SC - water/was coffe and tea at events

[Crystal A. Isaac]

Ron Martino Jr (Yumitori)wrote:
snip
> > As far as period substitutions for coffee and tea, I agree that we should try
> > to introduce our people to the delights of period beverages, but to offer
> > water as a substitute is cold and horrenduous to think upon.
> > Mordonna DuBois
> 
>         Water? Horrendous?

Well, yes. For the class of people we are trying to emulate, plain water
was something you drank in desperation or penace.

I spent some time trying to document plain water as a beverage,
something that would have been served at table. The most they thought
about water was as something to dilute wine with. Adding water to wine
was a common practice dating from Roman times, and was described in many
medieval books on manners and in Baccaccio's The Decameron, "And when
they descended to inspect the huge, sunlit courtyard, the cellars
stocked with excellent wines, and the well containing abundant supplies
of fresh, ice-cold water, they praised [their lodgings] even more."  

An Italian food and health manual from the 14th century recommends water
in the following fashion: "Warm Water (Aqua Calida) Nature: Cold and
humid in the second degree. Optimum: Lukewarm and sweet. Usefulness: It
cleans the stomach lining. Dangers: It weakens the mechanism of
digestion. Neutralization of the dangers: By mixing it with rose water."
Although the text describes the water being taken internally, the
accompanying picture shows a woman having her feet bathed. 

I'm sure the poor drank both spring and rain water, but it wasn't a
habit people who could afford better(different) seemed to pick up.

Besides, I don't know where you live, but here in the west, we
frequently camp in places where the water is undrinkable. If I'm gonna
haul all my beverages in, the only water is usually for gatorade for
fighters.

Crystal of the Westermark
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