Re: INFO: seconjubin

["Greg Lindahl" <lindahl@pbm.com>]

>         Several times Miriam Rachel has mentioned seconjubin.  'Tis a drink
> made with mint, no?  I have mint in gracious plenty and would know how this
> drink is made.  It sounds most refreshing for a summer day in Atlantia.

Cariadoc's Miscellany sez:

Sekanjabin
   
   Dissolve 4 cups sugar in 2 1/2 cups of water; when it comes to a boil
   add 1 cup wine vinegar. Simmer 1/2 hour. Add a handful of mint, remove
   from fire, let cool. Dilute the resulting syrup to taste with ice
   water (5 to 10 parts water to 1 part syrup). The syrup stores without
   refrigeration.
   
   Note: This is the only recipe in the _Miscelleny_ that is based on a
   modern source: _A Book of Middle Eastern Food_, by Claudia Roden.
   Sekanjabin is a period drink; it is mentioned in the _Fihrist_ of
   al-Nadim, which was written in the tenth century. The only period
   recipe I have found for it (in the Andalusian cookbook) is called
   "Sekanjabin Simple" and omits the mint. It is one of a large variety
   of similar drinks described in that cookbook-flavored syrups intended
   to be diluted in either hot or cold water before drinking.
   
Syrup of Simple Sikanjab'n

   (Oxymel)
   
   Andalusian p. A-74
   
   _Take a_ ratl _of strong vinegar and mix it with two_ ratls _of sugar,
   and cook all this until it takes the form of a syrup. Drink an _{qiya
   _of this with three of hot water when fasting: it is beneficial for
   fevers of jaundice, and calms jaundice and cuts the thirst, since
   sikanjabnn syrup is beneficial in phlegmatic fevers: make it with six_
   {qiyas _of sour vinegar for a_ ratl _of honey and it is admirable._
   
   This seems to be at least two different recipes, for two different
   medical uses. The first, at least, is intended to be drunk hot. In
   modern Iranian restaurants, sekanjabin is normally served cold, often
   with grated cucumber.

http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/cariadoc/miscellany.html

Gregory Blount
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