Food and Folklore: Ainar (a Libanese herbal tea)

This week I suddenly realized how I have neglected my blog. Yes I am posting regularly, but I only write about my "Tell me a story" project, while there are so many other interesting subjects related to folklore I could and should write about. Such as food.

I started the 'Food and Folklore' section a little while ago with the intention to share recipes which in some way relate to folklore. Be it a traditional dish served during Christmas or a cookie connected to a urban-myth. However, the downloadable recipes accompanied by my illustrations costs me a lot of work to create, too much actually.
As I do love to search for recipes and write about them, as well as trying out them myself, I decided to continue with the food and folklore section. But, this time without the illustrations, as it just was too much work. However, every recipe will still be accompanied by a photograph so you all can see the result before you start experimenting yourself!

This post will be all about the food and drinks connected with childbirth. While searching for these recipes I noticed a most curious thing, they all had one thing in common, one ingredient; anise. Though it surprised me that this herb appears all over the world, it did not surprise me that it is so popular. Anise has a long history in folk belief. In folk magic it was believed to ward off evil and even to exorcise demons. In folk medicine it was prescribed for women who just gave birth as anise was said to stimulate the production of mother's milk. Now, the second explanation seems to be more logical then the first,one.
But one must keep in mind how frightened people were in the past, and sometimes still are, for witches, demons and other evil. It has been believed for a very long time that diseases were caused by demons. So to keep your child healthy it was important to keep the devils away. There are many traditions connected to the exorcism of demons such as laying a silver scissors beneath the cradle or binding a piece of red ribbon to the child. Even a child's rattle was meant for this purpose as the sound was supposed to scare the demons.
Anise, for this same reason, was processed in drinks and food.

The following recipe comes from Libanon. This tea was traditionally served to all guests when a child was born. I have heard this is a more modern version as in the past there were two different recipes; one for boys and one for girls. This tea was served just after a girl was born. But when a boy was born rice pudding was served. The birth of a boy, as in many cultures, was "more important" then the birth of a girl and thus when a son was born they served the more exclusive rice pudding.
This custom has changed through time however, at many places and this tea is now drunk wether a girl or boy is born.

Oh, yes and if you leave away the walnuts it is also said to be a great remedy against pain in the stomach!

Ainar (Libanese herbal tea)

Ingredients:

• one and a quarter liters of water
• two quills of cinnamon
• a quarter teaspoon of ground nutmeg
• a quarter teaspoon of ground anise
• a quarter teaspoon of ground allspice

• As garnish: chopped walnut

Boil the herbs for 20 minutes. Sift through a piece of cloth and garnish each cup of tea with some copped walnut. Sweeten as you prefer with honey or sugar.


(the recipe was adopted from: The Arabic Cookbook, written by Janny Moor)

Food and Folklore: Blue Fingers

Today, a new topic is added to my folklore blog, namely: Food & Folklore! This part of my blog is all about food which is related to folklore in some way. Have you always wanted to know how certain dishes got their name, the urban-myths connected with food in the present, how the birth of a child was traditionally celebrated with tea in Lebanon, or why it is that they eat cross buns in England during Easter, then you are at the right place.
At this part of my blog I will not only tell you about the history and legends connected with food but also allow you to download the recipes (for free), so you can make them yourself. All recipes are accompanied by small illustrations depicting the tales behind them. So it will be fun to collect them!

The first recipe I give you is from Dutch origin. It tells us how a cookie named blue finger got it's curious name....

(Blue Fingers)

The Story:

Blue fingers is the name of a Dutch delicacy, but also the nickname for people who come from Zwolle, a city in Holland. How these people got their nickname is explained in the following tale:

Once, two Dutch cities, Kampen and Zwolle were true rivals. They deprived one another of their cattle and money and when they met one another it was almost certain a fight would ensue.
This went on for a long time, although sometimes there was also a moment of "peace" between them.
It was during such a period the people of Zwolle went to 'governing-board' of Kampen to ask if they wanted to buy the church bells from Zwolle. Their clock tower had burned down and so the bells were of no use to them. As they were very poor they could really use the money.
Kampen agreed on one condition; they could pay in any currency they liked. Those of Zwolle made no problem of this and they closed the deal, but would regret it very soon.
Kampen did pay, but in the smallest currency which existed at that time. So, the people of Zwolle had to count coins for days on end, maybe even weeks. It is said that their fingers got blue from counting all these copper coins. And of course the people of Kampen were delighted because of their prank.

The cities are no longer rivals but the name, blue fingers, survived. Nowadays it is the name of a cookie which reminds us of this curious event which happened a long time ago...

Download the recipe here: Link
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