Highness, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad al-Sharqi, Crown Prince of Fujairah, who also provided generous support throughout, and in collaboration with the Fujairah Culture and Media Authority. Here are some of the highlights from some of the events, including the cooking of the most spectacular dish of the day, a stuffed camel!

Dates workshop at COP28

I attended COP28 (30th November-12th December) in Dubai (UAE) to take part in an exciting project relating to food sustainability and local heritage, in collaboration with the Barakat Trust and Al Ghadeer Emirati Crafts, a pioneering project under the aegis of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Red Crescent Authority. The aim of the association is to empower local craftswomen by providing them with a sustainable source of revenue.

At the COP28 site, I curated a date tasting workshop through a number of carefully selected recipes based on the medieval culinary sources from the 8th to the 15th centuries. The dishes included stuffed honeyed dates, a meat-and-date stew (tamriyya), a milky date pudding (khabis) and a cereal-based date drink (subiya).

Medieval Arab Cooking at Heenat Salma

On the 5th of May, an event was held at Heenat Salma, an Eco-Farm and Camp, part of a multidisciplinary project dedicated to holistic methods in agriculture, architecture, and community development, and aimed at growing desert-friendly plants and vegetables, diversifying local food production, and contributing to a renewable, home-grown food supply in Qatar and beyond. The banquet was a held as a Chef’s Table under the banner of Sharing Identity.

A heartfelt thank you to Ivan Dubkov,  Curator of Caravane Earth Foundation and Heenat Salma Farm, the amazing chef Ajaya Teppa and their teams who turned into such a wonderful evening for all who attended. 

Medieval Arab Cooking at the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha

On 3rd and 4th of May, IDAM by Alain Ducasse hosted a medieval banqueting event, with an extensive menu drawn from over half a millennium of recipes from the medieval Arab culinary tradition, covering a geographical area from Muslim Spain (al-Andalus) to Baghdad.

The event was preceded by a guided tour in the Museum discussing various relevant cooking-related artefacts from its collections, after which guests were introduced to the menu and some of the more unusual ingredients.

A big thank you to everyone who helped make this such a resounding success: Susan Parker Leavy (Director of the MIA Library), Fabrice Rosso (Head Chef), Y. Godard (Director of F&B Operations and Commercial Leasing), J. Cheminade (Executive Chef), Mathieu Courtin (Food and Beverage Manager) and their teams!

Medieval Arab Cooking at MACFEST 2023

Join me for an on-line talk today entitled Eat like a Sultan! Cooking In The Muslim in the Medieval Ages at the 2023 edition of the Muslim Arts and Cultural Festival. Registration is free, and the event will take place at 14.00-15.30 BST. Looking forward to seeing you there!