The Martha Stewart of AD 800 was an Arab

posted on: Sep 1, 2015

Spreading a dinner table with decorative tablecloths and setting out crystal wineglasses, fine china and silverware for a three-course meal is something civilized hosts do the world over. Yet few of them have raised a glass to Abu l-Hasan Ali Ibn Nafi, a highly educated North African — possibly a freed slave — known as Ziryab, who is largely responsible for introducing Islamic Spain to dining etiquette and decor. He remains virtually unknown in European history, yet he is among the most significant figures in Islamic culture … and not just because he was the Martha Stewart of medieval Europe.

Source: www.ozy.com