The Arabian one is also elaborate, and would only be provided
on a great occasion by a sheik of much importance.
In Morocco all stewed dishes are cooked in earthenware
pans, covered with a thick pan of a similar sort which holds the
steam in. The result is that the food is nearly always tender.
As a rule large quantities of butter are used in the cooking,
which renders it rich for European taste. After a dinner, green
tea, strongly flavoured with mint, lemon, verbena or other herbs,
is served in small cups and sometimes coffee prepared more or
less in Turkish fashion. Rose water and orange blossom water
in long-necked bottles are handed round for perfuming the
guests, and incense is burned in brass or silver incense-burners
until the room often becomes thick with the scented smoke.
The Moors habitually eat with their fingers ; they are seated on
divans and help themselves from the dish direct. If the company
consists of a number of guests, several dishes of each food is
served. Previous to eating, the diner's hands are washed by
warm water being poured over them, a brass basin with a
perforated top being held to catch the water. This is done by
a servant or slave, and after meals the same course is gone
through — soap and scented water being used.
In Egypt the service of the dishes is very mixed. After the
dinner proper is finished, and before the fruit and other delicacies
are partaken of, servants come round with large silver basins,
jugs of water, soap and towels, so that the guests may cleanse
their hands and faces. After the sweets and fruits, the servants
xv
INTRODUCTION TO THE MENUS
again come round with handsome silver basins containing per-
fumed water into which the guests dip their fingers and sprinkle
themselves.
An Arab dinner in Palestine is a modest function ; the number
of dishes are few, and their preparations are simple. The Jews,
however, are more elaborate in their preparations of a feast. A
small loaf of bread is always laid at each place on the table and
covered with a white cloth. The bread is much like British
bread and is made in the same way, except that it is baked in
sheets like rolls, raisin water being used instead of yeast, and
"smeed" instead of flour. "Smeed" is coarse ground wheat,
and looks like American cornflour. A plentiful supply of bread
and well filled glasses of cognac are always on the table. The
Jew cannot understand why the Christian refuses the latter.
Jews, in other countries, adopt the custom of the country they
are in — the only difference being that they conform to the Mosaic
laws by avoiding certain fish and meats ; the non-usage of
eggs, butter, milk and cream in the cooking of flesh dishes, or
those to be served with or after flesh has been eaten, and the
eschewing of same for at least four hours after having eaten flesh,
if orthodox " Kosher " is to be observed.
In Armenia the washing and cleansing usual in Eastern
countries are carried out, but the Armenians have the peculiar
custom of eating salt and sweet dishes alternately. The cooking
is much the same as in Asia Minor or Syria.
In Asia Minor after the guests arrive and are seated, a small
maid enters bearing a tray on which there are apricot sweets,
two glasses of water, a silver goblet, and forks. The chief
INTRODUCTION TO THE MENUS
Page 6
Presented as published in 1911. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The Arabian one is also elaborate, and would only be provided on a great occasion by a sheik of much importance.
In Morocco all stewed dishes are cooked in earthenware pans, covered with a thick pan of a similar sort which holds the steam in. The result is that the food is nearly always tender. As a rule large quantities of butter are used in the cooking, which renders it rich for European taste. After a dinner, green tea, strongly flavoured with mint, lemon, verbena or other herbs, is served in small cups and sometimes coffee prepared more or less in Turkish fashion. Rose water and orange blossom water in long-necked bottles are handed round for perfuming the guests, and incense is burned in brass or silver incense-burners until the room often becomes thick with the scented smoke. The Moors habitually eat with their fingers ; they are seated on divans and help themselves from the dish direct. If the company consists of a number of guests, several dishes of each food is served. Previous to eating, the diner's hands are washed by warm water being poured over them, a brass basin with a perforated top being held to catch the water. This is done by a servant or slave, and after meals the same course is gone through — soap and scented water being used.
In Egypt the service of the dishes is very mixed. After the dinner proper is finished, and before the fruit and other delicacies are partaken of, servants come round with large silver basins, jugs of water, soap and towels, so that the guests may cleanse their hands and faces. After the sweets and fruits, the servants
again come round with handsome silver basins containing perfumed water into which the guests dip their fingers and sprinkle themselves.
An Arab dinner in Palestine is a modest function ; the number of dishes are few, and their preparations are simple. The Jews, however, are more elaborate in their preparations of a feast. A small loaf of bread is always laid at each place on the table and covered with a white cloth. The bread is much like British bread and is made in the same way, except that it is baked in sheets like rolls, raisin water being used instead of yeast, and "smeed" instead of flour. "Smeed" is coarse ground wheat, and looks like American cornflour. A plentiful supply of bread and well filled glasses of cognac are always on the table. The Jew cannot understand why the Christian refuses the latter. Jews, in other countries, adopt the custom of the country they are in — the only difference being that they conform to the Mosaic laws by avoiding certain fish and meats ; the non-usage of eggs, butter, milk and cream in the cooking of flesh dishes, or those to be served with or after flesh has been eaten, and the eschewing of same for at least four hours after having eaten flesh, if orthodox " Kosher " is to be observed.
In Armenia the washing and cleansing usual in Eastern countries are carried out, but the Armenians have the peculiar custom of eating salt and sweet dishes alternately. The cooking is much the same as in Asia Minor or Syria.
In Asia Minor after the guests arrive and are seated, a small maid enters bearing a tray on which there are apricot sweets, two glasses of water, a silver goblet, and forks. The chief