ME-Refrsh-Tbl-art - 8/7/08 A Middle Eastern themed refreshment table provided by Urtatim at the Principality of the Mists Spring Investiture on May 17, 2008. Recipes. NOTE: See also the files: ME-feasts-msg, fd-Mid-East-msg, fd-Morocco-msg, ME-revel-fds-art, fd-Turkey-msg, E-Arab-recip-art, murri-msg, za-atar-msg, dates-msg, presrvd-lemons-msg. ************************************************************************ NOTICE - This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday. This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter. The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors. Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s). Thank you, Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous Stefan at florilegium.org ************************************************************************ Date: Wed, 21 May 2008 19:14:08 -0700 From: Lilinah Subject: [Sca-cooks] Spring Investiture Refreshment Table To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org This past Saturday, the 17th of May, at the Principality of the Mists Spring Investiture, I served a "Refreshment Table" at the request of incoming Princess Kamiilah, who has a North African persona and not so concerned about historical accuracy. She had said she'd be happy with mint tea, orange slices, and some cookies. Who me? Make only mint tea and cookies? Hah! Here's what I prepared: Beverages: 1. Modern Moroccan mint tea (fresh mint and gunpowder green tea), made at Her Highness's request 2. & 3. Two period fruit syrups - cherry and lemon. Sweets: I made a couple peri-oid items: 1. Tamar bi'l-Luuz - 50 Medjool dates (the really creamy ones) halved and stuffed almond paste --- I have a recipe for dates stuffed with whole almonds, but not almond paste. Almond paste is certainly period, I just don't recall seeing a period recipe for stuffing dates with it... 2. Jauz bi'l-Luuz - 100 Walnut halves covered with almond paste --- I flavored half of the almond paste with pomegranate syrup and rose water --- and the other half with bitter orange marmalade and orange blossom water The rest were period: 3. Senbuse Mukallele (from the 15th C. Ottoman version of the 13th C. al-Baghdadi recipe) --- phyllo strips with a dab of almond paste, folded into a triangle (like the American flag when it's being put away), then fried in butter and sprinkled with powdered sugar 4. Abbasid Qataif (13th C. anonymous Andalusian cookbook) ---- Pastry Rounds (i used Wonton because I didn't have time to make my own) filled with Spiced Chopped Nuts, fried in oil, and soaked in syrup 5. Halwa bi-Tamar - Dates & Honey Sweet (13th C. anonymous Andalusian cookbook) --- 1 lb. Medjool dates kneaded with honey and chopped almonds and walnuts 6. Khabisa with Pomegranate (13th C. anonymous Andalusian cookbook) --- semolina cooked in pomegranate juice and sugar syrup, then formed into hazelnut sized balls (i left out the ground almonds so there's be something without nut for those with allergies) 7. And I had a friend bake some peri-oid walnut macaroons - made only with crushed walnuts, sugar, and egg white, nothing more. For the most part I made between 50 and 75 of each thing. And my friend made about 3 dozen macaroons. I was going to made a few more items, but I was in a car accident the Monday before Investiture that totaled my van (i only got a few bruises, but the van is toast). Then I spent most of Wednesday dealing with the tow yard and a body shop. So I didn't have as much time as i'd planned for and had to skip making several other things. Everything got scarfed down, except for some Khabisa. 1 qt. pomegranate juice and 2 c. fine semolina made close to 200 little balls!! of which there were maybe 2 dozen left. Recipes on demand... err... request... -- Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM) the persona formerly known as Anahita Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 09:04:57 -0400 From: "Elaine Koogler" Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Spring Investiture Refreshment Table To: "Cooks within the SCA" Actually, I did something similar using apricots rather than dates. It came from a recipe done by the Madrone Culinary Guild in their pamphlet about Mughal feasts. Turns out the idea is documented in the *Memoirs of Babar*, from the early 16th century...so this isn't that great a stretch! Kiri On Wed, May 21, 2008 at 10:14 PM, Lilinah wrote: <<< This past Saturday, the 17th of May, at the Principality of the Mists Spring Investiture, I served a "Refreshment Table" at the request of