Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

1 of 20

AQUA COMPOSITA

From Hugh Plat‘s Delightes for Ladies, 1609

D. Steeuens Aqua Composita

Take a gallo of Gascoign wine, of ginger, galingale, cinnamon, nutmegs & graines,

Annis seeds, Fennell seeds, and carroway seeds, of each a dram; of sage, mints, red

roses, thyme, pellitory, rosemary, wild thyme, camomil, lavender, of each a handfull,

bray the spices small, and bruise the herbs, letting them macerate 12. house, stirring it

now & then, then distill by a limbecke of pewter keeping the first cleare water that

commeth, by it selfe, and so likewise the second. You shall draw much about a pinte

of the better sort from euerie gallon of wine.

- Sir Hugh Plat, Delightes for Ladies, first published in 1609. Originally printed by

Humfrey Lownes, London; reprinted by Crosby Lockwood & Son Ltd, London,

1948, with introductions by G.E. Fussell and Kathleen Rosemary Fussell. Page

59.

My Redaction

For one gallon of Gascoigne (Gascony) wine:

One dram of each:

Ginger

Galingale

Cinnamon

Nutmegs (seed and ground?)

Anise seed

Fennel seed

Carroway seed

A handful of each:

Sage

Mints

Red roses

Thyme

Pellitory (from Shiphard Farm, Australia)

Rosemary (from my garden)

Wild thyme

Camomile

Wild lavender (made do with lavender from my garden)

Bray the spices small – bruise/tear them into small pieces. And bruise the herbs (as with

mortar and pestle). Put herbs in wine for 12 hours to macerate (soften or separate into

parts by steeping in a liquid), stirring now and then. Distill, keeping the first and second

clear ―water‖ or liquid. Expected yield: a pint for every gallon of wine.

Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

2 of 20

1 dram = .0625 ounces, or 27.34375 grains

Adaptations: I made one quarter of the recipe. As distilling is illegal, I was going to

have to macerate herbs and spices in already-distilled brandy. I expect that macerating it

first and then distilling would produce a somewhat different flavor, something both

lighter and more refined. I looked for brandy made from Gascony wine. I found

Gascony in France is still making lovely white wines, and that brandy made from them is

known as Armagnac. I can‘t vouch for the quality of the Armagnac I purchased. It was

golden, not clear as required in the recipe.

I had some spice decisions to make:

I could get galingale from a good Asian grocery.

I found two herbs touted as Pellitory. In his World Spice Plants (p. 39), Johannes

Seiderman claims anacyclus pyrethrum is the Pellitory used by Romans, and that one gets

oil from the root that has a hot flavor and is not toxic. I couldn‘t find a place to purchase

this, nor find a source for the plant. I was able to obtain Parietaria officinalis, or Pellitory

of the Wall, from Shiphards Herb Farm in Australia. Shiphards specializes in medieval

herbs.

Red roses could be flower petal or rose hips. I determined to use rosewater made from

flower petals because I thought the flavor would be nicer.

Medicinally the recipe gives no guidance as to its use; anecdotally, I am told aqua

compositemakes a good stomach settler or anti-nausea medicine if a few drops are added

to a glass of water. Since the recipe doesn‘t give any hint as to its use, besides as a base

for other beverages, there is no way to know what the author or Mr. Plat intended it to be

used for.

In an attempt to guess at its purpose, I used this recipe for analysis in my Winter

University class on Galen‘s medicine. I had to go as far afield as Discorides (a

contemporary of Galen‘s) to get exact references to some of the various herbs, but it

seems clear, given the very rudimentary understanding I have of humoural medicine, that

this beverage is intended to warm and dry the stomach. (Please see chart of herbs at end).

Ingredients History The websites used for ingredient histories are listed at the end of the document with

Sources. Their urls are generally self-explanatory. Some sources are referenced in the

individual ingredient texts below.

Anise Seed

From the family Umbelliferae, Pimpinella anisum is also known as Aniseseed,

Sweet Cumin, Annissamen, Anise Cultivé, or in Spanish Anís, or Pericón, though the

latter is actually Mexican marigold, which has a peculiar aniselike aroma. Star anise is

Illicium verum. An annual growing to two to four feet, with feathery green leaflets, anise

puts down a long taproot and produces small white and yellow flowers as well as a fruit

that, when dried out, is referred to as aniseed. The seed-that-is-really-fruit is grey-green

or greenish-brown when ripe.

Anise may have first come from Asia, but it has since spread to Europe, Northern

Africa, the Middle East, and North America. Ancient Egyptians and Romans used it as a

spice. Licorice, the source of licorice extract, has a similar flavor but is a completely

Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

3 of 20

separate plant from a different family. However, since aniseed oil is often used to

enhance the flavor of licorice candy, distinguishing the flavors can be difficult. Although

star anise has a similar name and contains the same distinctive aromatic compound

(anethole) as anise, it is from the Illiciaceae family and is not related.

