[Sca-cooks] Lenten Middle Eastern Food

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

I was at an event this weekend, and am once again desperately behind 
in reading the Cooks list... i'm just reading Saturday's messages...

I dragged my SCA-period Near and Middle Eastern cookbooks with me. I 
haven't finished going through them, but I was elated to find *seven 
whole pages* in "The Book of the Description of Familiar Foods" which 
is translated in "Medieval Arab Cookery" (pp. 443-450) devoted to 
food for invalids, monks, and Christians during Lent.

All but two of the dishes for invalids appear to be vegan (vegetarian 
with no eggs or dairy). Then on page 446, it says:
"As for what monks and Christians eat in Lent: Whenever dishes are 
cooked with meat, similar dishes are cooked with vegetables without 
meat. For instance, skibaj..."

Then it gives some suggestions for making several dishes. This 
thought had crossed my mind when reading the chapter on sour dishes 
such as sikbaj which don't have dairy products in them, so it was 
interesting to see it was their thought in the 14th c., too. Of the 
specific dishes or cooking methods that follow, one includes fish, 
one includes yogurt, and one includes cheese.

Even if i don't find anything in any other books, it looks as if i 
will definitely have a weeks worth of period Middle Eastern Lenten 
food.

Whoo-hoo!

Anahita