This popular 13th-century Syrian cookbook is an ode to what its anonymous author calls the “greater part of the pleasure of this life,” namely the consumption of food and drink, as well as the fragrances that garnish the meals and the diners who enjoy them. Collecting 635 meticulous recipes, Scents and Flavors invites us to savor an inventive cuisine that elevates simple ingredients by combining the sundry aromas of herbs, spices, fruits, and flower essences. Organized like a meal, it opens with appetizers and juices and proceeds through main courses, side dishes, and desserts, including such confections as candies based on the higher densities of sugar syrup—an innovation unique to the medieval Arab world. Apricot beverages, stuffed eggplant, pistachio chicken, coriander stew, melon crepes, and almond pudding are seasoned with nutmeg, rose, cloves, saffron, and the occasional rare ingredient like ambergris to delight and surprise the banqueter. Bookended by chapters on preparatory perfumes, incenses, medicinal oils, antiperspirant powders, and after-meal hand soaps, this comprehensive culinary journey is a feast for all the senses. With the exception of four extant Babylonian and Roman specimens, cookbooks did not appear on the world literary scene until Arabic speakers began compiling their recipe collections in the tenth century, peaking in popularity in the thirteenth century. Scents and Flavors quickly became a bestseller during this golden age of cookbooks, and remains today a delectable read for epicures and cultural historians alike.
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يجبل المسك بكثيراء قد نقعت في ماء خلاف ويعمل منه تفافيح كالعنبر. وماء الخلاف يذكّيه ولا يستعمل فيه ماء ورد فإنّه يقطعه.
Knead musk with gum tragacanth soaked in willow water and form into apple shapes, as you would ambergris. The willow water makes it pungent. Do not add rose water or the scent will be weakened.
٢،١
1.2
نوع ثاني أحسن من الأوّل وأذكى رائحة يحكّ١ العود بماء ورد على حجر الصندل. فإذا صار منه شئ جيّد يعصر في خرقة حتّى لا يبقى فيه ماء ويترك في زبديّة. ويحكّ٢ أيضًا صندل مقاصيريّ ويعمل به كالعود جزأين متساويين. ويخلط الجميع ويجبل بماء ورد في إناء صينيّ. ويبسط في الإناء رقيقًا ويتبخّر دفعات بعود ودفعات بعنبر وبين كلّ تبخيرتين أو ثلاث يرشّ عليه ماء ورد ويجبل ويبسط كالأوّل ويعاود البخور. فإذا أخذ حدّه يجعل فيه قليل من زَباد وقليل من المسك. وينشّف في الإناء ويجبل بكثيراء منقوعة في٣ الماء ورد ويعمل منه عنبرينا. وكلّما انقطع٤ يرشّ عليه ماء ورد ويبخّر فإنّه يذكّي رائحته.
١ كذا في ت. س: يحلّ. ٢ كذا في ت، ص. س: يحلّ والصواب من ح. ٣ ص زَباد و. ٤ ص انقطعت رائحته.
A second variety, better than the first, and with a more pungent aroma Scrape agarwood with rose water on a sandalwood stone. When you accumulate a good amount, squeeze dry in a cloth and transfer it to a bowl. Scrape Maqasiri sandalwood, as you did the agarwood, making two equal portions. Mix everything and knead with rose water in a china vessel. Spread the mixture thinly in the vessel and smoke several times over agarwood and several times over ambergris. Between every two or three fumigations, sprinkle with rose water, shape, spread out as before, and smoke again. When it is done, put on a little civet and musk, and let dry in the vessel. Knead with gum tragacanth soaked in rose water and make into apple shapes, as above. Sprinkle with rose water and smoke as soon as cut for use. This makes for a more pungent aroma.
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1.3
غيره عنبرينا صندل يلبس في الصيف والحر يبرد المزاج يحكّ الصندل المقاصيريّ بماء ورد ويجبل ويبسط في زبديّة صينيّ ويبخّر خمسة أفمام بعنبر. ويجبل بكثيراء محلولة بماء ورد ومسك. ويتّخذ منه عنبرينا فإنّه بليغ.
