Ancient wining and dining

The ancient dishes of Egypt, Mesopotamia and the medieval Arab world will be explored -- and eaten! -- in a four-session course, "King Tut's Table: Cooking and Cuisine in the Ancient Near East," offered at the Oriental Institute.

The course will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays from Oct. 1 to 15 and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18. Diet, cooking methods, dining etiquette and the social role of food in ancient times will be taught through a series of lectures and a cooking demonstration, and culminating in a banquet at the instructor's home. Participants will learn how to recreate such meals at home using easily obtained ingredients.

The fee is $85 for Oriental Institute members, $95 for non-members. Advance registration is required; space is limited. For more information, call 702-9507.

Ancient brews

The Oriental Institute Museum will celebrate Oktoberfest the really old-fashioned way: with a lesson in the 5,000-year-old beer-brewing techniques of the ancient Sumerians.

"Brewing Ancient Beer" will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, at River West Brewing Company, 925 W. Chicago Ave.

The Sumerians were some of the earliest beer-brewing enthusiasts -- they practiced their craft in 3000 B.C. in ancient Mesopotamia, today's southern Iraq. Miguel Civil, Professor in the Oriental Institute, will talk about how beer was brewed in ancient Sumer and compare Sumerian brewing methods with today's techniques.

The evening will include a tour of River West Brewing Company, which boasts a German-style brewhouse and its own grain storage and mill; samples of the microbrewery's award-winning beers; a "beer-lovers" dinner; and Professor Civil's translation of a Sumerian beer recipe featuring toasts to Ninkasi, the goddess of beer.

The fee is $45 for Oriental Institute members, $55 for non-members, and includes taxes and gratuities. Advance registration is required; space is limited. For more information, call 702-9507.