Pliny, in his treatise on natural history, mentions anise and states that the best was

grown on the Greek Island of Crete. He also tells us that anise was used to substitute

lovage in seasonings, as well as to alleviate headaches, soothe the stomach, clear the

eyes, and treat colics and coughs. Pliny, as well as Pythagoras, also strongly

recommended anise steeped in wine as a remedy against scorpions. The ancient Romans

also used it to flavor bridal cakes.

According to Democritus, the humble anise was the best cure for melancholy.

In England, under King Edward I, anise was used to pay taxes; in early English

herbals anise was also called Anny and Annyse.

In early Italian herbals anise was also indicated as helpful for nursing mothers.

Finally, in old astrology treatises anise was associated with the planet Mercury,

and according to old plant-lore it protected the lungs.

Full strength anise seed oil can cause vomiting and seizures; and, as will most

essential oils, it should not be ingested but only applied externally as aromatherapy.

Several sources I consulted agreed: Do not take the essential oil, except under

professional supervision.

Brandy Distilled From Gascoigne Wine

The term ‗brandy‘ isderived from brandywine, from the Dutch brandewijn,

meaning 'burnt wine'. It is a general term for distilled wine, usually 40–60% ethyl

alcohol by volume. In addition to wine, this spirit can also be made from grape, pomace,

or fermented fruit juice. Unless specified otherwise, brandy is made from grape wine. It

is normally consumed as an after-dinner drink. Modern brandy made from wine is

generally coloured with caramel coloring to imitate the effect of long aging in wooden

casks; pomace and fruit brandies are generally drunk unaged, and are not usually

coloured. Concentrated alcoholic beverages were known in ancient Greece and Rome and

may have a history going back to ancient Babylon. Brandy as it is known today first

began to appear in the 12th century and became generally popular in the 14th century.

―Long before the 16th century, wine was a popular product for trading in

European region. In the early 16th century, a Dutchman trader invented the way to ship

more wine in the limited cargo space by removing water from the wine. Then he could

add the water back to the concentrated wine at the destination port in Holland. They

called it "bradwijn," meaning "burned wine," and later became "brandy."

(http://www.cocktailtimes.com/history/brandy/index.html, last accessed February 22,

2008).

Chamomile

According to http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-chamomile.htm (last accessed

February 10, 2009), chamomile or camomile refers to two different geni of plant in the

Asteraceae family: Anthemis nobilis, known as Roman chamomile; and Matricaria

recutita, known as German chamomile. It is found in temperate zones of Europe, Asia,

North America, and Australia. According to the English Tea Store, The best quality

Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

4 of 20

Chamomile comes from the Nile Delta in Egypt

(http://www.englishteastore.com/camomile.html, last accessed February 10, 2009).

Both Roman and German chamomile plants are fairly short, the first reaching a

height of 8-12 inches (20-30 cm.), and the second, 6-24 inches (15-60 cm.). The flowers

of both are comprised of white petals arrayed around a yellow disk.

Ancient Egyptians were aware of the benefits of chamomile, and it was used

medicinally in the time of the Roman emperors. According to Lifescript.com, it is viewed

as an official drug in some 26 different countries around the world, not including the

United States. Perhaps the most famous "historical" use of chamomile is as a tea to

soothe Peter Rabbit after he eats too much in Mr. McGregor's garden. (see

http://www.lifescript.com/Health/Alternative-

Therapies/Herbs/Can_Chamomile_Benefit_Your_Health.aspx?trans=1&du=1&gclid=C

MPjh42t05gCFQECGgodC1QR0g&ef_id=1350:3:c_a9e05abbb965079799241e35efeba2

44_2540396255:0aaD09BkOIYAADLU-JUAAAAX:20090211014948, last accessed

February 10, 2009)

Caraway

Caraway (Carum carvi) is used as a vegetable, as well as an herb, and comes from

the same family (Apiaceae), as dill, anise, and cumin. Some of the names of caraway tend

to create confusion because they derive from a root word that refers to the similar herb,

cumin. Both the English and the Dutch refer to caraway as Wild cumin/Wilde komijn. In

Icelandic, cumin is Kummin, while caraway is Kúmen.

Like the other members of its family, caraway is a tall plant, with feathery green

leaflets. It grows to a height of 1½ to 4 feet (.46 to 1.22 meters). The flowers are white,

and the fruit, which looks like ribbed seeds and is often incorrectly referred to as seed, is

grey-green or greenish-brown when ripe.

While there are reports that its use has spanned 5,000 years, caraway was

certainly used by 1552 B.C. in Thebes, as reported in a medical record on papyrus. It is

also reportedly one of the first condiments used in Europe. According to both

WiseGeek.com and BigOven.com, it's believed that caraway seeds have been used in

Europe longer than any other condiment. They were found in Switzerland 8,000 years

ago and were first recorded in the medical papyrus of Thebes in 1552 BC

(http://www.bigoven.com/whatis.aspx?id=caraway20seed and

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-caraway.htm, last accessed February 10, 2009).

Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

5 of 20

Cinnamon

Native to Ceylon (Sri Lanka), true cinnamon, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, dates

back in Chinese writings to 2800 B.C., and is still known as kwai in the Chinese language

today. Its botanical name derives from the Hebraic and Arabic term amomon, meaning

fragrant spice plant. Ancient Egyptians used cinnamon in their embalming process. From

their word for cannon, Italians called it canella, meaning "little tube," which aptly

describes cinnamon sticks.

