What is the oldest recipe?

It's impossible to say with absolute certainty what the oldest recipe is. This is because:

* Written records are limited: Recipes predating written language would have been passed down orally, leaving no physical evidence.

* Defining a "recipe" is subjective: Early food preparation instructions might not fit our modern definition of a recipe.

* Authenticity is difficult to prove: Ancient texts can be misinterpreted, and the ingredients and methods may have changed over time.

However, some contenders for early documented recipes include:

* The "Beer Recipe" from Mesopotamia (circa 3000 BCE): Found on a clay tablet, this text describes the process of brewing beer using barley, water, and yeast.

* The "Eshnunna Cookbook" (circa 1750 BCE): This collection of recipes, also from Mesopotamia, includes instructions for making bread, beer, and various meat dishes.

* The "Book of the Dead" (circa 1550 BCE): While not a cookbook, this Egyptian text includes a recipe for a type of offering bread, likely used in funerary rituals.

These examples showcase the long history of food preparation and the development of recipes. While we may never know the true "oldest recipe," these early texts offer fascinating glimpses into the culinary practices of our ancestors.