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A Baghdad Cookery Book (Petits Propos Culinaires)

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Creator: Charles Perry
Publisher: Prospect Books (UK)
Category: Book

List Price: ~~$19.95~~
Buy New: $13.93
You Save: $6.02 (30%)

New (8) Used (1) from $13.93

Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

4 reviews
Sales Rank: 767205

Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 128
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.2 x 5.2 x 0.5

ISBN: 1903018420
Dewey Decimal Number: 641.59174927
EAN: 9781903018422
ASIN: 1903018420

Publication Date: January 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand new Book, ALL days Low Price !

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Editorial Reviews:

Product Description
Al-Baghdadi's Kitab al-Tabikh was for long the only medieval Arabic Cookery book known to the English-speaking world, thanks to A.J Arberry's path-breaking 1939 translation as `A Baghdad Cookery Book' which was re-issued by Prospect Books in 2001 in Medieval Arab Cookery. For centuries, it has been the favourite Arab cookery book of the Turks. The original manuscript is still in Istanbul, and at some point a Turkish sultan commissioned a very handsome copy which can still be seen in The British Library in London. In the twentieth century the Iraqui scholar, Daoud Chelebi, produced a modern transcription which served as the basis for Arberry's translation. Charles Perry has re-visited the manuscript and discovered many possible errors and amendments that affect the interpretation of these essential recipes for the understanding of medieval Arab cookery. He has produced a new English translation incorporating these ammendments and fully annotating his variations with the 'authorised' version. Scholars will now have a definitive text on which to work. They will also have this text in an inexpensive and handy format, just the thing for a learned lady's handbag.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars

A demonstration of appliaed erudition July 13, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

A welcome new edition of a fundamental book on classical Arab cooking. A good demonstration on how to go about reviewing and remaking a book that had already been accepted as a reference. Good read for the text and for the method.

5 out of 5 stars

Cuisine Fit for a Caliph December 2, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful

This new translation by Charles Perry is a great improvement over A.J. Arberry's once-novel, now-dated 1930s translation of this legendary 13th century cookbook, which served the kitchens of the wealthy and powerful of the Near and Middle East for well over 300 years.

True, the writing style of these recipes is not like that familiar to most 21st C. Americans, with the exact quantity of every ingredient and every step of the process enumerated. However, the writing style is not much different from cookbooks written in other languages even today, such as those I purchased when I lived in Indonesia. And the recipes are quite useable by the adventurous cook. I've been cooking using al-Baghdadi's cookbook, in one form or another, for about 9 years. I am very happy to have it now in this convenient paperback format.

For those not accustomed to using these sorts of recipes, it may take a bit of courage and several experiments. But I'm sure that once you play with them a few times, you will find yourself rewarded by the opportunity to dine like a Caliph.

For those more cautious, but interested in the history of cookbooks, in the history of cuisines in general, and in Middle Eastern cuisines in particular, even if you don't cook from these recipes, this over 700 year old cookbook will be a fascinating study in the dining of the past.

5 out of 5 stars

Highly recommended for ancient food recreationists September 28, 2007
1 out of 3 found this review helpful

A friend of mine has this book. I am going to buy it. It is very useful for ancient/medieval SCA recreationists.

2 out of 5 stars

A good book for historians, not for actual cooks. September 27, 2007
2 out of 6 found this review helpful

This book does not contain traditional recipies with contemporary measurements and ingredients. It works better as a historical reference of how cooking was done centuries ago. An interesting read for those seeking knowledge of old times, but unless your actually cook over an open flame with kindling for three fourths of the night, not too helpful for a modern cook.

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