Al-Andalus:

The Enduring Influence of Islamic Culture on Spanish Cuisine

Online event sponsored by the Culinary Historians of New York

Sunday, Mar 22 from 2 pm EDT (US); 7 pm CET (Spain)

Janet Mendel, author of Flavors of Al-Andalus , from her kitchen in Andalusia, will tell the story of Moorish influence on Spanish cooking. Muslims first invaded the Iberian peninsula in 711 CE, crossing the narrow straits from North Africa and taking over most of what would become the country of Spain. The newly conquered land was called al-Andalus and at one time covered almost the entire Iberian peninsula. For nearly 800 years, Muslim, Sephardic-Jewish, and Mozárabe-Christian communities lived together, in proximity, sometimes at war but often in friendly cooperation, shopping at the same markets, trading commodities, and sharing each other’s holidays and festive foods. This interweaving of cultures embedded the foodways of al-Andalus deeply in Spanish life.

Janet Mendel, journalist and author of several cookbooks, including the new Flavors of Al-Andalus: The Culinary Legacy of Spain (Hippocrene, 2025), will join us by Zoom from her kitchen in Andalusia to tell the story of Moorish influence on Spanish cooking. Using examples from contemporary recipes such as meatballs in almond-saffron sauce, gazpacho with oranges, and eggplant timbale, she will trace the heritage of ingredients and techniques to foods served in Islamic Spain (711–1492).

To register for the March 22 presentation on Zoom, go to this ticketing site.

This cookbook explores the fascinating story of the deep and lasting influences that Islamic culture has left on modern Spanish cooking.

Author and Spanish cooking expert Janet Mendel tells the story of the Moorish influence on Spanish cooking through 120 recipes and photographs for modern-day dishes, from salads and vegetables to fish, poultry and meat to sweets and pastries, that trace their heritage to foods served in medieval times. (Hippocrene Books)

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