[Sca-cooks] Mamoul (was new gadget)

[phoenissa at netscape.net]

"Terry Decker" <t.d.decker at worldnet.att.net> wrote:

>Unless you come across a pre-17th Century recipe without it, you may as well
>keep the sugar.  It was used in the Near East before the Islamic expansion.
>
>Bear

Well, assuming you want this to be a period recipe...and nobody seems to know, so far, whether it might be.  Since we're talking about a modern dessert, I don't know that pre-17thc. practices really matter; but I've never had mamoul with a sweetened dough before, and I've eaten lots of it :-)

Then again, this is a complicated issue to fuss over: it's one of those household recipes that everybody makes a little differently.  Just like everyone has their own special version of chocolate chip cookies or brownies -- generally the same ingredients and methods, but some people vary the proportions, or add extra ingredients.  Mamoul is kind of the same; there's a basic preparation, but some people play around with the recipe.  Also, country of origin is an issue.  I'm familiar only with the Lebanese version; I bet anything that mamoul from any other country in the Middle East, no matter what the geographical proximity, will be slightly different.  For all I know, the Lebanese may be the only ones who don't sweeten the cookie dough :-)  I feel kind of silly having fussed over "no sugar, no vanilla," etc., because I was thinking with a bias towards my mom's cookies...as if that's the only "right" recipe.  So I'll try to refrain from commenting on the veracity of what different cookbook authors tell us...in this case at least...

Vittoria
(feeling slightly sheepish)


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