[Sca-cooks] mezze

[Huette von Ahrens]

Alya Algar wrote two books "The Complete Book of Turkish Cookery" and "Classic Turkish
Cooking".  The reference I found to messe is in the last book.  I haven't done a very
extensive search or research on this subject, but since you seem to be so interested
and eager, there is where you should start.  I am glad I brought it up.  I thought
it sounded so similar to zakushka.  It wouldn't surprise me if you found the link
and traced it from the Middle East to Russia to Sweden.  Could it be possible to
also check not just Byzantium but the later Istambul, when the Ottomans took over
Constantinople, they could have also brought in mezze.

Ms. Algar teachs Turkish at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at UC Berkeley.
Perhaps you could write her and ask where she found her reference?  Or perhaps
our lovely Urtatim, who lives in Berkeley, might be willing to ask for you?

Huette

--- Stephanie Ross <hlaislinn at earthlink.net> wrote:

> >From http://www.inmamaskitchen.com/FOOD_IS_ART/mideast/mid_meal.html
> 
> "A typical middle eastern meal starts with Mezze. This can be an elaborate
> spread of forty or fifty hors d'oeuvres, little bits of tasty treats to
> please the palate.
> 
> The origin of the word mezze is unclear. It may be derived from the Persian
> "maza" meaning "taste, relish," or from the Arabic "mazmiz" which means to
> nibble at food. Either way is represents the pleasure of savoring little
> pieces of food. The mezze tradition extends from Turkey into the Balkans,
> including Greece, and spreads to Middle east countries. Almost anything
> that is small and tasty qualifies as a mezze dish. A basic mezze table can
> be as simple as a basket of warm pita, a plate of fresh herbs, another
> plate of feta cheese or yogurt cheese, a dish of olives, some dips and
> salads and a pitcher of iced water. You can also find hummus, a dip made of
> ground chickpeas, fattoush, a salad of green vegetables mixed with pieces
> of pita bread, grilled eggplant and zucchini. Other popular dishes are
> tabouli, a bulgur wheat salad, and kibbeh, made from freshly ground lamb
> and/or beef - a dish which can be eaten baked, fried or even raw. Mezze can
> include miniature versions of main dishes. To give a mezze table the status
> of a mezze feast, simply increase the number and variety of dishes,
> including perhaps a few heartier choices like small kebabs or one or two
> bean dishes that can be served cold."
> 
> 
> Well isn't that interesting! It sounds to me like the zakuska table could
> be traced through _Byzantium_ back to ancient Persia. That is definitely a
> way that the concept of mezze could come to Russia. Even the words have
> similar meanings - zakushka means "little bites".  Perhaps mezze came with
> Orthodox priests into Russia? Byzantium had a major impact on Russia on all
> aspects of life, even down to the peasant level via the religion. Why
> wouldn't native Russians have copied the foodways as well? Does anyone know
> if mezze was popular in Constantinople and Eastern Rome during the Middle
> Ages? 
> 
> 
> ~Aislinn~
> hoping that this topic doesn't hit a brick-wall like sarafans do...
> 
> "The care of human life and happiness and not their destruction is the
> first and only legitimate object of good government." --Thomas Jefferson to
> Maryland Republicans, 1809.
> 
> 
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