The oldest cuisine in the world

2024/12/9

Life and Art from FT Weekend

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Laila

Mattai Demaye

Smuni Turan

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Laila: 本期节目讨论了在耶鲁大学图书馆发现的四块距今约3700年的泥板，上面记录着世界上最古老的食谱，这些食谱来自美索不达米亚，与亚述文化密切相关。节目还介绍了现今仍有300万到500万亚述人生活在世界各地。Laila对亚述菜肴及其历史渊源表示浓厚兴趣，并提到美索不达米亚地区是许多食物和饮料的起源地。 Mattai Demaye: Mattai Demaye介绍了亚述人的历史和文化，以及他们所经历的迫害。他详细讲述了1927年发现的楔形文字泥板上的35道菜谱，这些菜谱记录了古代亚述人使用的食材和烹饪方法，例如羊肉、洋葱、甜菜、韭菜、啤酒、孜然和芫荽等。他将书中记录的食谱与母亲的烹饪联系起来，并着重介绍了其中一道名为“填充肠”的菜肴，这可能是世界上最早的香肠。他还解释了古代亚述食谱与现代烹饪之间的联系，以及古代亚述人在烹饪方面的创新。Mattai Demaye还谈到了亚述人在奥斯曼帝国时期的悲惨遭遇，以及他的家族如何幸存下来。他提到他的母亲在制作食物的过程中，将传统文化与家族历史联系起来，并对传承这种文化负有责任。 Smuni Turan: Smuni Turan主要通过Mattai Demaye的翻译表达了自己的观点。她强调了传统食物对于保持文化联系和整体幸福感的重要性，并详细介绍了库特莱（kutle）和卡特罗（Cateero）两种亚述传统食物的制作方法。她还分享了制作库特莱（kutle）的技巧和经验，以及制作卡特罗（Cateero）酸奶的细节，包括使用新鲜牛奶和保温发酵等步骤。她还比较了自制酸奶和超市酸奶的味道和口感差异，并表达了对传统食物的热爱和自豪感。 Laila: Laila 作为主持人，引导访谈，并对亚述文化和菜肴表现出极大的兴趣，她对亚述菜肴的历史和文化背景进行提问，并与两位嘉宾进行互动交流，展现了对亚述文化的尊重和理解。她还分享了自己家族与该地区的文化联系，以及对亚述菜肴的喜爱。 Mattai Demaye: Mattai Demaye 作为本书作者，详细介绍了亚述菜肴的历史渊源、制作方法和文化意义。他深入探讨了古代亚述食谱与现代亚述菜肴之间的联系，并分享了家族历史和文化传承的故事。他展现了对亚述文化的深厚了解和热爱，并通过对母亲烹饪技艺的记录和传承，表达了对家族历史和文化的尊重。 Smuni Turan: Smuni Turan 作为菜谱的实际创造者，她虽然不擅长英语，但通过儿子Mattai Demaye的翻译，表达了她对传统食物和文化的热爱。她分享了世代相传的烹饪技巧和经验，以及对传统食物的独特见解。她对能够将自己的烹饪技艺和文化传承记录下来感到自豪和感激。

Deep Dive

Key Insights

What are the oldest recorded recipes in history?

The oldest recorded recipes are found on four clay tablets from about 1,700 BCE, during the Assyrian Empire. These tablets contain recipes for stews, breads, and pies.

How many Assyrians are still living around the world today?

There are approximately 3 to 5 million Assyrians living in diaspora around the world today.

What is the title of the cookbook that features exclusively Assyrian cuisine?

The cookbook is titled 'The Oldest Kitchen in the World' and was published in 2023.

What languages is 'The Oldest Kitchen in the World' available in?

The cookbook is available in English, Dutch, and German.

What is the significance of the stuffed intestines recipe in Assyrian cuisine?

The stuffed intestines recipe is considered the first sausage in the world, created by the Assyrians. It involves stuffing sheep intestines with minced meat, parsley, garlic, and bulgur.

Why is traditional food important for Assyrian culture?

Traditional food is crucial for Assyrians as it helps maintain a connection to their roots and cultural identity. It also contributes to their overall well-being.

What is the Assyrian dish 'kutle' and how is it similar to other cuisines?

Kutle is a dish similar to kibbeh, consisting of a bulgur crust with meat inside. It is often battered with butter and fried, and is a signature dish in Assyrian cuisine.

How is homemade yogurt made in Assyrian tradition?

Homemade yogurt is made by boiling fresh milk from a farmer, adding a scoop of yogurt as a starter, and then covering the mixture with a blanket to ferment in a dark corner overnight.

What is the difference between homemade yogurt and store-bought yogurt?

Homemade yogurt is thicker, richer, and tangier in taste compared to store-bought yogurt, which is often less flavorful and has a different texture.

Why did Matai de Mayee write 'The Oldest Kitchen in the World'?

Matai wrote the cookbook to document the recipes of his mother, Smuni Turan, which had been passed down orally for centuries. He aimed to preserve their cultural heritage and culinary traditions.

Shownotes Transcript

Have you ever wondered about the oldest recipes in history? They were discovered on four clay tablets from about 1,700 BCE at the time of the Assyrian Empire. Did you know that about 5 million Assyrians still live around the world today? This year, a cookbook was published that is the first modern collection of exclusively Assyrian cuisine, food that has a lot of overlap with those ancient tablets. It’s called The Oldest Kitchen in the World, and in it, Matay de Mayee records the recipes of his mother, Smuni Turan — recipes her ancestors have been passing down orally for centuries. Today, they join Lilah in the studio to talk about their kitchen.

The Oldest Kitchen in the World is published in English, Dutch and German — in Dutch and German its title is Haniyé. You can find it in bookshops in the US, Canada, The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and online.

**Send us your predictions! Write to Lilah **at [email protected]) or on Instagram @lilahrap). And — thank you.

Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy) for more information.

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