Title: sumac-msg
Subject: Period uses of sumac. Identifiying it.
Author: Edited by Mark S. Harris
Last saved by: Mark S. Harris
Keywords: plant, sumac, dye, beverage, berry, medieval

sumac-msg - 2/18/09

Period uses of sumac.

NOTE: See also the files: herbs-msg, herb-uses-msg, spices-msg,  seeds-msg, merch-spices-msg, lavender-msg, mandrake-art, rue-msg, herb-mixes-msg.

************************************************************************
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    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous
                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
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Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 12:15:22 -0600
From: "Decker, Terry D." <TerryD  at Health.State.OK.US>
Subject: RE: SC - Sumac

> Is this sumac ya'll are talking about the same sumac many people are
> allergic to, or is it something else?
>
> Chante

Sumac is a generic name for various plants in the family Anacardiaceae.
Most sumacs are genus Rhus.  Poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac may be
considered genus Rhus, but are often placed in genus Toxicodendron, due
their containing urushiol.  The most common of these plants is T. radicans
(poison ivy).  Poison sumac is usually used to denote T. vernix.

Other members of the family are used for tea, wine and medicine, i.e., Rhus
typhira (staghorn sumac).

Bear

Date: Thu, 23 Dec 1999 17:24:21 -0500
From: Marilyn Traber <margali  at 99main.com>
Subject: Re: SC - Sumac

Sumac is sour without a citrus or vinegar taste, think EDT mixed with a
very subtle almost musky/flower hint.

Margali

Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1999 01:18:32 -0600
From: "RANDALL DIAMOND" <ringofkings  at mindspring.com>
Subject: SC - RE: SC- Sumac (Long)

Time for another at length plant pontification by
Akim (who, like sumac, also causes some people
rashes).

Derivation of the family name is Rhus (Greek)
mentioned by Dioscordies to grow in stony mountain
places, as far as Spain but also in the Apennies and
Pontus ranges in Italy.  It was called Sumacho in
Italian.  The Arabians called it Sumach.  Spanish was
Sumagre; Dutch Smack or Sumach and English also
Sumach, Coriars Sumach and Leather Sumach.
It is mentioned in Apicius under "Rhus", a shrub
called SUMACH, seed of which is used instead of salt.

All sumachs (sumacs) are members of the
Anacardiaceae family, all of which have some
common links which are related poisons.  However,
toxicity varies from very high to very low, the
lowest, in which common sumac falls, is an irritant
only to hyper-sensitive individuals.   Included in this
family are cashews, mangoes and pistachios which,
in their marketed state are heavenly, but in their raw
state can cause severe allergic reactions.  You see,
the toxin relationship varies with the treatment of the
food item.  In the genus Rhus, the specific plants which
are very toxic are Rhus radicans (poison ivy), Rhus
toxicodendron (poison oak) and Rhus vernix (poison sumac).
The most virulent  is poison sumac; any contact with any
part of the plant can cause severe dermatitis.  The degree
of reaction to any of these toxins varies with the exposure
and the individual's sensitivity.  Many persons claim they are
not allergic to these plants.  Not true.  These toxins are a
cumlative poison; eventually a threshhold is reached and a
severe dermatitis will result.

"Decker, Terry D. (Bear) writes:
>Poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac may be
>considered genus Rhus, but are often placed in genus
>Toxicodendron, due their containing urushiol.  The most
>common of these plants is T. radicans (poison ivy).  Poison
>sumac is usually used to denote T. vernix.

Of late, botonists have been reshuffling plant names to
confuse laymen and assure their jobs are secure as
ultimate authorities.  (Just joking Bear!)  So the poisonous
species may be listed under different Latin names when
you search for information on them in newer publications.

