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Dates in Medieval Baghdad: Sweet Eats to Heady Drinks

Presented in association with the National Arts Clubs Culinary Arts Committee:

Join Professor Nawal Nasrallah for an illuminating illustrated lecture about the ways in which medieval Baghdadi cooks and wine makers exploited the humble date.

A wide variety of date palms have been cultivated in Iraq from time immemorial, with practically every part of the tree being put to use. Dates in particular were prized for their versatility, from flavoring stews to preparing delectable desserts. Despite conflicting views on consuming alcoholic drinks in the Islamic world, dates were also made into heady wines and balsamic-like vinegar. The reception will feature some of these date-based treats.

Nawal Nasrallah, a native of Iraq, was a professor at Baghdad and Mosul Universities teaching English literature and language. Of her culinary books, "Delights from the Garden of Eden: A Cookbook" (Authorhouse, 2003) has received the Gourmand World Cookbook Special Jury Award, and her translation of "Annals of the Caliphs' Kitchens: Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq's Tenth-Century Baghdadi Cookbook" (Brill, 2007) is short-listed for Best Arab Cuisine and Best Translation in the 2007 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. She has given numerous presentations and demonstrations on Iraqi cuisine, ancient, medieval, and modern.