incoming Princess Kamiilah, who has a North African persona and not so concerned about historical accuracy. She had said she'd be happy with mint tea, orange slices, and some cookies. Who me? Make only mint tea and cookies? Hah! Here's what I prepared: Sweets: I made a couple peri-oid items: 1. Tamar bi'l-Luuz - 50 Medjool dates (the really creamy ones) halved and stuffed almond paste --- I have a recipe for dates stuffed with whole almonds, but not almond paste. Almond paste is certainly period, I just don't recall seeing a period recipe for stuffing dates with it... >>> Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 11:10:34 -0700 From: Lilinah Subject: [Sca-cooks] Senbuse Mukallele ("Crowned Triangles") To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org This is an actual late 15th C. Ottoman recipe. Stephane Yersimos translated the recipe from Eski Osmanlici (Old Ottoman) into French. I translated from French into English. A friend and I made the full quantity for an Ottoman feast I cooked last November using all historical recipes. I made about 60 of these myself on Friday last to serve at our Principality Investiture. I really love these. Be sure to use BUTTER, not margarine, and do not use artificial butter flavored anything. ------- Senbuse Mukallele (Crowned Triangles) [pronounce all the "e"s] pp. 124-125, "A la table du Grand Turc" Stephane Yerasimos says : "[Senbuse are]...triangular fritters of pate feuilletee filled with pounded almonds and sugar that Shirvani calls mukallele, an Arabic term which can be translated as "crowned". Senbuse (a Persian term which signifies "triangle") are mentioned on several occasions, but the fact that they are seasoned with cinnamon in the Nazmu't-tebayi', a work of medicine from the beginning of the 15th century, that the 1,500 pieces fabricated at the palace in 1556 were destined for two religious ceremonies, and that they were again mentioned at the occasion of the circumcision ceremonies of 1582, indicates that they were rather of their sweet version. ----- Original Recipe The art of preparing them is the same as that of the senbuse, with the difference that for the mukallele one brays sugar and almonds, one kneads it all with musk and rose water and one fills the dough in place of meat (one takes the dough, one works it in fine leaves, one cuts it in strips, one places the filling, and one fashions them in the form of a triangle). Next one fries them in the frying pan in sesame oil and certain people after having taken them out of the sesame oil plunge them in sugar syrup, they take the out of the syrup and they eat them. They plunge them in sugar in powder mixed with musk or camphor. --- Shirvani's translation of al-Baghdadi, folio 69 ----- Urtatim's Recipe Makes... mmm... 150? 200? The Instructions that follow is how I made them for the Fall Investiture Ottoman Feast in 2007. For the Spring Investiture Refreshment Table, I used about 1/3 of the ingredients, fried them on Friday, and served them on Saturday afternoon. Senbuse: 3 lb ground almonds 2 lb granulated sugar 1/2 cup rose water 1 package phyllo clarified melted butter 1 lb butter for frying (do NOT use margarine) (do NOT use vegetable oil) Syrup: 2 lb granulated sugar for syrup 3 cups water for syrup Garnish: powdered sugar for garnish 1/4 c ground cinnamon 1 capful small bottle mint extract Several days ahead of time: 1. Mix almonds, 2 lb. sugar, and rose water to make a paste - I do this in a food processor. 2. Cover several sheet pans with baking parchment paper. 3. Fold each sheet of phyllo in half, then fold it in thirds, and cut along folds to make 6 strips. 4. Phyllo not in immediate use needs to be covered with paper (waxed paper or baking parchment paper, then with a water-moistened, not wet, towel) 5. Brush phyllo with melted butter. 6. Place a very small amount of the almond paste at the end of the strip and fold diagonally into a triangle, then continue folding - like folding the American flag before putting it away. [i can make a graphic] 7. Place each pastry triangle on the parchment on the baking sheet. When a sheet is full, put it in the freezer. 8. Continue to make and fold Senbuse and put in freezer. After about 1/2 hour a sheet's worth will be frozen enough to put in a double-zip freezer bag. Keep frozen. NOTE: For the Fall Investiture Feast we also made about 1 dozen of these using ground almonds and Splenda(tm) - and no sugar syrup or powdered sugar - for people with dietary issues Day before serving: 1. Put 1/2 stick of butter into a large wok or other wide pan and heat until it just foams. Do not allow to brown. 