[Sca-cooks] Sixteenth Century Turkish

[emilio szabo]

I assume that there is more on Turkish eating and drinking in the numerous reports of travellers to the holy land, of ambassadors and in chronicles.

For instance, there is a "Neuwe Chronica türkischer Nation", printed in 1590, which is up online at www.digitale-sammlungen.de. Among other things, there is a report about a wedding.
http://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/~db/0002/bsb00029261/images/

„Den 23. May zu Morgen sind die Vezier vnd Hof Officier zum Patscha zusammen kommen (sind Geyß vnd Schaaff Füß/ vnd essens die Türcken wie bey vns ein Eyer im Schmaltz) solche Speiß hat der Breutigam seiner Schwieger der Sultanin selber auch geschickt/ welche dem Breutigam vnd der Braut widerumb 150. andere Speisen bringen lassen (...)“. (p. 535; BSB-Pdf 546)

Does anybody recognise the dish which is mentioned here and which is called "Patscha"?

As for the drinking, a late 16th c. report of a dinner during an audience says that they drank water mixed with rosewater and sugar (printed in the Glasgow Hakluyt ed., vol. VI, p. 98ss.)

George Sandys (early 17th c.): "their usual drink is pure water, yet they have sundry sherbets ... some made of sugar and lemons, some of violets, and the like, whereof some are mixed with amber, which the richer sort dissolve thereinto. The honey of Scio is excellent for that purpose and they make another of the juice of rainsins." (quoted from the notes on a travelogue).

E.