Saracen Sauce

[Philip W. Troy]

Sue Wensel wrote:
> 
> While I've had Master Bertram's Saracen Sauce (and it's quite good), the
> challenge is avoiding the food dye. ;->
> 
> Derdriu

Why are you so concerned with avoiding the red food dye? The food in
period was dyed red with vegetable extracts generally now believed to be
harmful. Probably the best of the period red dyes for food was saunders,
generally regarded as a powdered form of red sandalwood. It has been
known to cause allergic reactions in some people, and the tone of red it
produces is muted at best.

If we are addressing the issue of periodicity, then I can only raise the
counter-issue of safety, especially when the alternative of red food dye
is quite harmless when compared to its period counterparts.

Lastly, I still am not quite convinced that the spiced wine-based sauce
that has been discussed is a classic Saracen Sauce--it sounds more like
cameline to me, and in that case, the question of red coloring may be
moot.

Adamantius