In the beginning, man did not live by bread alone. He also dined on roast suckling lamb, barley stew and honey fig cakes. The cookbook offers anecdotes, history and dashes of Scripture as well as nutrition.
Recipes are high in fiber and calcium and low in animal fat.
Ingredients include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Marcus developed the culinary concept while researching biblical history. He obtained the help of Goodman, a member of the Institute for Research in History, and Woolhandler, a professional cook. Archaeological sources, classical writings and the history of agriculture and foods in the Middle East and Mediterranean areas were studied to develop the recipes. Although cookbook selections run from the late Stone Age to the late Roman Empire, the foods are easily adaptable to modern times.