[Sca-cooks] middle eastern food questions

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

Stefan wrote:
>  > There was a bottle of something labeled "Jallab Syrup".  The
>  > information
>  > was in Arabic, and the owner was busy with other customers so I didn't
>  > want to bother him. Is this one of the syrups that are used to make
>  > beverages?
>
>Yes, although I believe "jalab" is a general term and could mean any
>one of a number of flavors.

We had a fairly recent discussion on this list about the terms 
sekanjabin, jalab, and sharbat.

My research in a number of Medieval Near and Middle Eastern cookbooks 
and a number of modern Near and Middle Eastern and South Asian 
cookbooks indicates that:

1.) Jalab/jalap is *not* a generic term, but the name of a rather 
specific drink syrup. The beverage usually contains rosewater, sugar 
syrup, and dates, and is served sprinkled with pine nuts.

2.) Sekanjabin is *not* a generic term. It is a Near or Middle 
Eastern oxymel, i.e., contains vinegar and honey (literally) or sugar 
(more commonly). If a beverage liquid/syrup is not an oxymel, it is 
not sekanjabin. I have found, however, that way too many SCAdians use 
"sekanjabin" as a generic term for a Medieval Near or Middle Eastern 
- or modern SCA invented - beverage syrup with darn near any set of 
ingredients, usually with NO vinegar.

3.) Sharbat *is* a generic term for Medieval and modern Near and 
Middle Eastern, and even South Asian beverage syrups. BTW, the word 
is the source of a somewhat archaic English term "shrub" for a 
non-alcoholic fruit beverage and sherbet/sorbet (note - no "r" in the 
second syllable - does not rhyme with "herbert").

Anahita