In the first century A.D., Pliny the Elder wrote of 350 grams of cinnamon as being

equal in value to over five kilograms of silver, about fifteen times the value of silver per

weight.

Native to Burma, cassia is botanically-known as Cinnamomum aromaticum or

Cinnamomum cassia. It is a member of the same family as true cinnamon, but it has a

stronger flavor thus requiring less in volume in recipes. Most commercial ground

cinnamon is actually cassia or a combination of cinnamon and cassia. This practice is

permitted with no restriction by most countries, including the United States.

Cassia is usually a better choice for savory dishes, rather than sweets.

Dried cassia buds resembling cloves are used in the East for pickles, curries,

candies and spicy meat dishes. Tiny yellow cassia flowers have a mild cinnamon flavor

and are sold preserved in a sweetened brine and used to perfume sweets, fruits, teas and

wines. (Home Cooking, Peggy Trowbridge Filippone ,

http://homecooking.about.com/od/cookingfaqs/f/faqcassia.htm, last accessed February 2,

2008).

Fennel Seed

Technically, fennel seeds are not seeds at all, but actually the fruits of the sweet

fennel plant, an herb which has been cultivated for culinary use for thousands of years.

However, most cooks call the fruits ―seeds‖ by convention, since they are small and

usually sold in a dry form which looks exactly like a seed.

There are several different cultivars of the fennel plant, which is also called

Foeniculum vulgare. One cultivar, Florence fennel or finocchio, is cultivated for use as a

vegetable. It produces a large bulb and thick stalks which can be cooked like a root

vegetable. Sweet fennel, on the other hand, is a bulbless fennel which produces green

fronds and fruits, and it is used like an herb rather than a vegetable.

Fennel is usually grown as an annual, since it does not do well in the cold. The

plant smells like anise or licorice, and has feathery fronds of foliage with umbels of

bright yellow flowers. The seeds are usually allowed to dry on the plant, which is gently

shaken over dishes or clothes to release the seeds once they have matured fully. Once

harvested, the seeds are picked through and then packaged. They can be eaten or used to

start new fennel seedlings.

Since fennel seed looks and smells a great deal like anise seed, many cooks use

the two interchangeably. It is a good idea to clearly label both spices to avoid confusion,

since anise is more pungent. WiseGeek.com claims that fennel aids digestion, while anise

does not. (http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-fennel-seed.htm, last accessed February 10,

2009).

Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

6 of 20

Galingale

Galingale is the edible root of the galanga plant. The formal title for the galanga

plant is Alpinia officinarum, although the root is known as galangal, galingale, iam kieu,

kha, or gao liagn jiang. The word ―galanga‖ is actually derived from an Arabic word,

khalanjan, which means ―Chinese ginger.‖ The plant has dark green spear shaped leaves

which can get quite long, and flowers which strongly resemble irises. Some people

actually grow galanga as an ornamental, since it is rather attractive.

The plant is in the ginger family, so it comes as no surprise that galanga root

strongly resembles ginger. There are a few differences, however. Galanga root is more

white and creamy than ginger, and it also has a distinct peppery flavor which is more like

mustard than ginger.

Most cooks work with greater galangal, a more rugged, hardy plant which is

widely distributed. Lesser galangal is essentially limited to Southeast Asia, where it is

used in specialty recipes (from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-galanga-root.htm, last

accessed February 10, 2009).

Ginger

Ginger's current name comes from the Middle English gingivere, but ginger dates

back over 3,000 years to the Sanskrit srngaveram meaning "horn root" with reference to

its appearance. In Greek it was ziggiberis, and in Latin, zinziberi.

Although it was well-known to the ancient Romans, ginger nearly disappeared in

Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. Thanks to Marco Polo's trip to the Far East,

ginger came back into favor in Europe, becoming not only a much-coveted spice, but also

a very expensive one.

Ginger (botanical name Zingiber officinale) is in the same family as turmeric and

cardamom. It is native to Southern Asia and has long been a staple addition to Asian

cuisines.

Ginger is quite popular in the Caribbean Islands, where it grows wild in lush tropical

settings. Jamaican ginger is prized for its strong, perky flavor, and this island currently

provides most of the world's supply, followed by India, Africa and China.

The gnarled, bumpy root of the ginger plant is the source of this wonderful spice.

Although it is easily grown in tropical regions of the south, you will rarely be treated with

blooms during cultivation at home the way it does normally in the wild. It can easily be

grown in a flowerpot at home, but be sure to bring it indoors when the weather turns cool.

(from About.com: Home Cooking, Peggy Trowbridge Filippone,

http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/gingerhistory.htm, last accessed

February 2, 2008).