2. Fry frozen pastries until golden brown. Regulate heat - butter should not burn, but pastries should brown. 3. As they fry, put them on a plate covered with paper towel. 4. As butter is used up add another 1/4 stick. 5. Continue until all pastries are done. SYRUP: 1. If desired, make syrup with 2 lb sugar and 3 cups water. 2. Just before serving cover the fried triangles with the sugar syrup. I skipped this step. GARNISH: 1. Put about 1 cup powdered sugar in a bowl, add ground cinnamon and mix until well-blended. 2. Sprinkle mint extract evenly over sugar, then mix well to distribute evenly throughout. 3. Dust pastries with flavored sugar. I used this blend of cinnamon and mint to simulate camphor, which is not really safe for consumption. Camphor has a menthol-like coolness, hence the mint, and is in the same family of trees as cinnamon, hence the cinnamon. It won't really taste like camphor, but... -- Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM) the persona formerly known as Anahita Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 11:44:14 -0700 From: Lilinah Subject: [Sca-cooks] Abbasid Qataif (spiced nut filled pastries) To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org Abbasid Qataif Original Recipe (13th C. anonymous Andalusian cookbook) It is made from the pierced musahhada that has already been mentioned. Take peeled almonds, pound them and let them dry until they are like semolina. Add as much again of sugar, spikenard, cloves, and Chinese cinnamon. Then take a flat bread (raghif) of the aforementioned musahhada, free of burns, and sprinkle it with those almonds and ground sugar aplenty. Sprinkle it with rosewater in which some camphor is dissolved, and fold it until it is a half circle. Glue the edges with dough wetted in rosewater, and put it in a frying-pan full of fresh oil. Boil it, and then take it out immediately and remove it so it drains of the oil. Let it float in a syrup of roses or julep or skimmed honey. You might make raghifs on raghifs, filled inside, and glue the margins together, and they will turn out circles and halves. [note] [note] Huici Miranda's derivation of qataif from a verb meaning to sift flour is wrong. "Qataif" is simply the plural of the noun meaning "plush, velvet"; the texture is more fabric-like than bread. This basic recipe - crepes (the crepes themselves were called "mushahhada" in al-Andalus) folded over around a filling and deep fried - is what the word "qataif" still means in Lebanon and Syria. The "qataif" can be removed from the cooking oil immediately, because the crepe ("flat bread") is already cooked. The last sentence suggests instead of folding over one mushahhada you could glue two together and make a fully round, rather than a half-round, version, so that you can serve both circles and half-circles. (Charles Perry) --- My Version Made about 55 - that were how many wonton wrapper were in my package Filling: 1 cup Blanched Almonds 1 cup Granulated White Sugar 1/4 to 1/3 tsp. Powdered Cloves 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. Powdered Cinnamon 1 tsp. Rosewater (Lebanese) 1 pkg. circular Wonton Wrappers Mild Vegetable Oil for frying --- I mixed safflower and sunflower oils Syrup: 1/4 c. Honey 1/2 c. Water 1 tsp. Lemon juice Prepare Filling: Grind almonds with sugar in the food processor to a somewhat rough stage Then mix in cloves, cinnamon, and rosewater by hand. I skipped the spikenard, since people seem to find its flavor odd. I skipped the camphor because it is a potential health hazard. Assemble: Fill a small bowl with plain water and set it next to the work space. On a baking sheet with low sides, lay out several wonton wrappers. Put a small amount of spiced ground nuts on one half. With a finger dipped in the bowl of water, moisten half the edge of the wonton, then fold it over the filling, pressing the edges firmly together to seal. Repeat until all the filling is used up. I did this early in the day. Fry: Heat about 1 inch of oil in a cast iron skillet or wok. Fry as many half-moon as will comfortably fit - I did 6 to 8 at a time - until golden, transferring on a baking sheet with low sides covered with paper towels as soon as they are done. Let cool. I did this late in the day Syrup: Mix honey, water, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring just to a boil Turn off the heat and let the syrup cool. When cool, put in a container. Pour syrup over the fried pastries shortly before serving them. I think these would have been quite good with a little rose petal jam diluted with a little water... Watch out for modern rose syrups as many are colored red, which is just horrible! It should be clear and colorless, and is quite easy to make oneself. Anyway, I fried them on Friday night and served them on Saturday afternoon, and they were nice and crispy - of course, it has been quite dry here. If you live in a humid climate, they need to be well-sealed as soon as they are fried to keep the humidity out. However, given the instructions to soak in syrup, perhaps they are not meant to be crisp. What do I know? My time machine is malfunctioning :-) -- Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM) the persona formerly known as Anahita Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 13:34:33 -0700 From: Lilinah Subject: [Sca-cooks] The last items from Spring Investiture To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org OK, I think i've covered most of what I made. Here's what is left is... ----- Khabisa with Pomegranate 13th C. anonymous Andalusian cookbook This recipe has been discussed here. I followed the original recipe quite closely. However, I left out the ground almonds so there's be something without nuts for those with allergies. I planned to make the Carrot Paste from the anonymous Andalusian, too (i made it several years ago for a feast), so there'd be something else without almonds. And I was going to make modern North African briwats - warqa - but I would use phyllo filled with a mix of almonds and toasted sesame seeds and some other stuff, then folded in to more or less little rectangular packets and fried and served with syrup - I consider these to be peri-oid, since they're not too different from period folded and fried pastries, I had all the necessary ingredients on hand for both dishes, but I just didn't have time. ----- Fruit Syrups I made the two fruit syrups. Do I need to discuss? Well, ok... I put 4 cups of granulated sugar into a saucepan and poured in 1 quart of pure unsweetened juice. These proportions follow the recipes in the anonymous Andalusian cookbook. I stirred to help the sugar dissolve and let it sit for a few minutes while I did something else. Then I came back and stirred again...The sugar was all moistened and much had dissolved. Then I turned on the fire and brought it to a boil, first stirring constantly until all the sugar dissolved into the juice. Then I just came back to stir from time to time. This doesn't take long and it's good to be there so it doesn't foam up and boil over. As soon as it is at a rolling boil, turn the fire down to a simmer - there needs to be movement on the surface of the liquid. Let it cook for a while - say 15 minutes - stirring occasionally. Let the liquid pour slowly off the spoon and watch it. At first it will be very "wet", but after a while it becomes more cohesive. It won't be thick - it will thicken as it cools. Let the syrup cool. Have ready a well-cleaned glass bottle or jar with a lid that screws on tightly for each flavor. When the syrup is below body temperature, pour it into the bottle and seal. I have found that thicker syrup keeps fine out of the fridge, while thinner syrup needs to be refrigerated. For this event I used purchased pure unsweetened cherry juice (not sour morellos, more's the pity) and pure organic lemon juice. I have also made black currant syrup (the berry, not the tiny dried raisin), peach syrup, dried pear syrup, quince syrup, and pomegranate syrup. I confess that for the black currant and pomegranate I used pure unsweetened juice, and did not juice fresh fruit myself. The others I made from scratch. I have also made lemon from scratch. For anyone who wants to make beverage syrups, here's a list of flavors used in the Ottoman capital, Constantinople, in the 15th-17th C. I included the 17th C. flavors because so far i've only seen three flavors listed in the 16th C. and the flavors used in the 15th and the 17th C. are practically the same, so it seems likely to me that they didn't suddenly stop making all those syrups in the 16th C. bitter orange date date palm flower (no, i'm not sure what this would be like) grape honey lavender lemon mint mulberry peach pear rose sour apple sour cherry sour pomegranate sweet pomegranate tamarind violet water lily ----- Na'arah, the person who kindly the walnut macaroons at my request, has not yet shared her recipe. She used only walnuts, granulated sugar, and egg white (not whipped). ----- For the modern Moroccan mint