Pharaoh’s Sweet Treats: Rickmire’s Tiger Nut Cake and the Secrets of His Tomb | Ancient Egypt Alive | Travel Tour | Online Learning | Online courses

Rickmire Tomb Wall C) Nina DeGrace Davis (Public Domain)

By Laura Ranieri Roy, Egyptologist

Like many of us, modern Egyptians have a serious sweet tooth. But did you know that the ancients did too? 3,500 years ago, of course, there was no better sugar for their teeth to rot. Just sand to wear them. But delicious cakes and desserts made with healthy ingredients Honey, and fresh dates were in abundance!

The most famous Ancient Egyptian dessertand possibly the first instruction ever recorded. Rekhmire. His Tiger Nut Cone The walls of his magnificent Theban tomb (TT100) are carved and painted, complete with captions that describe the process (for chefs in later life, we assume!).

In this article, I’ll share this simple, oh-so-easy recipe and a wonderful modern interpretation that you can try in your own kitchen (scrollway down).. But first, we’ll take a journey into Rickmire’s life and remarkable tomb.

Reckmire and mother’s offer received, Rickmire’s tomb c) Charles K. Wilkinson met

Recreate the Vizier: A Man of Power and Mystery

Rickmire was more than a sweet aficionado. He was a Vizier of Egyptpharaharahoh’s number two person – both below Thutmose III And Aminhotep II At the rise of the New Kingdom. His duties ranged from taxation and foreign diplomacy to overseeing building projects and craftsmen.

And yet, despite his power, Rickmire’s fate remains mysterious. His tomb is the largest and most beautifully decorated in Luxor Valley of the Nobles (at Shaykh Abd al-Worna), there is no burial shaft. His body was never found. Was he infamous? Erased from memory? These mysteries live in the colorful corridors of the TT100. And yes, you can visit the tomb – as my tours sometimes do (although it’s a bit of a hike).

Entering the T-shaped tomb c) Laura Ranieri Roy

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  Ricmire’s Tomb TT100 c) Laura Ranieri Roy

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  Richmayer Tomb TT100 c) Laura Ranieri Roy

Rickmire’s tomb: an abundance of interesting insights

Step inside the TT100, and you’ll find yourself immersed in one of the most vivid windows into life and power New Kingdom Egypt. Recmire was not just any official – he was a vizier under two of Egypt’s most powerful kings, Thutmose III and Amenhotep II, serving at a time when the empire expanded from 4^Th Cataract deep to the mouth of the Euphrates in Nubia. His tomb reflects this majesty, but also conceals a mystery.

For one thing, though the TT100 is spacious and beautifully appointed, it’s included No burial shaft or body. Scholars still debate whether this was ever meant to be an actual burial site, or if Rickmire’s remains were placed elsewhere. This absence, combined with the fact that many of the portraits of him and his family were later smeared or painted in red, suggests that Is it out of favor? – Denied burial rites because of a vizier in general?

Architecturally, the T-shaped tomb chapel impresses with it Long Corridor which spans 27 metersthe ceiling gradually rises from more than 3 meters to more than 8 meters. The effect is formal, immersing you deeper into the world of Rickmire. And what a world it is: a significant portion of the walls are still covered with it Well-preserved, colorful scenes depicting both state craft, craftsmanship and daily life.

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  Tributes from Foreign Lands c) Laura Ranieri Roy

Here, we see Rickmire presiding Tributes from foreign lands: Giraffes, elephants, incense trees, ivory, and even a baby elephant and a bear are marched before him, brought by envoys from Nubia, Pontus, and Cefto (ancient Crete).

Elsewhere, artisans are shown at work in intricate detail.Carpiers, metal workers, leather workers, jewellers, stonecuttersec try to make their trade so precise with tools. Syrian – with blonde hair and blue eyes. You can see them in action Great sculptures and even heavily gilded entertainment shrines – Many similar Carters were found in Tutankhamun’s tomb!

