SC - Egils news and a question

[Laura C. Minnick]

Clotild asked:

  Is spicanardi the same
>as spikenard?  Can lavender be substituted?


Francesco Sirene pipes up to assure her that spicanardi is the same thing as
spikenard, which definitely is *not* lavender. The confusion comes from the
fact that there is a variety of lavender known as "spike" lavender, which
may on occasion be known as spica or spike. But when the term "nard" in any
form comes in as part of the term, it is spikenard which is referred to, not
lavender. (And just coincidentally, we can supply the genuine stuff, if you
need some for that strange recipe -- actually, if anyone does have strange
recipes using spikenard, and can report on the results, we'd be interested
to hear).

Yours spicily,
Francesco
David Dendy / ddendy at silk.net
partner in Francesco Sirene, Spicer / sirene at silk.net
Visit our Website at http://www.silk.net/sirene/