Jelabs, Sekanjabin and Oxymel: Oh My!

Donna Serena da Riva

Given that the theme of this months issue is “how to keep cool” at events I thought it might be fun to present a little bit of information on what has come to be referred to as “period Gatorade”. This particular refreshment was introduced to the SCA by Duke Cariadoc of the Bow in a self proclaimed attempt to find a replacement for Iced Tea. While it was not used by the “European” cultures it appears that it was common among the Islamic cultures.

To quote His Grace from his Miscelleny

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 “Simple Sekanjabin” (see below) 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.

Sekanjabin

4 cups sugar
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup vinegar
handfull of fresh mint

Dissolve sugar in water; when it comes to a boil add the vinegar. Simmer for 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.

The period recipe to which His Grace refers is from the Anonymous Andalusian Cookbook, translated by Charles Perry. This text is extensive collection of recipes from 13^th century Moorish Spain. The actual text for the drink is thus:

Syrup of Simple Sakanyabin

Take a pound of strong vinegar and mix it with two pounds of sugar, and cook all this until it takes the form of a syrup.  Drink an ounce of this with three of hot water when fasting: it is beneficial for fevers of jaundice, and calms jaundice and cuts the thirst, since sakanyabin syrup is beneficial in phlegmatic fevers: make it with six ounce of sour vinegar for a pound of honey and it is admirable ... and a pound of sugar; cook all this until it takes the form of a drink.  Its benefit is to relax the bowels and cut the thirst and vomit, and it is beneficial in yellow fevers.

Also found in this same text is a fairly lengthy list of other jelabs (a group of syrups of which Sekanjabin is a member) that includes the following base flavors: mint, rose, violets, hyssop, basil, pomegranate, sour grape, lavender, lemon, jujube, thistle, tamarind, carrot and apple. In addition to the base flavor, each jelab has other components that enhance the differences between the syrups.

Upon reading the different recipes many members of the SCA have found inspiration to “doctor up” their own personal versions of refreshing jelabs. A brief perusal of Stefan’s Florigium provided some very interesting suggestions. One good gentle suggested the use of Mint Herbal Tea bags if fresh mint was unavailable, this suggestion was accompanied by a warning to make sure the ingredients are 100% mint and contain no actual tea. A second supplement that was recommended by several gentles was the addition of slices of fresh ginger during the steeping process.

The flavor of the drink can be further refined by playing with the constituent ingredients. Different flavors and quality of vinegar will drastically affect the end result, as will the flavor of the mint. One interesting suggestion was the substitution of fresh Lemon Balm for the mint. Lemon Balm is documentably period and in the mint family but with a distinct flavor all of its’ own. The third primary ingredient, sugar, can also be varied to achieve different results. During a late night porch discussion at an event, Mistress Rosamund of Mercia opined that the tastiest sekanjabin she had ever sampled was prepared with the lightly processed, brown, cone sugar that can be found in Hispanic markets.

Varying the sweetening agent is where one will venture into the area of a more distinctly European beverage. By replacing the sugar with honey you will create Oxymel. The earliest mentions of Oxymel can be found in Hippocrates’ On Regimen in Acute Diseases. This ancient Greek source (460-380 BC) mentions Oxymel repeatedly with explanations for its proper use in medicinal treatment but does not provide a recipe for the drink. In Greek Oxymel literally translates to “acid-honey” providing us with a basic recipe of vinegar (acid) and honey, with the diluting water being self evident.

Another early medical man, Galen, provides us with an (un)informative recipe in Chapter 6 of Book 4 of Staying Healthy nearly 6 centuries after Hippocrates:

Oxymeli - Honey Vinegar
Simmer honey until it foams, discard, the scum, add enough vinegar to make it neither too sharp nor too sweet, boil again until it is mixed and not raw. For use, mix with water, just as you would mix wine with water.

Although it appears that much of Oxymel is presumed to be to taste, here is a redaction by Anahita bint ‘abd al-Karim al-hakim al-Fassi:

Oxymel

1-1/2 cup Honey
1/2 cup Red or White Wine Vinegar

Mix honey and vinegar; simmer until well blended; cool.

By the 15^th century it had not yet fallen out of favor and is mentioned many times by the Italian writer Platina in On Right Pleasure and Good Health. But specifically in the section on vinegar he has thus to say: “Oxymel is made from vinegar and honey, as are many other things.” As with the previous recipes he is informative, yet not particularly helpful.

I hope that all of this information might pique some interest in the exploration of period beverages. It would be wonderful to wander the perimeter of the fighting field sampling each pavilions’ own personal version of a sweet/tart jelab. Just think how the period ambiance would be enhanced if instead of opening a cooler full of plastic bottles and aluminum cans you could offer a cold pitcher of water and syrup to be mixed to your guests’ own taste! We must stay cool and hydrated safely, but we can also do it with style.