About The Food and Feasts of Jesus

Now Featured in the Patheos Book Club
The Food and Feasts of Jesus
Inside the World of First Century Fare, with Menus and Recipes
By Douglas E. Neel and Joel A. Pugh

"One does not need to be a cook to relish this book. It is as intriguing as it is informative." —Phyllis Tickle, author of The Great Emergence

The New Testament is filled with stories of Jesus eating with people—from extravagant wedding banquets to simple meals of loaves and fishes. The Food and Feasts of Jesus (Rowman & Littlefield, August 2012) offers a new perspective on life in biblical times by taking readers inside these meals. Food production and distribution impacted all aspects of ancient life, including the teachings of Jesus. From elaborate holiday feasts to a simple farmer's lunch, the book explores the significance of various meals, discusses key ingredients, places food within the socioeconomic conditions of the time, and offers accessible recipes for readers to make their own tastes of the first century.

Ideal for individual reading or group study, this book opens a window into the tumultuous world of the first century and invites readers to smell, touch, and taste the era's food.

Special Features

Explains the importance of various foods and meals in first-century culture

Each chapter explores a different kind of meal and includes menu suggestions and recipes

Features more than 50 delicious recipes for foods ranging from flatbread and hummus to roasted quail with pomegranate glaze and lamb stew

Great for individual reading and cooking or group discussions and meals

Gives historical background and insights into biblical accounts

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Why Eat the Food of Jesus and His Followers
Chapter 2: The Bounty of the First-Century Kitchen
Chapter 3: Our Daily Bread
Chapter 4: The Farmer, Food and Social Responsibility
Chapter 5: The Sabbath Feast
Chapter 6: The Banquet
Chapter 7: The Wedding Feast
Chapter 8: The Feast of the Passover
Supplement to Chapter 8: A First-Century Passover Haggadah
Chapter 9: The Harvest Feast
Chapter 10: Eating with God; The Todah Feast
Chapter 11: Picnic at the Beach
Chapter 12: What We Have Learned and Why We Join the Feast

About the Authors
Douglas E. Neel is an Episcopal priest. He owned a catering company specializing in first-century food, teaches classes on ancient food and feasts, and makes his own cheese and wine. He lives in Pagosa Springs, CO. 

Joel A. Pugh, CPA, is president of a research and development company. He is a serious amateur cook, baker and brewer and has studied ancient bread and winemaking. He lives in Dallas, TX.