[Sca-cooks] FW: paprika and spikenard

[Decker, Terry D.]

While most secondary sources credit the Turks with bringing paprika peppers
to Hungary, the possibility that they came through the Croatian spice
traders can't be ruled out.  The Turkish claim is based mostly on the timing
of the incursions of the 1520's and the presumption that peppers came to the
Ottomans from Spain via the Venetians then were brought into Central Europe
by Ottoman troops.  

The Ragusans were active competitors with the Venetians during the 15th and
16th Centuries.  Historically, the area was ruled by Hungary from the 12th
to the 16th Century when it came under Ottoman control.  Dubrovnik proper
was controlled by the Venetians from 1205 to 1358, when it was ceded to
Hungary.  There is a connection to Spain in that some of the spice merchants
were Jewish and took in refugees from the Marrano persecutions in Spain.  

There is a new book, that I am looking forward to reading, from the Central
European University Press, The Long Journey of Gracia Mendes, which ties to
all of these subjects during 1510 to 1569.  The author is Marianna D.
Birnbaum, Professor Emeritus from, wonder of wonders, UCLA. 

I am interested in reading the thesis and I hope Mr. Perry would be so kind
as to provide a bibliographic citation that can be used to find copies.

As a small point for anyone chasing references to Ragusa, there are two
Ragusas.  One is Dubrovnik, the other is a town in Sicily.

Bear



> I just received this by email and thought some of you might 
> be interested as we have discussed both of these items here before.
> 
> I am in fact honored to have gotten this email, for if my 
> guess is correct, this is the same Charles Perry and his book 
> which have been previously mentioned on this list.
> 
> Perhaps some of you studying eastern Europe or the Balkans 
> might want to check out this thesis. Bear?
> 
> Stefan
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Perry, Charles [mailto:Charles.Perry at latimes.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 5:54 PM
> To: Mark.S Harris
> Subject: paprika and spikenard
> 
> 	I just came across a collection of historical spice 
> threads collected by you. I had two observations to 
> contribute, didn't know where else to send them.
> 	Paprika: -ika is a Slavic suffix used on plant names; 
> paprika means "pepper plant." It was not introduced to 
> Hungary by the Turks but by Croatian merchants from Ragusa 
> (now Dubrovnik). There is a thesis on file at UCLA on this 
> subject, complete with maps of the spice routes through the Balkans. 
> 	Spikenard: It has a musky, resinous scent, and its 
> commonest use throughout history has been as a hair tonic or 
> perfume (it is still probably used for that purpose -- I 
> suspect its presence in Vitalis), but occasionally it has 
> flavored foods and beverages. My translation of the 
> 14th-century Arabic cookbook "Kitab Wasf al-At'ima 
> al-Mu'tada" (in "Medieval Arab Cookery," Prospect Books, 
> 2001) gives some recipes that call for it. At present, 
> spikenard is available at markets that sell Iranian food 
> products. It comes in little cellophane packages -- looking 
> like a tangle of brown wires -- under the name "valerian." In 
> Perso-Arab script, however, the packages call it by its 
> Arabic name, "sunbul al-tib," "fragrant spikenard."
>