The story of the Shipwrecked Sailor teaches us that the hero of the story considered the following goods "good food": 

• figs 

• grapes

• sycamore figs

• notched sycamore figs 

• cucumber 

• fish 

• birds 
   

There is no known Ancient Egyptian word that can be translated as "cheese". The Roman historian Plinius has noted that the naturally thickened form of milk, such as quark, was known to the Egyptians, but that they did not produce cheese. However, remains of cheese may have been found in jars dated to the 1st Dynasty. In the story of Sinuhe, "milk in some sort of cooking" is mentioned, which might be an expression used for "cheese". 

Unfortunately, we do not have an Ancient Egyptian recipe book that could inform us more on what spices were used (if any), how the meals were prepared, ... 

As drinks, we will find wine, beer and of course, water. Wine was made from grapes, beer from bread

What Food you will see in Egypt?

The shish kabob style is extremely popular and is served either with or without the skewers but always with traditional accompaniments: greens and tomato salad, tahini sauce and pita bread. So you can stuff your own sandwich if you want.

Bread is always whole wheat pita, coated with coarse ground wheat, round, fragrant and sheer heaven when hot from the oven. Often pita plus a dipping sauce, tahini, hummus or babaganoush, makes a fast food meal and a healthy, delicious one at that.

Egyptians have embraced the tomato and we never had one that wasn't bursting with color and flavor. The traditional and ubiquitous salad is chopped tomato, coriander, mint, little hot green peppers (not jalapenos but close) and onions, coated with garlic oil. It's great for digestion but death on the breath. Bring mints. Other veggies that grow well and show up all the time include beans, mostly chick pea and fava, which are eaten stewed for breakfast, hearty stewed for lunch and dinner and ground and pasted for tahini and hummus with great amounts of garlic.

Eggplant, mashed as the main ingredient in babaganoush, is also used in Egyptian moussaka with a mild white cheese.

Okra, cabbage, cauliflower and potatoes show up frequently, stewed with tomatoes and garlic.

Rice is a universal constant and was consistently wonderful, even for breakfast! The grains mix short basmati-like rice with longer brown, nutty tasting rice and we wish we could have found it to bring back.

Grilled pigeon is the acclaimed delicacy and like any small game bird is long on flavor but short on ease of eating. We only had fish on the Red Sea, perch and tuna, both fried, but flavorful without excess oil. We had various types of pasta from time to time but never did find out if it was wheat flour or rice flour based. Nevertheless it was uniformly delicious.

Of course, when you think "Orient" you think spices. Egyptian bazaars display staggering amounts, sculptured into colorful spice pyramids, from yellows of saffron and ochres of curries to deep blues of powdered indigo dye. Food is usually spices but not spicy. Cumin and salt are found on restaurant tables.

Middle Eastern desserts are nothing special; they do bake but, to the Western taste, figs, date and nut fillings in largely unsweetened dough isn't a dessert. Better to eat the fresh figs, dates (of which there must be 200 different types and grades), oranges and pomegranates without baked modifications.  Speaking of fruit, juice bars abound in the streets and fresh squeezed oranges sweetened with cut sugar cane is heaven in a hot climate.

Beverages? In a Moslem country alcohol is frowned on and is wildly expensive to tourists. But Stella, the local beer, is mild, not overly "beery" and comes in huge bottles which is handy to quench the permanent thirst in