SC - brain failure & menu help

[DianaFiona at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/4/99 2:47:06 PM Eastern Daylight Time, kat at kagan.com 
writes:

<< 
 Can someone suggest to me five or six period dishes (or perioid, if 
 necessary) that I can transform into canapes?  I haven't seen the hall yet, 
 so I am assuming that everything will have to be prepared in advance and 
 served cold or room-temp, except whatever will fit in my chaffing dish.  I 
 also won't have time to do more than one really fiddly complicated thing.
  >>
    Hummmm........ If you don't have to stick to European foods, what about 
the date balls (Hais) from al-Baghdadi? Make them tiny and they can go a long 
way. Here's the version from Cariadoc's Miscellany:

Hais
al-Baghdadi p. 214/14 (GOOD)

Take fine dry bread, or biscuit, and grind up well. Take a ratl of this, and 
three quarters of a ratl of fresh or preserved dates with the stones removed, 
together with three uqiya of ground almonds and pistachios. Knead all 
together very well with the hands. Refine two uqiya of sesame-oil, and pour 
over, working with the hand until it is mixed in. Make into cabobs, and dust 
with fine-ground sugar. If desired, instead of sesame-oil use butter. This is 
excellent for travellers.

2 2/3 c bread crumbs
2 c (about one lb) pitted dates
1/3 c ground almonds
1/3 c ground pistachios
7 T melted butter or sesame oil
enough sugar

We usually mix dates, bread crumbs, and nuts in a food processor or blender. 
For "cabobs," roll into one inch balls. Good as caravan food (or for taking 
to wars). They last forever if you do not eat them, but you do so they don't.
***************************************************************************
    Gingerbread might be another sweet option--I think I'd roll it in balls, 
too. Or, perhaps, time and skill allowing, create a stamp in an appropriate 
design (Charges from the bride and grooms devises?) and stamp the tops of 
squares of the gingerbread with it. Marzipan might work for that too, if the 
budget allows....... The good part of these is that you can make them ahead 
of time and serve them at room temperature........ :-)

            Ldy Diana
 
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