Egyptian Writer, Poet and Translator Yasser Abdel-Latif Talks History and Geography of Egyptian Cuisine in Upcoming Global Food Anthology ‘Beyond the Food Court’

When thinking of what we know about food from different countries around the world, we’ll often find that we know very little save for a couple of token dishes – which may or may not be authentic in the first place. But we’ve all probably found ourselves paying little head to the cultural traditions behind those dishes, and the thousands of years that shape food culture and impact generations upon generations: the culinary story. This upcoming Canadian food anthology hopes to explore those notions head-on. 

Exploring the depths of the cultural, historic and geographical impacts of food is an upcoming food anthology entitled ‘Beyond the Food Court: An Anthology of Literary Cuisines.’’ The anthology – published by the Canadian Labirento Press – aims to look beyond your typical, and often disconnected, food options in a North American food court, and delves a little deeper into culinary and literary diversity, with its contributors reflecting on their own personal culinary experiences, touching on the importance of food culture and history in a country like Canada, where so many of its population are second culture kids. 

Alberta-based Egyptian writer, poet, academic and translator Yasser Abdel-Latif – whose main area of focus lies in contemporary Arabic literature and Cultural History and music production in 20th century Egypt – contributed to the anthology with a chapter on Egyptian culinary tradition and history entitled: ‘The Egyptian Cuisine: Historical and Geographical Features.’

“In my chapter, I tried to describe how the geographical location, the very long history and waves of different cultures that passed through Egypt shaped its cuisine and food culture," Abdel-Latif tells SceneEats, “I also tried to shed more light on the fact that our cuisine – unlike Indian, Chinese or Lebanese – is not well-represented in the international market, and especially here in Canada.”

Among the countries represented in the anthology is Iraq, with its rich, diverse culinary culture is set to explore how the two great rivers of Mesopotamia impacted and shaped Iraqi food culture.

“The idea behind the anthology is to present to the Canadian reader the human and cultural legacy behind what they know from food courts and globalized ethnic restaurants,” he adds. 

The anthology, which also covers culinary culture and tradition from over 14 countries, sees its contributors – none of which are originally food writers or culinary experts but are rather fiction writers, poets and art historians  – retell their personal experiences with the food from different cultures. “Their [the contributors’] vivid retelling of past culinary experience bears little resemblance – now more than ever – sanitized version of the food court. It becomes a collective exercise of remembering and creating new memories as your eyes settle on the words Masgouf [Iraqi grilled fish dish], Asado [South American barbeque], Injera [Eriterian and Ethiopian flat bread] or Ajiaco [a hearty soup common to Columbia, Cuba and Peru],” Beyond the Food Court editor Luciana Erregue tells SceneEats. 

For more details on how to purchase the book, which is set for publishing in October, visit laberintopress.com.