The Natufian hearths from Jordan’s Black Desert invite a reframing of food history. Bread and beer were not simply by-products of agriculture; the desire for these transformed foods may have helped drive cultivation itself. They also remind us that ingenious, place-based foodways—wild grains, tubers, local milling, communal baking—were born in arid lands and basalt fields. As climate stresses grow, that lesson in resilience and resourcefulness from the deep past feels timely.
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Middle Eastern markets are bursting with the color and aromas of summer's soft fruits. This is the guide to getting the most out of June.
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Date pits from 2000 years ago have born viable fruit in Israel.
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If you're an adventurous eater who enjoys tracking down rare delicacies, travel to Calabria and taste white olives.
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If you told someone from the Middle East that progressive, health-conscious Americans have fallen in love with freekeh, they might raise their eyebrows in surprise or roll their eyes in utter boredom, since people in this region have enjoyed the benefits of the ancient grain said like “freak eh” for eons.
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