سُفْرة SAUDI FEAST

"We share bread and salt" is a popular saying that reflects the depth of the relationship between individuals, with food playing a central role as a cultural element influencing human relationships across different groups and cultures.

 

"Bread and salt" are two of the most well-known food components, found in almost every kitchen throughout human history. Bread is a staple in various culinary cultures worldwide, and locally, it is called "aish" (meaning "life") as a metaphor for its integration into daily life. Salt, in addition to its crucial role in enhancing the flavor of food, was a primary method of food preservation in ancient times and a means of survival. Together with bread, it represents a cornerstone of culinary history, and their shared connection carries profound meaning, encompassing many social and human relationships.

 

From this perspective, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has, throughout the ages, built a rich history of openness to the diverse culinary traditions brought by traders. For thousands of years, it has served as a melting pot of different cultures, thanks to its location on the trade routes of spices, silk, and incense.

 

History has proven that food knows no borders; it is a universal language that unites us, understood by all people, wherever they may be. It is also one of our ways of connecting with others. In the Kingdom, renowned for its hospitality and warm welcome, every celebration inevitably involves sharing a meal or sending food to loved ones or those less fortunate.

 

Saudis have relied on oral literary traditions to preserve this heritage and culture, through poetry and storytelling. Thanks to these ancient customs, as old as history itself, successive generations have inherited our recipes, which were rarely written down. Therefore, we set our sights on documenting our culinary heritage, an endeavor that goes beyond simply preserving recipes and ingredients. It encompasses the stories that illuminate their crucial role in our local culinary traditions. From this foundation, the "Our Culinary Heritage" initiative was launched.

 

We decided to involve community members from across the Kingdom in this initiative by requesting them to upload their family's traditional recipes. These recipes were then compiled into "Our Culinary Heritage," and the initiative garnered an overwhelming response, with professional and home cooks alike eager to share their family recipes with us.

 

Through these pages, we hope to open a door to Saudi culture for you, just as the chefs featured in this book opened the doors of their homes and shared their recipes and precious family stories. We also invited Saudi culinary historians to delve deeper into the families' knowledge to further enrich our understanding of these dishes, exploring their origins and historical context.

 

Mayada Badr

CEO of the Culinary Arts Commission