This Facebook Page Sheds Light on Egypt’s Food History Over Thousands of Years

When thinking of Egyptian food and the seemingly endless he-said, she-said, they-said about where certain dishes originated from, some people claim that Egyptian food is – for the most part – heavily influenced or originating from different cultures that have, over the centuries, passed through Om El Donia. Here to prove that more food is authentically Egyptian than we think is Egyptian food history enthusiast Samira Abdel Qader who – five months ago – launched a Facebook page called ‘Tawthiq Al-Matbakh Al-Masry’ honouring the history of Egyptian food and showcasing the fact that so much of the food we eat today traces back to the time of the Ancient Egyptians.

“I’ve always been fascinated by culinary history, especially Egyptian culinary history. I started this page and community as a way to correct the wrongs and misconceptions pertaining to the origins of Egyptian food,” Abdel Qader tells SceneEats. “Food history is such an important facet of cultural heritage, and our heritage as Egyptians, and so I really wanted to showcase that through my page.” 

The page shares different photos of Egyptian food – some cooked by Abdel Qader herself and some shared from other food bloggers – and provides a concise, simple to understand history and recipes of the dishes at hand. Some of the most interesting facts we discovered from the page is that the Ancient Egyptian civilization is the first one ever to bake bread – various types of which are still eaten across various governorates today. Moreover, pasta, karkade, some oriental sweets, different types of doughs and even marshmallows all date back to Ancient Egyptian.

“Our food history plays a big role in establishing our identity,” added Abdel Qader, and so, through my page, I hope to spread awareness and knowledge of the histories and stories of the Egyptian food we enjoy today.” 

To learn more, check out Abdel Qader’s page.