tea, look in any Moroccan cook book. -- Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM) the persona formerly known as Anahita Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 13:35:07 -0700 From: Lilinah Subject: [Sca-cooks] Dates and Walnuts with Almond Paste To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org These two items were modern, although i'd love to get that source that Kiri mentioned for the almond paste stuffed apricots... I don't really have recipes - but I can describe my process. First, before starting anything I made a lot of almond paste. I used purchased blanched almonds from the Berkeley Bowl, because they are good quality, not stale, not rancid. I put granulated sugar in the food processor, gave it a whirl to get it to a more or less powdered state. Then I added an equal volume of almonds. I added a tiny bit of water, since I didn't want to put rosewater in all the almond paste. Tamar bi'l Luuz - Almond paste-stuffed dates I bought Medjool dates because they are fabulous. I cut each one in half, and removed the pit and the calyx (the hard "cap" at one end). Then I rolled a little almond paste between my fingers and stuffed it into the cavity left by the pit. If it wasn't enough, I added more and smoothed it out. Jauz bi'l Luuz - Walnuts stuffed with Almond paste well, I cheated and made them just as almond paste topped walnuts... Because several of the items I was making used almond paste, I decided to wing it and give it some variety. I mixed some of the almonds paste (maybe about 1-1/2 or 1-1/4 cup) with a bottle cap full of rose water, kneaded it by hand, then added some pomegranate syrup, enough to flavor and color it, but not so much that the almond paste got too soft. Then I took little balls and mashed it over the top, less flat side of 50 to 60 walnut halves. The color was sort of medium-light mauve, not really pink, not really purple. The other batch I kneaded about the same amount of almond paste with a bottle cap full of orange blossom water. Then I added some bitter orange marmalade, mostly the "syrup" around the orange peel shreds, and when it was the right texture, I put that on top of 50 to 60 walnuts halves. Then I put a thin shred of peel on top of each one. These had a faint orange hint. At the event, I put each flavor on a paper doily a separate plate. Yeah, yeah, those paper doilies are so 19th and 20th and 21st C., but i think it helped make each item stand out. SERVING NOTE: I made cards for each plate of each item I served with the name of the item, the source and date of the recipe, and a list of ingredients, so people with food issues would know what was what. -- Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM) the persona formerly known as Anahita Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 13:09:57 -0700 From: Lilinah Subject: [Sca-cooks] Halwa bi-Tamar - Date-Nut "Fudge" To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org I was inspired by a 13th C. anonymous Andalusian recipe. However I confess I did alter it. Original Recipe A Sweet of Dates and Honey Take Shaddakh dates. Clean them of their pits and pound a ratl of them in a mortar. Then dilute with water in a tinjir on a gentle fire. Add the same amount of skimmed honey. Stir it until it binds together and throw in a good amount of peeled almonds and walnuts. Put in some oil so it doesn't burn and to bind firmly. Pour it over a greased salaya (stone work surface). With it you make qursas (round cakes). Cut it with a knife in big or little pieces. ------- First, I have no idea what Shaddakh dates are. Next, note that the recipe calls for 1 lb dates and 1 lb honey. Ouch! That just makes my teeth hurt! Plus the Medjool dates were so soft and creamy. So I used much less honey, no water, and didn't cook it. Obviously not an exact reproduction, but, sheesh, there was already so much sugar in all the recipes! 1. I chopped a handful or so of blanched almonds and an equal amount of walnuts. 2. I pitted the pound of Medjool dates and removed any calyxes. I kneaded them by hand, in a glazed ceramic bowl, until they were a soft even amalgam. 3. I added a small amount of honey - I didn't use a measuring cup - but I figure it was maybe 1/4 cup. Again I kneaded the dates to distribute the honey evenly. 4. I dumped in the chopped nuts and kneaded again to evenly distribute. 