[Sca-cooks] ICE was Beverage experiments

[Johnna Holloway]

In that new book 
Annals of the Caliphs' Kitchens. Ibn Sayya-r al-Warra-q's Tenth-Century Baghdadi Cookbook
[English Translation with Introduction and Glossary by Nawal Nasrallah
Leiden and Boston: Brill, 2007] 

There is a mention of ice and chilled drinks. This is the
English translation of the complete text of 
the /Kitab al – Tabikh/ or (Book of Dishes or Book of Cookery)which dates 
from the 10th century. 

Chapter 110 (beginning on page 450) is titled
"Measures taken when drinking water cooled in Muzammala or
chilled with crushed ice (Thalj Madrub)"

There we read "Ice-chilled water (ma al-thalj) should be taken
in small amounts when having a meal,and only sparsely."

We are also told on page 451 that "people with weak nervous
systems or cold stomachs and livers should shun ice-chilled water."

Alright folks, so that's part of the various mentions of ice and chilled 
drinks. I have to admit that I will
be doing an article on this topic in the near future all in time for 
various summer
publications no doubt.

Johnnae


David Friedman wrote:
>>  I think it is worth
>> mentioniong that the use of ice to cool drinks was commonly practiced in
>> the Mediterranean area.
>>     
>
> In the summer? Where did they get the ice and how did they store it?
>