A different sandalwood ʿanbarīnā, worn in summer and in hot weather to cool the humors Scrape Maqasiri sandalwood with rose water, shape, and spread out in a china bowl. Smoke five times with ambergris, shape it with gum tragacanth dissolved with rose water and musk, and make into ʿanbarīnā. It is the best.
~
٤،١
1.4
العود يشقّق وينقع في ماء ورد سبعة أيّام١ فإنّه يذكّي رائحته.
١ ص ستّة أيّام أو سبعة.
Agarwood Split and soak in rose water for seven days. This will make its aroma pungent.
٥،١
1.5
عود معلّى١ يشقّق العود. ويحلّ سكّر نبات بماء ورد ويطبخ منه جلّاب قويّ القوام في قوام عقيد السكنجبين. ويلقى فيه عنبر معجون وقليل مسك ويُصْبَر٢ عليه حتّى يذوب العنبر. ويلقى عليه العود ويحرّك حتّى يلبسه جميعه. ويرفع ويجفّف في الهواء. واحذرْ أن يكون العقد قليل النار فإنّه يسيل. وهذا النوع بليغ في الطيب.
١ ص بخور عود يعرف بالمعلّا. ٢ س: يصير والصواب من ح.
Elevated agarwood Split the agarwood. Dissolve sugar crystals with rose water and cook into a thick syrup, the consistency of thickened oxymel. Put in ambergris kneaded with a little musk and wait patiently for the ambergris to melt. Add the agarwood and stir until the syrup coats it. Set aside and dry in the open air. Take care not to overcook the syrup; it should remain liquid. This kind has a surpassing aroma.
٦،١
1.6
عود معلّى١ أجود من الأوّل تشقّق العود وينقع في ماء ورد سبعة أيّام٢ ويجفّف ويسحق مع السكّر النبات ناعمًا. ويجعل طبق على النار ويذاب فيه عنبر خام وعنبر معجون وقليل مسك. فإذا ذاب ينزّل فيه٣ سكّر النبات ويحرّك. فاذا اختلط يجعل فيه العود ويحرّك حتّى يلبس العنبر جميع العود. فإنّه يبيضّ ويكون له رائحة طيّبة في البخوريّة.
١ ص بعنبر. ٢ وينفع... أيّام في ت فقط. ٣ فيه ساقطة من س والزيادة من ح.
A better elevated agarwood preparation Split the agarwood, soak in rose water for seven days, and let dry. Grind sugar crystals fine. Put a tray on the fire and in it melt raw ambergris and ambergris paste along with a little musk. When melted, add the sugar and stir. Once everything is mixed, put in the agarwood and stir until the ambergris coats it thoroughly. It will turn white and give off a good aroma in the incense burner.
٧،١
1.7
بخور كان يعمل لابن برمك ينفع في اختلاف الهواء وزمن الندى. يؤخذ جوز بوّا مثقالين، ورد وسنبل وقرنفل ومصطكى ومسك وزعفران وميعة سائلة من كلّ واحد مثقال، قاقلّة وكبابة وكافور من كلّ واحد نصف مثقال، مسك دانق. يدقّ ويعجن بماء الورد ويعمل منه طوابع ويجفّف ويستعمل.
An incense of the kind made for Ibn Barmak—healthful during the change of seasons and in damp weather Take two mithqāls of nutmeg, a mithqāl each of roses, spikenard, clove, mastic, saffron, and liquid storax, half a mithqāl each of brown cardamom, cubeb, and camphor, and a dāniq of musk. Pound, knead with rose water, and form into tablets. Dry out and use.
٨،١
1.8
ندّ كان يعمل لابن الأغلب كافور قسطين حلو ومرّ وسكّ لاذن عنبريّ ميعة سائلة شيبة عجوز من كلّ واحد مثقال، زعفران مثقالين، أظفار ربع مثقال، وعود وزن مثقال ويدقّ١ الجميع وينخل. يعجن بدهن بان الذي يعمل منه الغالية ويعمل طوابع.
١ مثقال يدقّ ساقطة من س والزيادة من ح.
Nadd incense tablets of the kind made for Ibn al-Aghlab One mithqāl each of camphor, both sweet and bitter costus, am...