Family Zingiberaceae

Zingiber officinale (Ginger, Gengibre, Gingembre, Sheng Jian (Chinese),

Singabera (Sanskrit), Spanish: Jengibre, Ajenjibre, Jenijibre)

Asarum canadense (Wild Ginger)

Native to southeast Asia, ginger is now cultivated in the US (including Hawaii),

India, China, the West Indies, and other tropical regions. Ginger root is a tender creeping

perennial from the tropics that grows to about four feet high, producing thick, aromatic,

Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

7 of 20

fibrous, knotty, buff-coloured tuberous rhizomes. The stems are erect and annual with

long, narrow, lance-shaped leaves. The plant can produce stalks of sterile, fragrant, white

or yellow flowers. The root of the Chinese ginger does not separate as easily from the

skin as does the Jamaican variety. The rhizome is unearthed when the plant is about ten

months old. (from Innivista website, Ginger,

http://www.innvista.com/health/herbs/ginger.htm, last accessed February 2, 2008).

illustration copied from Plant Cultures: Exploring Plants and People,

http://www.plantcultures.org/plants/ginger_history.html, February 2, 2008.

Because ginger is not found in the wild, its origins are uncertain. It is likely to

have originated from India as ginger plants there show the most biological variability.

Potted ginger plants were carried on local vessels travelling the maritime trade routes of

the Indian Ocean and South China Sea in the 5th century AD and probably before. The

plants would have rapidly spread to many other countries along the way.

In the 16th century ginger was introduced to Africa and the Caribbean. It is now

cultivated throughout the humid tropics.

History

Ginger has a long history of use in South Asia, both in dried and fresh form. The

Hindu epic Mahabharata written around the 4th century BC describes a meal where meat

is stewed with ginger and other spices. It was also an important plant in the traditional

Indian system of Ayurvedic medicine.

In the Manasollasa literature written in the 11th century AD ginger was

mentioned as a flavouring for buttermilk drinks. Its use as a food became much more

widespread by the 13th century AD with the advent of Muslim rule in India. It became

popular to prepare meat dishes and drinks using ginger pastes. Fruit juices, tea, buttermilk

and curd products were spiced with ginger.

Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

8 of 20

Ginger was also highly important as an article of trade and was exported from

India to the Roman empire 2000 years ago where it was valued more for its medicinal

properties than as an ingredient in cookery.

It continued as an article of trade to Europe even after the fall of the Roman empire,

with Arab merchants controlling the trade in ginger and other spices for centuries. By

medieval times, it was being imported in preserved form, to be used in sweets.

Together with black pepper, ginger was one of the most commonly traded spices

during the 13th and 14th centuries. Arabs carried the rhizomes on their voyages to East

Africa to plant at coastal settlements and on Zanzibar. During this time in England,

ginger was sought after, and one pound in weight of ginger was equivalent to the cost of a

sheep.

(Plant Cultures: Exploring Plants and People,

http://www.plantcultures.org/plants/ginger_history.html, February 2, 2008)

Lavender

Lavender, whose scientific names are Lavandula angustifolia, L. officinalis, L.

spic, L. stoechas, L. dentata, L. latifolia, and L. pubescens, is an herb in the mint family

that is primarily employed for its fragrance in the garden and in personal care products,

but also finds its way into culinary use. The different varieties are sometimes categorized

as English lavender, French lavender, Italian lavender, and Spanish lavender. Lavender

also is known as aspic, lavandin (usually refers to particular hybrids), spike lavender, and

true lavender. Lavender plants are aromatic evergreen sub-shrubs that are native to the

Mediterranean region. Lavender grows to a height of one to three feet (30 to 90 cm). Its

blue to lilac-colored flowers bloom from July to September.

The name lavender derives from the Latin lavare, meaning ―to wash.‖ The

Romans used lavender to scent their baths, and also discovered its medicinal properties.

The Romans introduced lavender to Britain during their early times there. This nursery

rhyme, first printed out of period in the late 17th century, reportedly bears witness to the

cultivation of lavender near London at the time:

Lavender’s blue,

dilly, dilly,

Lavender’s green.

When I am king,

Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

9 of 20

dilly, dilly,

You shall be queen.

(From http://www.drugs.com/npc/lavender.html and http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-

lavender.htm, last accessed February 10, 2009)

Mint

With species in the mint genus native to Australia, North America, Europe, and

Asia, mint is an herb that includes more varieties than just the popular spearmint and

peppermint. In fact, many other herbs used as seasonings come from the same family

(Lamiaceae), including basil, catnip, oregano, rosemary, and sage. Wintergreen, which

might be expected to be related to mint, is actually from a different family

(http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-mint.htm, last accessed February 10, 2009).

There are three chief species of mint in cultivation and general use: Spearmint

(Mentha viridis), Peppermint (M. piperita), and Pennyroyal (M. pulegium), the first being

the one ordinarily used for cooking.

(http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/m/mints-39.html, last accessed February 10,

2009).

Members of the mint family produce green bushy plants. While most varieties

attain a height of 1-3 feet, they are nevertheless sometimes used as ground cover. Leaf

color varies by species, and the flowers may be white, pink, or lavender.

(http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-mint.htm, last accessed February 10, 2009).

Spearmint (Mentha spicata printed as

Mentha viridis LINN.)

