[Sca-cooks] (no subject)

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

Cariadoc wrote:
> > At this point, add to the pot 2 mithqals (9 grams) saffron and 2 dirhems
> > (6 grams) mastic. Pour into the pot 5 ratls (10 cups) cold water.

Stefan li Rous wrote:
> Saffron? Not what I would think of to add to a sweet drink.

In both European and Near and Middle Eastern cuisine, saffron is used in sweet desserts. So why not in a sweet drink?

Cariadoc continued:
> > Empty the liquid into glass jars. Set them aside in a shaded place for 
> > 50 days after which you seal them with mud. Use the wine in winter by 
> > mixing one part of it with two parts of musk-flavored water. It will be 
> > a splendid drink.

And Stefan queried:
> Does this imply that they considered the water safe to drink? Or is this like mixing water in with 
> wine, where the alcohol gives some protection? But then we do have the other sekanjaban type drinks 
> from the middle east that use water without boiling it.

There is an entire chapter in Ibn Sayyar al-Warraq on water as a beverage. He considered it THE ONLY drink appropriate to serve with the meal. Then, depending on the temperament of the diner, it was to be served with ice or without.

Only at the end of the meal were flavored sharbat served - sekanjabin - which it turns out is pronounced skan-ja-been - for those who'd eaten too much that was sweet, julab - which is rosewater syrup - for those who had too much that was sour.

Alcoholic beverages were not drunk with the meal, but after the dishes had been cleared and the company had retired to share poems, listen to music, etc.

Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM)