CONDUMIO WITH 13TH CENTURY POWDERS TO HELP DIGESTION

Gum Arabic Powder, Anise Seed and Chopped Fennel
Before Adding Sugar and Water
Photo by: Lord-Williams

food, grub. Gázquez explains that meat was considered a delightful food in the Ruiz’ epoch 14^th century poem the Archpriest of Hita. [Gázquez. Cocina. 2002:118]

POWDERS TO HELP DIGESTION ADAPTED FROM HUICI’S TRANSLATION OF ANÓN AL-ANDALUS #540 POLVOS QUE DIGIEREN LA COMIDA, p 292

Ingredients[1]

12 ½ oz  mastic[2]

12 ½ oz sugar

1/3 oz anise

1/3 oz fennel

An Interesting Syrup for Anise Lovers
Photo by: Lord-Williams

Preparation

Pound the mastic into powder. Add an equal amount of sugar and anise and fennel finely chopped. Add 25 oz water. Mix in a food processor until all is blended. Let sit 20 minutes. Pour the mixture into a double boiler. Heat, stirring from time to time, until the desired thickness is obtained. Administer ½ oz before sleeping to facilitate digestion.

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[1] It is important that each ingredients be weighed because of weights of substances vary, meaning 1 cup of one item might be 1 cup and 1 ¼ of another.

[2] Gum Arabic, a common substitute was used. The difference is that mastic is resin from incisions made in the trunk of the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus) and Gum Arabic is from Acacia senegal and Acacia seyal trees. Mastic is chewed and was the first natural as gum. It tastes like cedar and pine. Gum Arabic is tasteless and orderless. Both are used to help digestion. The Gum Arabic was obtained from a Spanish pharmacy. Mastic is available in hardware stores but it is not known if that sold there it is eatable. Mastic was the first natural chewing gum.