[MR] *WH* Mystery spice

[Samouce, Jerry]

I would taste it raw, then hot in oil, then in water and it and see what
spice it tastes similar too and then use it in that spice family and see
what happens.
 
When all fails...lick it!
 
Sir Valhalric would know... he is a chief...
 
-----Original Message-----
From: C. Brian Towey [mailto:cbt at ib-ent.com] 
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
 

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