[Sca-cooks] Middle-Eastern 'Nibbles'?

[David Friedman]

>Greetings unto the List, this fine warm evening!
>I come begging a boon.
>Our Queen in Meridies is a Lady of Middle-Eastern interests.
>I have agreed to provide the table fare for the upcoming Queen's Rapier
>Champion Tournament. 
>I am thinking of doing light fare, with tea.
>I have heard of a creamy treat that is served on rose petals. It was served
>privately to another Queen at a White Rose Ball a few years back. 
>This would be
>perfect. Does anyone know what these are, and what the recipe is?
>
>I am also thinking of homemade butter cookies, candied orange peel, and
>Something Savory (?).
>And a gallon jug of Milo's tea. <G> It is so sweet, it could pass for ME tea.
>
>Now here's the second question-what would a Middle Eastern Savoury/nibble be
>like? Cheese? Spiced roasted almonds?

There are quite a lot of surviving period Islamic recipes. Among 
things that might meet your requirements, Zabarbada, Isfanakh 
Mutajjan, Hais, Hulwa, Khushkananaj, Badinjan Muhassa, occur to me. 
You can find them all, and many othes, in the Miscellany, webbed at:

http://www.daviddfriedman.com/Medieval/miscellany_pdf/Miscellany.htm

(click on the "recipes" link).

You can also find a substantial 13th c. Andalusian cookbook webbed at:

http://www.daviddfriedman.com/Medieval/Cookbooks/Andalusian/andalusian_contents.htm

If you want to try working out recipes for yourself.

Do we know when tea came into use in the Middle East? I can't think 
of period references, although given the close ties between the 
Ilkhans and the mongol rulers of China, it doesn't seem impossible.
-- 
David/Cariadoc
www.daviddfriedman.com