Two principal European species are mentioned in Gerard.
Wilde or Myrtle Sumach (Rhus myrtifolia) is native to the
mediterranean region and  is sparse fruiting.  This is likely the
Middle Eastern sumak as it was listed as growing in Syria
by Archigenes in Galen (the 8th book).  The seed is a small,
hard red berry.  Rhus myrtifolia was mainly used a kind of
mouth freshening chewing gum produced by brusing the
trunk of the tree.  It was commonly used (and still is) around
the mediterannean.  It was atributed that the gum also
stopped toothaches.   Rhus coriaria or Coriar Sumach is
very much similar to the main 3 American species in
appearance and it also has the very large clusters of bright
red, acidic berries in the middle of summer as the American
natives.  The old Latin for this plant is Rhus culinaria or
Meat Sumach.  Principal culinary use of the berries or
seeds was in making sharp flavoured sauces for meats
according to Gerard.  It was also applied to meats as a
powdered spice or Latin Rhus obsoniorum or Sauce
Sumach.   There were also (ineffectual) medical uses for
the leaves of both plants as well as a black hair dye made
from a decoction of the leaves.

There are no poisonous species of Rhus native to
Europe, Africa or asia minor.  These peoples have been
spared the horrible itch of the 3 poisonous North American
species.  The Asian representative of the genus is Rhus
verniciflua, Chinese rhus, which is used to make furniture
lacquers and shares a high toxicity with poison ivy, oak and
sumac.  It has no culinary uses that I know of.

From: "David Dendy" (Francesco) writes:
>Puck asked about sumac:
>Is there someplace I can get this on the web?  Are
>there acceptable substitutes?  What does Sumac do for
>this dish?

Francesco answers:
>We sell sumac from our web-site (see URL below). It is a
>souring agent, just as lemon juice, for example, is (although
>the flavour is very different).

The following is from the URL listing in the spice catalog:
       0480 SUMAC BERRIES
       "The tart red powder of these berries is an essential
        'souring agent' in Middle Eastern cookery, used in place
         of vinegar or lemon. Also makes a refreshing summer
         drink. (N.B. - this is not the same as the North American
         wild sumac, some varieties of which are poisonous.)"

As to the use if the ground seeds of the myrtle sumac with
other herbs in the Middle East (sumak), the arabic peoples
were historically the middlemen in the oriental spice trade
to period Europe.  Many fruits and vegetables also reached
Europe through the arabic region (bananas, limes, oranges,
lemons, etc.).  The spread of the sumac as a spice in
the Middle Eastern cultures probably was because they
are accustomed to sun drying so many plants and using them
in their cuisine uniquely (rather like their use of powered
dried limes for example).

Europeans also were much taken with the
spectacular red fruits and fall foliage of the American
(nonpoisonous) sumacs and planted them in gardens
extensively.  These species are pretty much natualized in the
wild there now.  .  From my experience in using wild staghorn
sumach (the most common species in my area), the taste
and properties, "a tart red powder" seems identical to that
of the arabic cuisine.   Here in the South, we have always
used the red berries to make a pink lemonade substitute,
particularly in rural areas. It is an important and preservable
source of vitamin C.

A shared characteristic of Rhus species is the production
of clusters of berry-like fruit, of which all species (even the
poisonous) are very important food for wildlife, particularly
birds, which do not seem affected by the toxins.   It is
extremely easy to safely gather sumac berries for use.  All
of the poisonous varieties have white berries.   All of the safe
sumacs have very red or orange-red berries.  Simple, huh?
When ripe, these berries are covered with acidic red hairs,
rather velvet-like in appearance.  Collect the entire cluster
before the rains wash most of this red covering away.  Rub
gently to bruise the berries surface, but do not strip them
from the cluster.  Soak for 10-15 minutes in COLD water.
Remove the clusters and filter the pink water through
cheesecloth or a coffe filter. Sugar to taste.  Chill and
serve like lemonade.

Here are the American species that can be used for
lemonade or dried as a spice like the Arabic version:

Staghorn Sumach (Rhus typhina) up to 30' in height,
grows from  Minn. s Ontario, e Quebec, Nova Scotia, south
to ne Iowa, Ill,, cen. Tenn, n Ga, to Md..  Fruits in June to
September. This is the species most common in Europe
today.

Flameleaf Sumac (Rhus copallina), aka Winged or Dwarf
Sumac 4'-10' in height.  Found in upland fields and openings
from e Kans., cen Wisc., s. Mich., se NY, s Maine, and south
 to e TX and FL.  Fruits in August to October.

Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra) grows 10-20 feet in height.
Found in e Plains states to s Canada, all of the midwest \
states, n e to same area as R copallina and south to
appalachian range to central Miss, Ala. and Ga, w SC and
NC.  Fruits June to October.

Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica)  mounding 6'-12' high.
Found in  TX and central Plains and SE plateau regions of
Ala, Tenn, Ga,, Ky into s Ohio. , also cent. SC, NC, Va, WV,i
nto s Penn., e into w and e NY..  Berries are dark wine red
and globular.  Fruits July -September.  Leaves resemble
poison ivy but berries are unmistakable.

Desert Sumac (Rhus microphylla), aka Littleleaf Sumac,
4'-8' in height grows in the Southwest US to n Mexico.
The fruit is orange red.

Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia) , 3'-9' evergreen with
 thick, leathery leaves, often used as a hedge.  Range is
coastal southern California.

Sugarbush (Rhus ovata) 8'-15' Santa Barbara County
to n Baja.  Typical to chapparral environment.  Orange
berries, grey green leaves folded into "taco shell".

Threeleaf Sumac (Rhus trilobata) aka Lemita, aka
Squawbush, aka Skunkbush (highly exaggerated) to 8'
high.  Range is from Missouri and TX to CA and WA.
Orange-red fruit in July to September.

There are other less common Rhus species but are
very limited in range.   Of all of these, the only new world
species known in 17th century gardens were the three
eastern US varieties.  I have no source or record of Native
Americans utilizing these species nor do I have any data that
indicates the colonists initially using the berries to make
a beverage.  They probably recognized the American native
sumacs and used them to flavour sauces and meats however.

Sources:

Gerard, John,  The Herbal or General History of Plants, 1633
             edition, reprinted unabridged by Dover, 1975. Third Book,
             chapter 111, pp 1474-1475.
Hightshoe, Gary L., Native Trees, Shrubs and Vines for Urban and
             Rural America, Van Nostrand Reinhold, NY 1988.  pp 318-
              323 & p. 662.
Ottesen, Carole, The Native Plant Primer, Harmony Books,
             NY 1995.  pp. 289-291.
Peterson, Lee Allen, Edible Wild Plants, a Peterson Field Guide,
             Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 1977.  pp. 182, 186-87.

Akim Yaroslavich

Date: Fri, 24 Dec 1999 23:41:45 EST
From: LrdRas  at aol.com
Subject: Re: SC - RE: SC- Sumac (Long)

ringofkings  at mindspring.com writes:
<< Time for another at length plant pontification by
 Akim (who, like sumac, also causes some people
 rashes). >>

I would like to add that the modern word 'sumac (var. sumach)' is derived
from the Middle English 'sumac' which in turn is derived from a Middle French
word which is ultimately derived from the Arabic summaq. The word in it's
current form was first used in English print in the 14th century CE.

You might want to add to your exhaustive list of 'Rhus' information the fact
that the word 'sumac' is also used when describing certain 'material used in
tanning or dyeing that consists of dried powdered leaves and flowers of
various sumacs'.

Members of the Rhus genus not only include trees and shrubs but also woody
vines of the cashew family whose leaves are pinnately compound and turn to
brilliant colors in the autumn. The flowers are dioecious and are followed by
spikes or loose clusters of red or whitish berries.

According the agricultural extension agent, any sensitivity that a person
appears to have toward staghorn sumac is most likely attributable to other
members of the Rhus genus such as poison ivy and poison oak which not only
grow in similar habitats but are also frequently found growing among staghorn
stands. Conversely poison sumac is seldom found among staghorn stands and
even if it were growing there the 2 species are obviously dissimilar when
viewed side by side.

Poison sumac (Rhus vernix), also called poison dogwood, is a shrub that is
usually located in swamps or other wet places. It has 'pinnate leaves,
greenish flowers, and greenish white berries and produces an irritating oil.'

Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) is a native of eastern North America which is
found growing most often in abandoned fields or open landscape. It is a
'shrub or small tree with velvety-pubescent branches and flower stalks,
leaves turning brilliant red in fall, and dense panicles of greenish yellow
flowers followed by hairy crimson fruits.' This species, while not identical
to that which is found in Europe and the Middle East, is so similar to it
that those differences would appear to be unimportant to the lay person. It
can be substituted for the European/Middle Eastern variety in cookery. Any
flavor differences are so subtle as to indistinguishable except to the most
sensitive palates.

Ras

Date: Fri, 7 Oct 2005 14:29:15 +0200
From: Volker Bach <carlton_bach at yahoo.de>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Sumac recipes request
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

Am Freitag, 7. Oktober 2005 13:37 schrieb Christina Nevin:
> Does anyone know of any period recipes containing sumac other than
> 'Maqluba' (meat and walnut patties) from al-Baghdadi and  
> 'Adas' (lentils and taro) from Ibn al-Mabrad?

Sumaqiyya, IIRC from the 'Description of Familiar Foods' contains sumac, and
Milh Mutayyab from both that source and al-Baghdadi can. I also think there
is something the the Ni'Namatma (sp?) - that Malwan cookbook. Haven't been
able to read it through yet.

Giano

Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2006 18:12:37 -0500
From: Anne-Marie Rousseau <dailleurs at liripipe.com>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] recipes using sumac berries?
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

I will often sprinkle a bit of sumac on the top of my hummous for presentation. Its a beautiful color and adds an intersting sweet smokey taste that's  
different than paprika

--AM

Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2006 04:35:54 +0200
From: Volker Bach <carlton_bach at yahoo.de>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] recipes using sumac berries?
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

Am Donnerstag, 24. August 2006 01:09 schrieb Stefan li Rous:
> Urtatim replied to someone:
>   <<< They are there for flavor and color. If you can't find pomegranates
> (yeah, it's a little ahead of the season), i'd skip them.
>
> If you like, you could sprinkle some
> (1.) sumac
> OR
> <snip>
>
> Sumac is used in 'Abbasid recipes. I have not seen barberries used in
> them, however. I have found barberries in at least one late 15th c.
> Ottoman recipe, and they are used in modern Persian recipes. >>>
>
> I'm not quite sure which recipes these "'Abbasid recipes" are, but
> can anyone point me to some other period recipes, preferably European
> ones, which use sumac berries?

For a given value of 'European':

Liber de Coquina II (7) 10: sumacia - pan-fried chicken in sumac  
almond broth

IV (9) 4: summachia: grilled fish in almond-sumach broth or sauce

V (10) 11: Lombard compost - root vegetables and fruit cooked and pickled in a
honey-mustard sauce that involves cinnamon, saffron, mulberries and sumac
berries.

Giano

Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2006 23:25:21 -0700
From: lilinah at earthlink.net
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] recipes using sumac berries?
To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org

Stefan li Rous <stefanlirous at austin.rr.com>
>  but can anyone point me to some other period recipes, preferably European
>  ones, which use sumac berries?

Mmm... the only European recipes i know of using sumac are
adaptations of Arabic recipes. There's an Italian recipe for
sommachia (the Arabic original is summaqiyya)

Sommachia - Chicken with Spicy Sumac Sauce
Zambrini, Libro della cucina
from Perry, Medieval Arabic Cookery<

Take some jointed chickens and fry them in bacon fat. Take some
almonds, some sumac and water and cook with the chicken. The dish
should be quite thick. Serve. The same recipe can be applied to fish,
partridge, capons, etc.

Polastri a Sumacho boni e perfecti
Frati, Libro di cucina
as reproduced by Perry in "Medieval Arabic Cookery"

If you wish to make chicken with sumac for twelve people, take twelve
chickens and two pounds of almonds, also about an ounce each of
cinnamon, ginger, and [?- pepper] , two ounces of cloves, half a
pound of plums and one pound of sumac. Take the chickens and brown
them whole in melted bacon fat. When they are well browned, add some
sweet spices, root ginger, cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves and
brown well (again). Add a little water, then take some very clean
sumac and put it to soak in some plain vinegar. Take the unpeeled,
washed almonds, pound them thoroughly and diffuse the resulting
powder in water. Take the sumac and mix it well with the vinegar in
which it has soaked. When the chickens with the other ingredients are
cooked, add some prunes which have been washed thoroughly, then take
the sumac and strain it; repeat with the almond milk and throw away
the solid residue. Add the remaining liquid to the chickens and boil
with the spices to taste and plenty of water and salt. This dish
should be made with sumac, spices, saffron, vinegar and sumac juice.
When the entire mixture had been boiled well, remove from the fire in
order to serve it. Place the chickens on the plates (or, rather,
trenchers) and serve with no further garnish. If you wish to serve
the chickens in pieces prepare these in the same way.

