[Sca-cooks] Apician date recipe

[Mark.S Harris]

Adamantius commented:
> Sue Clemenger wrote:
> > Hmmm....I wonder why they rolled them in salt? How would that affect the
> > frying? Would it do anything to the temp of the honey, or the way the
> > honey would adhere to the dates?
> > --maire
>
> I wonder if perhaps they're talking about fresh dates, rather than dried
> ones. Salting them might help keep things from splattering.

Wouldn't the use of fresh dates compared to dried ones have a major
effect upon the results of this recipe?

Where was Apicius writing his book? Were date palms grown in southern
Europe? Perhaps some more less direct information will tell us whether
the dates are fresh or dried. Would dates still be "fresh" after being
transported from the Middle East or Africa to Europe?

If these were meant to be fresh, I doubt I can find fresh dates. Would
rehydrating the dried dates by boiling them in water approximate fresh
dates?

Then again, they may have rolled them in salt simply because they liked
the taste.

Stefan li Rous
stefan at texas.net