[Sca-cooks] Memos from a Mastic Marathon....

[Cindy M. Renfrow]

>What is "blattes de Bysance"?

This was the topic of a long discussion on rec.food.historic back in '99.
Some folks confused this with cochineal. I'm sending th files to you
privately.

a.k.a. onycha
   "the fingernail-like operculum or closing flap of certain snails
   of the murex family, such as the Onyx marinus, Strombus lentiginosus,
   or Unguis Odaratus (Tifereth Yisrael, Chomer Bakodesh 2:67; Cf. Ben
   Sirah 24:15, Dioscorides, De Materia Medica 2:10). This emits a very
   pleasant smell when burned."

HTH,

Cindy