Unsurprisingly, mint was chewed as a breath freshener early in history. Ovid

recounts the story of a nymph named Minthe or Menthe who was about to be seduced by

Hades, God of the Underworld, when his wife, Persephone, coming upon them, turned

her into a plant. Mint was used in Ancient Greek funeral rites, as well as in an ancient

fermented barley drink (according to botanical.com, cited above).

Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

10 of 20

Nutmegs

Nutmeg was once an important product in the European spice trade of the Middle

Ages. It became phenomenally expensive, and controlling the centers of nutmeg

production gave a country considerable political power. The Dutch eventually traded

New Amsterdam, which later became New York, to England in exchange for the only

source of nutmeg at the time, Run Island in Indonesia. It has historically been used for

medicinal purposes in China, and its use dates back as far as the fifth century.

Nutmeg comes from a tree in Asia that grows to about fifteen feet tall. The

nutmeg seed, however, is what gives us the spice of nutmeg.

Nutmeg can be hallucinogenic or poisonous in large doses, but these are rarely

reached accidentally. Nutmeg is chemically similar to the drug MDMA, or ecstasy, in

large doses, but it is rarely used recreationally, as it has quite unpleasant side effects and

may not wear off for days. Nutmeg poisoning, resulting from quantities over 25 grams, is

characterized by body aches, convulsions, dehydration, heart palpitations, nausea, and

severe depression (from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-nutmeg.htm, and

http://deepfitness.com/4567/What-Is-Nutmeg-And-What-Can-It-Do-For-Me.aspx, last

accessed February 10, 2009).

Pellitory

Parietaria officinalis (Pellitory-of-the-Wall), also known as Lichwort or

Hammerwort, is a small Mediterranean herb of the Nettle family. Its long narrow leaves

are non-stinging, and it has small pink apetalous flowers. The plant grows in crevices and

on walls, hence the name. It was once used as a medicinal herb and in the making of

certain metheglins.

(From wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn,

home.olemiss.edu/~tjray/medieval/cooking.htm,

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pellitory_of_the_Wall, and

http://www.naturdoctor.com/Chapters/Vitamins/Herbs/Parietaria_diffusa.html, last

accessed February 10, 2009).

Red Roses

Rosa rosacea

Both rose petals and rose hips can be used in mead. Petals and hips have

distinctly different flavors when steeped; hips are, after all, the fruit of the rose. Every

variety of rose has a distinctive aroma to impart, not all of them pleasant. Since roses

have been around in pretty much their current form for about 50,000 years, and have been

a long-standing source of human fascination, one does not have to seek far to find the

older varieties that were around pre-1600. There are a number of very helpful Old Rose

societies, and gardens where old roses are grown exclusively, such as the rose garden I

visited years ago at a thirteenth century castle in Bingen, Germany, where the garden was

planted in the drained moat, and an old pink rose trained up the remains of the tower.

Just think of what the soil must be like after centuries of refuse dumping.

Roses can change character throughout the growing season, or even at different

times of day. One must be careful to avoid roses that have been treated with pesticides or

fungicides (roses are particularly prone to fungi). One must choose one‘s rose petals and

hips with care.

Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

11 of 20

Rosemary

From the mint family Lamiaceae, the Latin name for rosemary is Rosmarinus

officianalis, and the compound word rosmarinus means ―dew of the sea.‖ This is

probably a reflection of the rugged environment which rosemary prefers; the

Mediterranean plant grows best when largely left alone, and is often found on the cliffs

and rocks along seashores. Rosemary was one of the plants that, according to the

Capitulare de villis, was grown in medieval monasteries. In medieval times, people

exchanged rosemary as a symbol of loyalty and remembrance, and it was frequently used

in memorial wreaths for this reason as well. The herb is still associated with memory in

Western culture.

Rosemary is highly drought resistant but has poor resistance to freezes. It is

usually a largely maintenance free plant, unless it is over-watered, in which case the roots

may rot, causing the plant to droop and die. Rosemary also takes well to pruning, and can

be shaped into an attractive bush or low hedge.

Culinary use of rosemary stretches back for centuries; it has been recorded as a

culinary ingredient since before the common era. Rosemary also has an ancient tradition

in cosmetics for both women and men. Rosemary has mild antibacterial properties,

making it an excellent choice as an addition to shaving toner, and the scent of the herb is

also supposed to help with relaxation.

(From Gernot Katzer‘s Spice Pages, http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Rosm_off.html

and http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-rosemary.htm, last accessed February 10

Sage

The sage varieties used as spice stem from the Mediterranean and Asia Minor.