5. I rolled it all into a ball. 6. I flattened the date paste ball on a sheet of baking parchment paper on a baking sheet with low sides, working lumpy spots to make sure it was spread out evenly. I patted it out to less than 1/4" thick and to about the size/shape of the serving dish. 7. To serve, I cut away the paper that extended beyond the edges of the date paste, leaving the rest of the paper under the paste, and put it all on a serving dish. I scored the paste with a knife all the way through to the paper (i didn't cut the paper) - first in a series of parallel lines, then in a series of parallel lines at about a 45 degree angle from the first set. This makes nice neat "diamonds". I left the knife with the paste to that people could cut away and extract the pieces. -- Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM) the persona formerly known as Anahita Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 13:48:23 -0700 From: K C Francis Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Spring Investiture Refreshment Table To: Cooks within the SCA Well, I again had the great good luck to partake of the spread provided by Urtatim. It was beautifully presented, delicious and an unexpected treat! Thank you Urtatim!! And of course I am collecting the recipes as she posts them. Katira Date: Sat, 24 May 2008 18:45:30 -0700 From: Lilinah Subject: [Sca-cooks] Walnut Macaroons - peri-oid recipe To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org OK, after trolling the web, I think I found the recipe my friend used for the walnut macaroons for Princess Kamiilah's Refreshment Table. Na'arah liked it because it was so simple, which is why I think it's this recipe, and not another with similar ingredients but more complicated processes. ------- Walnut Macaroons : Mustachados Sephardic Jewish Pareve, i.e., without dairy or animal ingredients (eggs are considered neutral), so it can be eaten at any kind of Kosher meal good for Pesach/Passover Makes 24-30 cookies Preheat oven to 325? F. 1 large egg 1-1/2 cups finely ground walnuts (6 oz.) 1/2 cup sugar 1. Grease two large baking sheets, then coat with potato starch, tapping off excess. (i imagine my friend doesn't bother with the potato starch - perhaps this works with greased baking parchment paper) (to be Kosher, one has to use certain types of vegetable oil - butter won't work, and some kinds of oil may be prohibited during Pesach) 2a. Beat egg with a fork until well blended. 2b. Then add rest of ingredients and mix to form a thick paste. 3a. Use moistened hands to form into 1-1/4 inch balls, or drop by scant tablespoons, two inches apart on baking sheet. 3b. Then flatten with moistened finger tips. (my friend doesn't bother to do this and the macaroons are fine) 4a. Bake 15-20 minutes until edges brown. 4b. Remove from pans immediately [probably to a cooling rack]. Also, i've read about people making macaroons with different nuts - besides almonds or walnuts, they tried pecans (New World) or hazelnuts, replaced weight for weight. I suspect it could also work with pine nuts or pistachios. I don't know if this would work with Splenda, but I suppose it's worth a try... -- Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM) the persona formerly known as Anahita Date: Sat, 24 May 2008 23:21:22 -0400 From: "Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius" Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Walnut Macaroons - peri-oid recipe To: Cooks within the SCA On May 24, 2008, at 9:45 PM, Lilinah wrote: <<< Also, i've read about people making macaroons with different nuts - besides almonds or walnuts, they tried pecans (New World) or hazelnuts, replaced weight for weight. I suspect it could also work with pine nuts or pistachios. I don't know if this would work with Splenda, but I suppose it's worth a try... >>> I STR there are marzipan variants in period Italian sources. As for Splenda, I can emphatically vouch for a combination of liquid Splenda for sweetness and polydextrose for the bulking, conditioning, tenderizing and stickiness of sugar in making almond macaroons. Date: Sun, 25 May 2008 14:44:16 -0400 From: "Robin Carroll-Mann" Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Walnut Macaroons - peri-oid recipe To: "Cooks within the SCA" There's a walnut marzipan in the Anonymous Andalusian. Though I suspect Urtatim already knows that... Brighid ni Chiarain On May 24, 2008, at 9:45 PM, Lilinah wrote: <<< Also, i've read about people making macaroons with different nuts - besides almonds or walnuts, they tried pecans (New World) or hazelnuts, replaced weight for weight. I suspect it could also work with pine nuts or pistachios. >>> Edited by Mark S. Harris ME-Refrsh-Tbl-art Page 13 of 13