-----

I note that 2 oz. of cloves may be too much...

-----

Here is the original Arabic recipe from Charles Perry's wonderful new
translation of al-Baghdadi's Kitab al-Tabikh. And i must add that
anyone interested in this cuisine MUST get Perry's new translation.
It isn't just that Arberry got some things wrong, but that the
transcription by Daoud Chelebi had some problems - apparently he
skipped some significant marginal notes and included some less
important notes...

(Notes in parentheses from Charles Perry)
[Notes in square brackets from me]

Summaqiyya

The way to make it is to cut up fat meat medium, then leave it in the
pot. (Sc. add water) Then throw a little good salt on it. Then let it
come to a boil until it is nearly done. Thoroughly take its scum
away. Then throw on it boiled chard, cut in pieces a finger width
long [note that the Arabs liked to use the white stem and cut the
green leafy parts away], and carrots. Then take onions and Nabatean
leeks [not sure how these differ from other leeks], peel them, wash
them in  water and salt and put them on. If it is the season of
eggplant, put it in with its black peel removed; boil it in a
separate pot (i.e., before putting them with the meat). Then take
sumac and put it in a separate pot, put a little salt and bread
crumbs on it, boil it well and strain it [i suspect the bread crumbs
are forced through the sieve]. If you want, take a scalded, jointed
hen and throw it in the pot. Pound lean meat fine and (sprinkle)
spices on it. Make it into medium sized meatballs and throw them in
the pot also. Put spices on it, namely coriander seed, cumin, pepper,
ginger, cinnamon, fine mastic and bunches of fresh mint. Then take
the mentioned sumac water and put it in the pot. Pound walnuts, beat
them to a liquid consistency with water and throw them in the pot.
Then crumble dry mint onto its surface, and throw in whole pieces of
walnuts without pounding. Pound a little garlic, mix it with a little
of the broth and throw it in the pot. Some people put whole raw eggs
(Sc. in the pot). Leave it on a quiet fire to grow quiet, then take
it up.

-----

Below is a recipe contained in a marginal note. It was copied into
the margin by a much later scribe from an 11th century medical
encyclopedia, Minhaj al-Bayan. I include this note because it
mentions barberries (!!). And it supports my idea that while sumac
and barberries don't taste the same, they can be used similarly.

'Amirbarisiyya, which is zirishkiyya.
It is made like sumaquyya, except that it is made with almonds. The
best of it is made with fresh barberries
('amirbaris and zirishk are Persian names for barberries)

-----

Finally, there are several other Arabic dishes in 14th-15th c.
Italian cookbooks, besides Summaqiyya/Sommachia. They include
Rummaniyya/Romania (a meat dish with pomegranates) and
Limuniyya/Limonia (a meat dish with lemons). There are others that
were taken from Arabic recipes or somewhat adopted. For example,
there are a number of Italian escabeches from this period, the
technique adopted from the popular Arabic dish of Persian origin
called Sikbaj, which had a lot of vinegar, and often chopped onions.
-- 
Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM)
the persona formerly known as Anahita

Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2006 23:46:53 -0700
From: lilinah at earthlink.net
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] recipes using sumac berries?
To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org

I wrote:
> Well, there's
> 1.) al-Warraq's 10th century Kitab al-Tabikh, a compendium of 9th
> and 10th century recipes
> 2.) al-Baghdadi's 13th century Kitab al-Tabikh (means "Book of
> Dishes", i.e., "cookbook")
> 3.) the as-yet not fully translated book that has a long complex
> title that is sometimes translated to include "The Link of the Beloved"
> and
> 4.) the 14th century Book of the Description of Familiar Foods which
> was compiled in Mamluk Egypt, but the recipes are about 1/3
> al-Baghdadi and many, if not most, of the rest are in a similar
> vein, so clearly 'Abbasid.