There are hundreds of species of sage in the Salvia genus, but the version most frequently

used in cooking is Salvia officinalis. This variety of sage is native to Southern and

Eastern Europe (from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-sage.htm, last accessed

February 10, 2009). This is another herb with a horde of differently flavored cultivars:

there are probably between a dozen or so races of just Salvia officinalis, plus many more

"quasi-sages" that are close cousins within the Salvia genus (such as "Pineapple Sage" or

"Clary Sage").(http://growingtaste.com/herbs/sage.shtml, last accessed February 10,

2009)

The names of sage in almost all European tongues derive from the classical Latin

name of that plant, salvia. This name is thought to derive from salvere, to save, thus

indicating the medical value of the plant. (http://www.uni-

graz.at/~katzer/engl/Salv_off.html, last accessed February 10, 2009)

Sage has been grown in Central Europe since the Middle Ages. In the 9th century

Charlemagne ordered that sage be planted to grow on the imperial farms. It was greatly

valued for its ability to ―heal‖ fevers, colds, and on some occasions even epilepsy. Sage

tea was widely popular in 16th century England even before black tea became the

commonality among tea preference.

(http://www.spiceislands.com/ProductDetail.aspx?Id=cb2fcfa1-a86a-4802-9855-

def5f642964c, last accessed February 10, 2009)

Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

12 of 20

Sugar

Sugar use by man may have originated in Polynesia and spread to India. In 510

BC the Emperor Darius of what was then Persia invaded India where he found "the reed

which gives honey without bees". The secret of cane sugar, as with many other of man's

discoveries, was kept a closely guarded secret as the finished product was exported for a

rich profit.

It was the major expansion of the Arab peoples in the seventh century AD that led

to a breaking of the secret. When they invaded Persia in 642 AD they found sugar cane

being grown and learnt how sugar was made. As their expansion continued they

established sugar production in other lands that they conquered, including North Africa

and Spain.

‗The invasion of Arabs into India nearly 1,000 years later in 642

A.D. led to the spread of sugar cane to the rest of the world. The Arabs

discovered sugar cane and learned how it was processed by the Indians.

They brought the cane with them as they conquered much of Europe,

introducing it to lands such as North Africa and Spain. For many years,

however, the rest of Europe was stuck with honey, because sugar did not

make it to the west until the crusades. The first record of sugar in England

occurs in the year 1099.‖ (Former Fat Guy,

http://www.formerfatguy.com/articles/sugar-coated-truth.asp, last

accessed February 26, 2008).

Outside of Spain, sugar was discovered by western Europeans as a result of the

Crusades in the 11th

Century AD. Crusaders returning home talked of this "new spice"

and how pleasant it was. The first sugar was recorded in England in 1099. The

subsequent centuries saw a major expansion of western European trade with the East,

including the importation of sugar. It is recorded, for instance, that sugar was available in

London at "two shillings a pound" in 1319 AD. This equates to about US$100 per kilo at

today's prices so it was very much a luxury.

In the 15th

century AD, European sugar was refined in Venice. This seems to

indicate that even then when quantities were small, it was difficult to transport sugar as a

food grade product. In the same century, Columbus sailed to the Americas, the "New

World". It is recorded that in 1493 he took sugar cane plants to grow in the Caribbean.

The climate there was so advantageous for the growth of the cane that an industry was

quickly established. (How Sugar Is Made – the History,

http://www.sucrose.com/lhist.html, last accessed February 22, 2008).

―It was only with the opening up of the West Indies and the creation of

plantations of sugar cane with slave labor in the 18th

century that bulk supplies of sugar

for Europe became available, bringing its price down and putting it within everyone‘s

reach…‖ (Acton and Duncan, 1985, p. 9). Nowadays cane sugar is used to ―prime‖

bottles, to generate a secondary fermentation once the beverage has been bottled, to

create carbonation. I do not generally prime my bottles, and will note in the recipe if I

have done so.

Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

13 of 20

Thyme

Thyme is a culinary herb native to the sunny Mediterranean hillsides of Southern

Europe. The species of thyme most commonly used in food is Thymus vulgaris, but there

are over a hundred species of thyme. In all cases, it is the small, tender leaves of thyme

which are used for seasoning, while the thin, woody, and sometimes wiry stems are

avoided. The small clusters of white to pale purple flowers, which form distinctive balls

at the end of the stems, are also usually avoided for cooking, although they are sometimes

used in teas and herb sachets. (From http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-thyme.htm, last

accessed February 10, 2009)

Long before thyme became a flavoring ingredient, it was a symbol of courage for

the Romans. Even earlier, however, the Egyptians used it to mummify the dead.

The use of thyme has been recorded as far back as 3000 BC when it was used as

an antiseptic by the Sumerians. The early Egyptians also used thyme as one of the

ingredients in their mummification process.

The hills of Greece are covered with wild thyme, and thyme honey from the tiny

pink and lavender blossoms is plentiful. To the ancient Greeks, thyme came to denote

elegance, and the phrase "to smell of thyme" became an expression of stylish praise.

Thyme was widely used: medically, in massage and bath oils, as incense in the temples

and as an aphrodisiac. Even the origins of the word thyme are Greek: from the word

thymon meaning "courage."

