[Sca-cooks] Re: Mastic for Stefan

[Harris Mark.S-rsve60]

Phlip said:
Well, why not list it as an ingredient very common in
Medieval Arabic cookery, particularly in regards to
lamb and red meats, but occasionally used with fish or
chicken, and occasionally found in French cookery,
depending on trading habits? Almost every Arabic meat
recipe I found had mastic in it.
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Yes, why not? If you are asking me, I see no problem with
listing it this way.

Being my argumentative self, I just said earlier that I
didn't think mastic should be considered a "common period
spice". Primarily because I didn't think it was mentioned that
much in European cooking. Narrowing the comment down to
"a common spice used in period Arab cooking", I no longer
have a problem with, especially given the surveys you've
shown.

Why the difference in interest in mastic, I wonder. Was the
source of the mastic just much closer to the Arabs? Or does
this help indicate that perfumed food in general was more
appreciated in the Middle East than in Europe? But both
used rose water in food, right?

Stefan li Rous