For Tuesday, February 7th, prepare the Primary Source article found in your syllabus about the " Creation of the Pickax by Enlil" http://www.piney.com/BabPickax.html
We will discuss this article in class and you will then hand in your written piece. This assignment should be about making connections to other ideas, in your own culture or in others. It should contain some insights such as: "What did the primary source article mean to you?" Do not describe the article - react to it! Write a paragraph of your reactions in about 7 - 8 well-formed sentences to hand in on Tuesday.
We will talk about Mesopotamian foods in class on Thursday. Here is a recipe for an authentic dish. Notice that the ingrediants were all available in ancient Mesopotamia.
§ 1/2 cup
fresh chopped cilantro (coriander), divided
§ 3
carrots
§ 3
celery stalks, including leaves
§ 2 tbsp
extra virgin olive oil
§ 1 large
onion, diced
§ 1 clove
garlic, crushed
§ 2 cups
dry red lentils
§ 1/4 cup
pearl barley
§ 2 qts.
vegetable or chicken stock
§ 1 1/2
tsp cumin
§ 1 tsp
dried parsley
§ 1/2 tsp
sumac (optional)
§ 1 bay
leaf
§ Salt
and pepper to taste
Roughly chop
the cilantro. Scrub the carrots, then cut them into chunks (do not peel). Cut
celery into chunks, including leaves. Reserve.
In a medium sized soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add diced
onion and saute till translucent. Add garlic,
carrot chunks, and celery. Continue to saute till onion turns golden and
ingredients begin to caramelize. Add red lentils and barley to the pot, stir.
Cover mixture with 2 qts. of broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a
simmer. Add 1/4 cup of the fresh cilantro to the pot along with the cumin,
hyssop or parsley, sumac (optional) and bay leaf; stir. Cover the pot and let
the stew simmer slowly for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, until
barley is tender and the stew is thickened. At the end of cooking, season with
salt and pepper to taste. Garnish bowls of stew with the remaining fresh
cilantro. Serve as a one pot meal or with a side of sliced bread. In ancient
times, this sort of stew was usually served with bread on the side so it would
be more filling. While Mesopotamian bread was generally coarse and unleavened, I'd
recommend serving this with a rustic whole grain sourdough loaf or bread made
from barley.