The Romans also associated thyme with courage and vigor, bathing in waters

scented with thyme to prepare themselves for battle. The Scottish highlanders of old

would prepare a tea of wild thyme for the same purpose, as well as for warding off

nightmares. During the Middle Ages, European ladies embroidered a sprig of thyme on

tunics for their knights, again as a token of courage (from http://www.sallys-

place.com/food/columns/gilbert/thyme.htm and

http://www.bigoven.com/whatis.aspx?id=Thyme, last accessed February 10, 2009)

The Bottle

Let us begin with Pliny, the Roman historian of the first century A.D. Because

the Phoenicians had used blocks of soda taken from their ships' cargoes, near their

campfires, explains Pliny, the heat of the fire had combined the soda and sand to form

mankind's first glass. It's a romantic story, but Pliny is wrong. The Phoenicians were not

the first to discover glass, but then Pliny did not have the benefit of modern research

techniques, which have proven glass to be at least 14,000 years old.

About 12,000 B.C. the Egyptians perfected a green glass glaze and with it coated

pebbles and stones to make jewelry. It took another 5,000 years for the jewelers to

discover that a pure glass bead could be formed by building up layers of the glaze. The

necklaces made in those lost ages were not unlike the strands of inexpensive, gaily

colored glass beads so common today.

The first glass bottles and jars were created during that same period. The process

was so slow and tedious, however, that only kings and queens or people of immense

wealth could afford them. Thin threads of molten glass were skillfully wound around a

mold of wet sand which was later removed. These coveted jars served as containers for

perfumes, cosmetics and ointments. Some of the glassware was used as tear vases. When

a king or important official died, mourners shed their tears in the little bottles, which

Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

14 of 20

were then sealed in the tomb. The deceased would see these tokens of grief when he

reached the next world.

A dramatic advance in the art of glassmaking occurred in Syria about 250 B.C.

when the "blown" method of making glass replaced "wound" glassware. How the

discovery was made no one is quite sure. Perhaps an artisan was stirring a batch of

molten glass with a hollow rod and decided to clear the end by blowing through the rod.

Or perhaps a glassmaker blew through a hollow glass rod which had been closed by heat

at one end. At any rate, a much more practical means of producing glass had arrived.

With one puff the glassblower could obtain a finished shape. No longer was glass made

by the slow and expensive "wound" process suitable only for royalty's purse.

A further refinement came with the discovery that molten glass blown into a mold

would give a uniform, distinct shape. With the two new processes, bowls, vases, glasses,

and cruets were produced in countless numbers. Even some "frivolous" objects could be

afforded for the first time—toys, finger rings and twisted glass bangles.

The use of glass bottles began to spread after the first century BC, though glass

had already been in use for four thousand years by then. Seneca wrote, ―It seemed a poor

thing to have a vessel proof against shocks…‖ (Kingsley & Decker, 2001).

With the bottle came the cork stopper sealed with pitch, marked with pittacium or

inscription indicating place of origin, year of manufacture and its contents, a boon to

modern archaeologists.

Glass became the property of the average man, and people who used it in those

days liked it for the very same reasons glass is useful today. It was leakproof, evaporation

was slowed, it did not leave a taste—especially when oils, wines and honeys were kept in

the containers for any length of time. Men of science adopted glass jars for their

chemicals and medicines, and traders preferred glass containers for carrying certain

cargoes on long voyages. But, best of all, the glass vessels could be used over and over

again.

According to Wikipedia, not the world‘s most documentable source, Sir Kenelme

Digby is considered the father of the modern wine bottle. During the 1630s, Digby owned

a glassworks and manufactured wine bottles which were globular in shape with a high,

tapered neck, a collar, and a punt. His manufacturing technique involved a coal furnace,

made hotter than usual by the inclusion of a wind tunnel, and a higher ratio of sand to

potash and lime than was customary. Digby's technique produced wine bottles which

were stronger and more stable than most of their day, and which, due to their dark color,

protected the contents from light. During his exile and prison term, others claimed his

technique as their own, but in 1662 Parliament recognized his claim to the invention as

valid.

Color, or lack of color, then became an area of experimentation, especially in

glassware intended to please the eye as well as being practical. Artisans in Syria, Persia

and Arabia added chemicals such as cobalt, manganese and copper to give color to glass,

and were constantly on the lookout for new means of obtaining colors.

Advances were often made by trial and error or perhaps accident. One story tells

of a glassmaker who, while bending over his mixture of molten glass, lost a silver button

from his coat. The mixture instantly turned a bright yellow, much to the amazement of

the glassmaker. Another story tells of silver coins thrown into a mixture with the hope

that a sparkling silver glass would appear. Instead, the mixture turned a dull black.

Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

15 of 20

However, when gold dust was tried, the particles were imprisoned in the glass. The result

was not yellow or gold but a deep ruby red!

Completely transparent glass was also much sought-after. Pliny mentions that

"The highest value is placed upon glass that is entirely colorless and transparent as

possible, resembling crystal." For centuries the iron deposits in the sand had kept the

glass from being clear. Finally about 200 A.D. the Romans discovered the right

ingredients to render glass entirely transparent—so clear, in fact, that they called it

"cristallo" because it reminded them of rock crystal.

(http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/196210/beauty.in.glass.htm, last accessed

February 10, 2009)

Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

16 of 20

Aqua Composita

Herbs and Spices

Humoural Qualities per

Discorides

Galen’s Notes on Humoural Qualities

Anise seed generally warming, drying,

pain-easing,

Cardamom A decoction (taken as a

drink with water) is able to

heat.

