Douglas E. Neel, the author of “The Food and Feasts of Jesus,” will be giving a talk on first century Palestinian harvest feasts on June 1 at 4 p.m. at St. Barnabas Church. The lecture will address Jewish history, agriculture, and culinary practices, all in the time of Jesus. It will be accompanied by a food tasting of harvest recipes from his book.
The event is a fundraiser for Grace’s Kitchen, a Jubilee Ministry of St. Barnabas. A silent auction will be held during the tasting with elegant baskets from many states, countries, and regions of the world. Italy, Ethiopia, Wisconsin, Guatemala, Arizona, Mexico, New England, and Patagonia will be among them. Tickets for the lecture, food tasting, auction, and book signing are $15 ($20 with wine).
Neel previously owned a Dallas-based catering company, Mana Catering, which specialized in replicating four-course first century banquets. Mana served meals for groups ranging from 20 to 100 diners. Neel now lives with his wife, Sally Logee Neel, in Pagosa Springs, where he makes his own cheese, bread, wine, and beer. He serves as pastor for St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church and travels as a lecturer on ancient food and food culture.
This is the first book for Neel and his coauthor, Joel A. Pugh. They have begun planning several others, the first of which will focus on the diet and foods of both ancient Greece and Rome. “The Food and Feasts of Jesus” is a finalist for a ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year in the Cooking Category. This prestigious award will be decided at the American Library Association convention this summer.
Follow Neel at his blog: http://firstcenturygourmet.wordpress.com or on Facebook – The Food and Feasts of Jesus.