SC - Apricot recipes?(was Byzantine Cooking)

[LrdRas]

In a message dated 98-01-02 11:30:07 EST, you write:

<< Coffee comes into the Islamic world in late period >>

FWIW, coffee seems to have been drunk in Persia in the 9th century. Mentioned
by the prince of physicians Abu ibn Sina around 1000 c.e. Rare drink made of
seeds brought from Egypt,Libya and Abyssinia. Only used by very high Arab
dignitaries. This places the use of coffee by the arab world pre-Crusades
which is not late period.

However, the first mention of coffee by a European was in 1580 c.e. by
Prospero Alpino of Padua after returning from a diplomatic trip to Ottoman
ruled Egypt. By then coffee houses were spread throughout the Arab world at
least as far as Constantinople despite the previous edict of a vizier more
noted for his ignorance than anything else , Mahomet Kolpii. After the
bastinado failed to curb coffee drinking and the closing of public coffee
houses also failed, as did then destruction of back walls to coffee houses, he
resorted to putting the proprietors and their more conspicuous customers in
leather sacks and casting them into the sea. This also failed to curb coffee
drinking.

It is next mentioned by an Englishman in 1617, so far as I know, who had been
a tourist to Arab countries.

Thus if you want to be period visit an Arab or Persian friend in the SCA and
consume to your hearts content. :-)

al-Sayyid Ras al-Zib, (who dispite his name always has coffee waiting for all
visitors. :-))
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