Caraway warming (442) warming (diuretic)

Chamomile dissolving, urinary,

dispersing,

Cinnamon sharp, warming and bitter.

(oil) (p. 75)...differs in

kind from cinnamon

having another nature.

Now all cinnamon is

warming, diuretic,

softening and

digestive.(18)

D: It is effective with cardamom

for fistulas, decaying flesh, watery lungs, carbuncles

[infected boils] and gangrene; and rubbed on for chills

which recur, tremors, and those bitten by virulent beasts.

Distilled wine no reference

Fennell seed lessens nausea (459).

Heating.

stored like pellitory for year-round use

Galingale no reference

Ginger warming and digestive

Heliotrope expels phlegm and bile

Lavender sharp and bitter (399-400)

Musk no reference

Nutmeg according to the taste very

astringent

Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

17 of 20

Pellitory draws out or expels

phlegm. Warming

Rosemary warming

Thyme is able to drive out

phlegmy matter (415)

Wine no specific notes on

Gascony wine; white wine

is thin and easily digested

wine is nourishing; "the thick, red ones are the most useful of all

wines for the production of blood, since they require the least change

into it.". Sweet wines are warmer than harsh ones

Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

18 of 20

SOURCES

Acton, Bryan, and Duncan, Peter. Making Mead. G.W. KJent, Inc., Michigan. 1996.

Arikha, Noga. Passions and Tempers: A History of the Humours. Ecco Press, New

York. 2007.

French, R. Medicine Before Science, Cambridge University Press, England. 2003.

Grant, M. (trans.) Galen on Food and Diet. Routledge Press, New York. 2000.

Jones, W.H.S. (ed). Hippocrates. Airs, Waters, Places. Harvard University Press,

Massachusetts. 1984.

Keirsey, David (1998). Please Understand Me II: Temperament, Character, Intelligence.

Del Mar, CA: Prometheus Nemesis Book Company. pp. 26. ISBN 1-885705-02-6.

Kingsley, Sean and Decker, Michael. Economy and Exchange in the East Mediterranean

During Late Antiquity: Proceedings of a Conference at Somerville College, Oxford-29th

May, 1999. Oxbow Books, England. 1999.

Lutz, Peter L. (2002), The Rise of Experimental Biology: An Illustrated History, Humana

Press, p. 60, ISBN 0896038351

Nutton, Vivian. The Unknown Galen. 2002.

Plat, Sir Hugh. Delightes for Ladies, Humphrey Lownes, London, 1609. Reprinted by

Crosby Lockwood & Son Ltd., 1948, with introductions by G.E. Fussell and Kathleen

Rosemary Fussell.

Powell, Owen. Galen: On the Properties of Foodstuffs. Cambridge University Press,

2007.

Tracy, Theodore James. Physiological Theory and the Doctrine of the Mean in Plato and

Aristotle, The Hague and Paris. 1969.

Websites used to research ingredients are listed in the text. They include:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-anise.htm

http://www.bigoven.com/whatis.aspx?id=anise20seed

http://www.cocktailtimes.com/history/brandy/index.html

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-chamomile.htm

Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

19 of 20

http://www.englishteastore.com/camomile.html

http://www.lifescript.com/Health/Alternative-

Therapies/Herbs/Can_Chamomile_Benefit_Your_Health.aspx?trans=1&du=1&gclid=C

MPjh42t05gCFQECGgodC1QR0g&ef_id=1350:3:c_a9e05abbb965079799241e35efeba2

44_2540396255:0aaD09BkOIYAADLU-JUAAAAX:20090211014948

http://www.bigoven.com/whatis.aspx?id=caraway20seed

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-caraway.htm

http://homecooking.about.com/od/cookingfaqs/f/faqcassia.htm

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-fennel-seed.htm

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-galanga-root.htm

http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/gingerhistory.htm

http://www.innvista.com/health/herbs/ginger.htm

http://www.innvista.com/health/herbs/ginger.htm

http://www.plantcultures.org/plants/ginger_history.html

http://www.drugs.com/npc/lavender.html

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-lavender.htm

http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/m/mints-39.html

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-mint.htm

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-nutmeg

http://deepfitness.com/4567/What-Is-Nutmeg-And-What-Can-It-Do-For-Me.aspx

http://www.naturdoctor.com/Chapters/Vitamins/Herbs/Parietaria_diffusa.html

http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Rosm_off.html

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-rosemary.htm

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-sage.htm

http://growingtaste.com/herbs/sage.shtml

Aqua Composita

KASF 2009 Atlantia

20 of 20

http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Salv_off.html

http://www.spiceislands.com/ProductDetail.aspx?Id=cb2fcfa1-a86a-4802-9855-

def5f642964c

http://www.sucrose.com/lhist.html

http://www.formerfatguy.com/articles/sugar-coated-truth.asp

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-thyme.htm

http://www.sallys-place.com/food/columns/gilbert/thyme.htm

http://www.bigoven.com/whatis.aspx?id=Thyme