Foreign artisans at work c) Laura Ranieri Roy

Amidst these images of power and production, Rickmire also allowed room for more personal pleasures. The walls show it Lush gardens filled with trees and a central pooloffering a rare glimpse into elite estate life. It also has pleasant scenes Grape Harvesting and Winemakinga reminder that Reichmeyer, like many of Egypt’s elite, clearly loves good wine.

Perhaps the most notable text written in TT100 is this “Installation of the Vizier”a unique record that sets forth his duties and moral responsibilities: to act with integrity, to listen to requests from both great and small, and to ensure fairness in all decisions. It is as much a manual of official etiquette as an entertainment journal.

And then, of course, there’s The cutest detail of all: Famous Tiger Nut Cake Scenes. Step by step, grinding tiger nuts into walls, mixing them with honey, shaping them into cones, and showing Offering Ammon as an offering to God. Hieroglyphs Instruction: “Pound tiger nuts, sweetened with honey, form into cones to offer to God.“

More than sacred offerings, these undoubtedly dealt with living. No wonder Rickmire wanted them in the afterlife!

Creating Tigrant Cones c) Public Domain

Here’s a play-by-play of the “Tiger Nut Cone Making Scene”:

• Grinding/Shooting Phase
  “Pond tiger nuts (ḥbs -edja) with honey (BJT) and finely ground grain.”
  Men are depicted grinding tiger nuts with worms, and the text literally instructs them to “pound” or “kill”.
• The mixing stage
  “Combine with sweet dates, make a smooth paste.”
  In the scene, assistants add honey and dates to ground nuts in large bowls, mixing with wooden paddles.
• Forming phase
  “Shape into cones for offerings.” (sḥtp n imn – “offering to Amun”))
  → Figures are shown forming small conical cakes, sometimes placing them in baskets.
• Baking/cooking step
  A title reads something like this: “Cook the cakes until done, remove them from the fire.”
  → Whether the cones were baked, boiled, or dried is debated, but the titles suggest some process of heating.
• Final offer
  “Present unto God, that he may live by them forever.”
  The finished cones appear on serving tables, emphasizing their dual role: food sacred to Amun. And Indifference to Rickmire in eternity.

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  c) Public Domain (Nina de Garris Davis)

Together, these scenes make the TT100 one of the most interesting in the Valley of the Tombs. This is where politics, power, joy and pastry all come together.

Rickmire’s Tiger Nut Cone – An Ancient Recipe Revived

Here’s a surprisingly modern adaptation by chef Cygne Langford that stays close to the ancient treat.

Ingredients

• 10 dates of dates
• 2 cups tiger nut flour (find it well online
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ cup melted butter, ghee, or lard (butter works best)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a small baking sheet with parchment.
2. Soak the dates in just boiled water for 15 minutes, then drain (keep the water).
3. In a food processor, blend the tiger nut flour, honey, butter, and softened dates into a flour. If too dry, add a tablespoon of date water.
4. Pinch into 10 equal pieces, roll into cones, and place on sheet.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the tips of the cones are golden.
6. Cool slightly, drizzle with honey or date syrup, and enjoy!

Makes 10 cones.

A Vizier’s Legacy in Sweets and Stones

Ricmire’s tomb is a treasure trove of art, politics and everyday life. From the lure of foreign tribute to humble sweetness Tiger Nut Conethe home of his afterlife preserves a clear fragment of New Kingdom Egypt.

So the next time you’re craving dessert, why not bake like an ancient Egyptian? You’ll taste history—sweet, nutty, and 3,500 years old.

PS: Are you a foodie? Love ancient recipes and live in GTA, Southern or Eastern Ontario, Canada – if so, we invite you to a wonderful evening where these and other ancient recipes will be brought to life in a multi-course dinner with amazing ancient Egyptian food stories.

Join us on October 3, 2025, 6pm in Port Hope, Ontario for… Pharaohs feast!