A Seat At The Table (food And Feasting In The Islamic World)

Edited by Silvana Editoriale
Short description/annotation:
Explores culinary traditions from the emergence of Islam to today, highlighting key historical developments, contemporary challenges and the impact of trade on food. It also examines how feasting and dining etiquette shaped courtly culture. Accompanies an exhibition at Doha, Museum of Islamic Art, 22 May - 8 November 2025.
Description:

More than any other activity, food brings people, cultures, and communities together. Eating, whether sharing a meal or dining alone, goes well beyond the mere necessity of sustenance. It nurtures us physically, mentally and emotionally. Yet food has also helped to expand people’s perspectives and encourage new experiences.

A Seat at the Table: Food and Feasting in the Islamic World explores culinary traditions from the emergence of Islam to today, highlighting key historical developments, contemporary challenges and the impact of trade on food. It also exa­mines how feasting and dining etiquette shaped courtly culture. This volume speaks to the power of similar practices united under a common faith, highlighting similarities and differences whether found locally or across the globe.

Table of contents:
8 Foreword Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani 8 Director’s Foreword Shaika Nasser Al Nassr 11 Introduction Tara Desjardins 15 Knead, Heat, Repeat: The Dough of Life Nicoletta Fazio 23 Paradise’s Menu: Understanding the Food and Drinks of Jannah Teslim Sanni 27 Cooking Across Empires: The Culinary Traditions of Medieval Islam Daniel Newman 35 Setting the Table: Deluxe Glazed Ceramics and the Art of Fine Dining Linda Komaroff 43 Itinerant Ingredients: The Global Trade in Foodstuffs Tara Desjardins 51 Maryam Mohammed Abdulla: Crafting a Culinary Legacy in Qatar Reem Aboughazala 55 Cultivating Resilience: Qatar’s Agricultural Innovations and the Future of Food Security Teslim Sanni 61 Exhibition Album 147 Bibliography 151 Exhibited Works 157 About the Contributors