flipFigs and Pomegranate in Honey, Preserved for the Long Journey
Figs and Pomegranate in Honey, Preserved for the Long Journey
Why this dish? Provisions were placed in tombs for the crossing of the Duat — that underworld where the solar barque faces Apep night after night. Dried figs and pomegranate seeds in honey, which keep for a long time, are the traveler's snack for the afterlife, sweet-tart, able to endure where no sun shines.
Soft figs stuffed with pomegranate, bound with honey and rolled in crushed nuts — a preserved confection, sweet and tangy, designed to last and for the journey.
You fill your tombs with dried fruits and pomegranates in honey for the long night, as if one could carry a basket into the Duat! I await you there, travelers of darkness, coiled between the twelve gates. Your figs will keep their sweetness; I, my hunger does not age. Pass quickly before my maw, and perhaps you will see another dawn — perhaps.
- •Dried figs — a good amount (base, long shelf life)
- •Pomegranate seeds — a handful (acidity, freshness)
- •Honey — generously (binder and preservative)
- •Crushed walnuts or almonds — a handful (crunch)
- •Sesame seeds — a little (coating)
Figs and Pomegranate in Honey, Preserved for the Long Journey
Soft figs stuffed with pomegranate, bound with honey and rolled in crushed nuts — a preserved confection, sweet and tangy, designed to last and for the journey.
Why this dish? Provisions were placed in tombs for the crossing of the Duat — that underworld where the solar barque faces Apep night after night. Dried figs and pomegranate seeds in honey, which keep for a long time, are the traveler's snack for the afterlife, sweet-tart, able to endure where no sun shines.
You fill your tombs with dried fruits and pomegranates in honey for the long night, as if one could carry a basket into the Duat! I await you there, travelers of darkness, coiled between the twelve gates. Your figs will keep their sweetness; I, my hunger does not age. Pass quickly before my maw, and perhaps you will see another dawn — perhaps.
Ingredients (period version)
- Dried figs — a good amount (base, long shelf life)
- Pomegranate seeds — a handful (acidity, freshness)
- Honey — generously (binder and preservative)
- Crushed walnuts or almonds — a handful (crunch)
- Sesame seeds — a little (coating)
Ingredients
- Soft dried figs — 12 (base)
- Pomegranate (fresh seeds) — 1/2 fruit (acidity)
- Honey — 4 tbsp (binder, preservative)
- Crushed walnuts or almonds — 60 g (crunch)
- Toasted sesame seeds — 30 g (coating)
- Orange blossom water (optional) — 1 tsp (aroma)
Method
- Slit each fig, stuff with a few pomegranate seeds and nut pieces.
- Slightly warm the honey (with orange blossom water if desired) and roll the stuffed figs in it.
- Coat with toasted sesame, press to adhere.
- Let dry 1 hour in the air, then store in an airtight box lined with paper — keeps several days.
- Serve whole, as travel bites or end-of-meal sweets.
How it was made : Figs (common and sycamore), dates, raisins and pomegranates were among Egyptian fruits; dried ones have been found in tombs as offerings to the dead. Honey served both as sweetener and preservative. Pomegranate, introduced in the New Kingdom, was prized.
The contemporary twist : Presented in a small woven papyrus box or a golden casket, these bites become 'provisions for the afterlife' to offer, part treat, part mythological nod.
Sources : William J. Darby et al., Food: The Gift of Osiris (1977) · Pierre Tallet, Histoire de la cuisine et de la gastronomie égyptiennes
Apep · Charactorium
