SC - Servers

[Christi Redeker]

[SNIP]

>> (Tea, and Oil of Bergamot in particular are post period.  Tea in mead is
>> post period.  Earl Grey tea is black tea with Oil of Bergamot.  Bergamot
>is
>> a citrus tree grown in Southern Italy.)

>This made me go check...I thought I had bergamot in my garden, and I was
>relieved to see that it was indeed derived from the Monarda plant, a 3-foot
>tall gangly herb with magenta flowers, also called bee-balm.  It's a New
>World native, which indeed makes it out of period (IMHO).  It grows great
>here in the East, and needs only partial sun.  Dries well, too.  You should
>grow some!

[UNSNIP]

I checked some of my sources and there are 2 species that are called
Bergamot, so I guess you are both right:

Monada didyma
- ---------------------
A new world periennial growing to 120cm in height with red flowers in a
terminal whorl in sumer and autumn.  All 12 species in this Genus are native
to North America or Mexico.  Sound's like Esther's herb.

Citrus bergamia
- ---------------------
Looks like 30 foot high seville orange tree with broader leaves and a more
aromatic rind. An extract (oil of Bergamot) is used to flavour Earl Grey,
and in orange-flower water. It is also a commercial source for Neroli Oil.
Orange and Bergamot Orange trees are mentioned in 1st cent AD Chinese
Medicine Texts (reputedly) and orange trees were introduced into Europe in
the 12th cent AD (reputedly).  However, in Gerard's The Herbal there are
only 4 times mention in the Malus Genus: Pome Citron, Limon, Orange, and
Assyrian Apple Tree.  None of these have a description that seems to be
close to Bergamot Orange.  Although, Bergamot and Orange are probably close
enough to be interchangable, I can't find any specific documentation for
Bergamot Orange.

A cute recipe for Oranges:  A dozen of Orenges cut in slices and put into a
gallon of water, adding thereto an ounce of Mercurie sublimate and boiled to
the consumption of the halfe, cureth the itch and manginesse of the body.
Gerard, A Herbal.

I'm gonna do it for the next Arts and Sciences comp.  Do I get double points
if I kill the judges?

Hope this Helps,

Drake Morgan (Meliora's bit on the side),
Lochac.

ps.  Is there a mailing list called SCA-HERBS?  This post might be better
there. 

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