[Northkeep] Thanks

Marc Carlson marccarlson20 at hotmail.com
Wed May 7 09:39:00 PDT 2003


>From: "Carl Chipman" <cchipman at nomadics.com>
>Ok, I'd like a bit of clarification.  "Roman water" is what exactly.  I
>was given to understand that its vinegar and water in a 1:10 or
>thereabouts mixture.

That was what they were calling it, but that is the mixture -- undistilled
red wine vinegar and water.  They were calling it "Roman water" because the
Romans drank a mixture similar to this (the Roman soldier's "Acetum" was a
bit lighter on the water).   The Anglo Saxons called the mixture  of vinegar
and water (usually with a bit of honey for flavor and perhaps other
additives) Oxymel, which term has come down to us in English [Technically
the term is latin and refers to medicinal blends of honey and vinegar]  In
Scandinavia there is a similar drink called Switchel.

To answer Masamune's question undistilled wine vinegar has all sorts of good
minerals and electrolytes that are removed in the distillation process that
make it extremely healthy, particularly after hot sweaty work.  It can also
be used as an antiseptic because of the acetic acid and the polyphenols
generated during fermentation.  [In -distilled- viniegar, these
minerals/electrolytes/chemicals are removed - although it still works dandy
to kill mold and make sauerkraut, but I see no reason to *drink* it :)  ]

>I was also given to understand that the drink this weekend was a
>melomel/water mix.

I can't help you there - I have nothing to do with melomels.

Marc/Diarmaid

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