[MR] *WH* Mystery spice

[eogan]

sounds like 

tamarind (TAM-uh-rihnd) - Tamarind takes its English name from the
Arabic, tamarhindi, meaning "Indian Date." It is the fruit (pods or
seeds) of a tall shade tree native to Asia and northern Africa and
widely grown in India. It is typically used in equatorial cuisines such
as Indian, Mexican, and Thai. It is used to season foods such as
chutneys, curries, and pickled fish. It is also an integral ingredient
in Worcestershire sauce.


Eógan mac Ailpein, Triton Principal Herald
919-753-6822 
eogan at nc.rr.com


-----Original Message-----
From: owner-keep at windmastershill.org
[mailto:owner-keep at windmastershill.org] On Behalf Of C. Brian Towey
Sent: Friday, September 02, 2005 9:46 AM
To: atlantia at atlantia.sca.org; keep at windmastershill.org
Subject: *WH* Mystery spice


There I was at Pennsic, and


Along came a wandering merchant with a broad basket full of all kinds of
spices.  He had one spice I didn’t recognize, and said it was used in
North African and sometimes French cooking.  I bought a small bag of
lumpy brown seed pods, each about the size of a whole nutmeg.  They
don’t weigh much, so I suppose they are mostly hollow.

There’s just one problem.  He told me the name of this spice, but by the
time I got home, I’d forgotten it.  Without a name, I can’t guess what
to cook with it.

I feel a bit as though I had traded a cow for some magic beans. 

Can any of you guess what spice this might be?

Sheepishly,

Charles Fleming