[Sca-cooks] couscous was Serving stuff over rice

[JIMCHEVAL at aol.com]

>From this and later references, my impression is that "couscous" was once a 
 term much like "porridge" or "gruel", referring to any grain or starch  
preparation, with the key difference that it was steamed rather than  boiled.
 
The later references I cited mainly refer to millet; when I was in  
Cameroon, a hunter in the forest gave me cooked manioc which as I recall he also  
called 'couscous'. (Hardly bland, though, since they flavor everything there  
with hot sauce.)
 
Jim  Chevallier

Comparing early and late medieval food in France
_http://www.chezjim.com/food/pre-v/comparisons.html   

In a message dated 10/25/2013 10:31:46 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
johnnae at mac.com writes:

"Kinds  of Starch Dishes: Couscous, Rice, Meat Porridges (Harisas), Noodles 
and the  Like" in An Anonymous Andalusian Cookbook of the 13th Century 
Translated by  Charles Perry

Recipes there include:
Soldiers' Couscous (Kuskusû  Fityâni)    

The usual moistened couscous is known by the  whole world. ...
_ (http://www.chezjim.com/food/pre-v/comparisons.htmlIn a message dated 
10/25/2013 10:31:46 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, johnnae at mac.com writes:"Kinds 
of Starch Dishes: Couscous, Rice, Meat Porridges (Harisas), Noodles and the 
Like" in An Anonymous Andalusian Cookbook of the 13th Century Translated by 
Charles PerryRecipes there include:Soldiers' Couscous (Kuskusû Fityâni)    
The usual moistened couscous is known by the whole world. ...I Have Seen a 
Couscous Made with Crumbs of the Finest White Bread.       For this one you 
take crumbs and rub with the palm on the platter, as one rubs the soup [hasu; 
unless this is a scribal error for hashu, "filling"], and let the bread be 
neither cold nor very hot; put it in a pierced pot) 
 


I  Have Seen a Couscous Made with Crumbs of the Finest White Bread.     
For this one you take crumbs and rub with the palm on the  platter, as one 
rubs the soup [hasu; unless this is a scribal error for hashu,  "filling"], 
and let the bread be neither cold nor very hot; put it in a  pierced pot