OOPS!
1.) Should be *ibn Sayyar's* 10th century Kitab al-Tabikh, a
compendium of 9th and 10th century recipes

Sorry for any confusion.

Additionally
3.) appears to date from the 12th C. and has the full title of  Kitab
Al-Wusla ilal-Habib fi Wasfi Al-Tayibati wal-Tib (The Book of the
Bond with the Friend, or the Description of Good Dishes and Perfumes)
of which about 10 copies survive.
-- 
Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM)
the persona formerly known as Anahita

Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:17:33 -0500
From: Johnna Holloway <johnna at sitka.engin.umich.edu>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] The use of sumac in medieval Arabic cooking
To: Christiane <christianetrue at earthlink.net>,	Cooks within the SCA
	<sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

You can search it through medievalcookery.com and find that it's  
mentioned oddly enough by Charles Perry.

This is an excerpt from *An Anonymous Andalusian Cookbook*
(Andalusia, 13th c. - Charles Perry, trans.)
The original source can be found at David Friedman's website
<http://daviddfriedman.com/Medieval/Cookbooks/Andalusian/ 
andalusian_contents.htm>
The Customs that Many People Follow in Their Countries. Many are fond and
inclined toward foods that others detest, and this is why the people of
Yemen cook with dates ...[one word missing]... and like nothing better;
the Persians cook rice with sumac ...

Johnnae

Christiane wrote:
> I guess the question is, was it ever used in the medieval period?
>
> I do not specifically see it mentioned in Perry, so I am just  
> wondering if there is a term I am missing, or whether it was Turk- 
> specific and they brought it with them into the lands they had  
> conquered.
>
> Gianotta

Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:23:13 -0500
From: Johnna Holloway <johnna at sitka.engin.umich.edu>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] The use of sumac in medieval Arabic cooking
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

Also check out this
http://thorngrove.typepad.com/table/2005/10/ebbp2_report_ma.html

Johnnae

Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:51:20 -0800
From: Dragon <dragon at crimson-dragon.com>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Sca-cooks Digest, Vol 21, Issue 79
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

Bhadra wrote:
> Where would I get some so the sumac in question?
>
> Sabina (new to the list and totally ignorant)
---------------- End original message. ---------------------

A Middle Eastern market would be your best source, especially one
focusing on Lebanese or Persian (Iranian) cuisines. If you don't have
one nearby, mail order is your next best option. I like a dealer
called Adriana's Caravan for a number of unusual spices.

http://www.adrianascaravan.com/

There are other sources you can order from too.

Dragon

Date: Sun, 3 Feb 2008 11:22:41 -0800
From: Lilinah <lilinah at earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] The use of sumac in medieval Arabic cooking
To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org

> I guess the question is, was it ever used in the medieval period?
>
> I do not specifically see it mentioned in Perry, so I am just
> wondering if there is a term I am missing, or whether it was
> Turk-specific and they brought it with them into the lands they had
> conquered.
>
> Gianotta

Sumac is used in eleven recipes in al-Baghdadi's cookbook.

It does not appear in any of the recipes in the Anon. Andalusian
cookbook, however.

...see my comparison of the spiceboxes of al-Baghdadi and the Anon.  
Andlausian

http://home.earthlink.net/~lilinah/Food/Misc_Hist_Food/ 
SpiceboxBaghdadi.html
http://home.earthlink.net/~lilinah/Food/Misc_Hist_Food/ 
SpiceboxAndalusi.html
http://home.earthlink.net/~lilinah/Food/Misc_Hist_Food/ 
SpiceboxesCompared.html

And it is used in a number of other surviving Near and Middle Eastern
cookbooks. I'll look over the frustrating "Medieval Cuisine of the
Islamic World" and pull out a few.
-- 
Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM)
the persona formerly known as Anahita

<the end>

Edited by Mark S. Harris	sumac-msg	Page  of