New Books Network Susan Weingarten, "Ancient Jewish Food in its Geographical and Cultural Contexts: What’s Cooking in the Talmuds?" (Taylor & Francis, 2025
Dec 13, 2025
Susan Weingarten, a food historian and expert on Jewish foodways, dives into the rich culinary traditions of Late Antiquity. She explores how talmudic texts unveil food preparation practices often overlooked in classical literature. Weingarten discusses the societal implications of grain choices, contrasting wheat and barley economics, and the differing meat consumption in Palestine and Babylonia. She also highlights shared food customs across cultures, examines food's role in social status, and reflects on recreating ancient flavors to better understand historical diets.
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Food As Social And Cultural Signal
- Talmudic food discussions reveal daily life concerns beyond ritual law and show Jewish foodways were porous and influenced by neighbors.
- Food shaped identity, status, and cultural exchange in Late Antiquity.
Use Finds To Refine Text Translation
- Use archaeology to test textual claims and refine translations of food terms.
- Reinterpret ambiguous rabbinic grain names by matching them to botanical finds.
Texts And Archaeology Correct Each Other
- Rabbinic texts mix prescription and description, so archaeological finds help test what people actually ate.
- Grain remains confirm wheat and barley dominated, challenging translations that assumed oats or rye.
