Pre-1700 juleps
Feb. 2nd, 2005 09:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bunnyjadwigaThe term in pre-1700 usage appears to mean drinks made by adding water to a syrup. These drinks, according to Culpeper's English Physitian, were used for both quenching the thirst of the healthy and for nursing the sick.
The OED chases the origin of the term back to the Arabic 'gulab', meaning rosewater, and collects the following relevant quotes:
1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 76 To {ygh}eue him in {th}e bigynnynge
Iulep{em}{th}at is a sirup maad oonly of water & of sugre. 1543 TRAHERON
Vigo's Chirurg. V. ii. 163 Vse them with a iuleb of vyolettes. c1550
LLOYD Treas. Health (1585) Fij, Iuleb is a cleare potyon made of dyuerse
waters and suger. 1597-8 BP. HALL Sat. II. iv. 27 The wholesome julap,
whose receat Might his diseases lingring force defeat. 1619 S. JEROME
Origen's Repent. in Farr S.P. Jas. I (1848) 245 It surmounts all
juloups.
Now, let's be honest here-- juleps as defined in the quotes above might merely be syrups themselves, or distilled waters (hydrosols) sweetened with sugar-- more like a cordial than a syrup drink, such as is described in the
Anonymous Andalusian manuscript
"The Recipe for Making a Syrup of Julep
Take five ratls of aromatic rosewater, and two and a half of sugar, cook all this until it takes the consistency of syrups. Drink two ûqiyas of this with three of hot water. Its benefits: in phlegmatic fever; it fortifies the stomach and the liver, profits at the onset of dropsy, purifies and lightens the body, and in this it is most extraordinary, God willing.
. . .
Syrup of Simple Sikanjabîn
Take a ratl of strong vinegar and mix it with two ratls of sugar, and cook all this until it takes the form of a syrup. Drink an ûqiya of this with three of hot water when fasting: it is beneficial for fevers of jaundice, and calms jaundice and cuts the thirst, since sikanjabîn syrup is beneficial in phlegmatic fevers: make it with six ûqiyas of sour vinegar for a ratl of honey and it is admirable."
However, Culpeper, whose English Physitian is from 1652, is quite clear on this point, that at his period it was a combination of a hydrosol and a syrup, though one suspects that plain distilled water could be substituted.
Cf: Culpeper's English Physitian:
"1. Juleps were first invented as I suppose in Arabia, and my reason is
because the word Juleb is an Arabick word.
2. It signifies only a pleasant Potion, and was vulgarly used (by such
as were sick and wanted help, or such as were in health, and wanted no
money) to quench thirst.
3. Now a daies 'tis commonly used,
1. To prepare the Body for Purgation.
2. To open Obstructions and the Pores.
3. To digest tough Humors.
4. To qualifie hot distempers &c.
4. It is thus made (I mean Simple Juleps for I have nothing to say to
Compounds here; all Compounds have as many several Idea's as men have
crotchets in their Brain) I say Simple Juleps are thus made: Take a pint
of such distilled Water as conduceth to the cure of your distemper,
which this Treatise will plentifully furnish you withal, to which add
two ounces of Syrup conducing to the same effect (I shall give you Rules
for it in the last Chapter) mix them together and drink a draught of it
at your pleasure; If you love tart things ad ten drops of Oyl of Vitriol
to your pint and shake it together, and it will have a fine grateful
tast.
[NB: Oil of Vitriol is sulfuric acid and is a Bad Idea]
5. All Juleps are made for present use, and therefore it is in vain to
speak of their duration. "
The OED chases the origin of the term back to the Arabic 'gulab', meaning rosewater, and collects the following relevant quotes:
1400 Lanfranc's Cirurg. 76 To {ygh}eue him in {th}e bigynnynge
Iulep{em}{th}at is a sirup maad oonly of water & of sugre. 1543 TRAHERON
Vigo's Chirurg. V. ii. 163 Vse them with a iuleb of vyolettes. c1550
LLOYD Treas. Health (1585) Fij, Iuleb is a cleare potyon made of dyuerse
waters and suger. 1597-8 BP. HALL Sat. II. iv. 27 The wholesome julap,
whose receat Might his diseases lingring force defeat. 1619 S. JEROME
Origen's Repent. in Farr S.P. Jas. I (1848) 245 It surmounts all
juloups.
Now, let's be honest here-- juleps as defined in the quotes above might merely be syrups themselves, or distilled waters (hydrosols) sweetened with sugar-- more like a cordial than a syrup drink, such as is described in the
Anonymous Andalusian manuscript
"The Recipe for Making a Syrup of Julep
Take five ratls of aromatic rosewater, and two and a half of sugar, cook all this until it takes the consistency of syrups. Drink two ûqiyas of this with three of hot water. Its benefits: in phlegmatic fever; it fortifies the stomach and the liver, profits at the onset of dropsy, purifies and lightens the body, and in this it is most extraordinary, God willing.
. . .
Syrup of Simple Sikanjabîn
Take a ratl of strong vinegar and mix it with two ratls of sugar, and cook all this until it takes the form of a syrup. Drink an ûqiya of this with three of hot water when fasting: it is beneficial for fevers of jaundice, and calms jaundice and cuts the thirst, since sikanjabîn syrup is beneficial in phlegmatic fevers: make it with six ûqiyas of sour vinegar for a ratl of honey and it is admirable."
However, Culpeper, whose English Physitian is from 1652, is quite clear on this point, that at his period it was a combination of a hydrosol and a syrup, though one suspects that plain distilled water could be substituted.
Cf: Culpeper's English Physitian:
"1. Juleps were first invented as I suppose in Arabia, and my reason is
because the word Juleb is an Arabick word.
2. It signifies only a pleasant Potion, and was vulgarly used (by such
as were sick and wanted help, or such as were in health, and wanted no
money) to quench thirst.
3. Now a daies 'tis commonly used,
1. To prepare the Body for Purgation.
2. To open Obstructions and the Pores.
3. To digest tough Humors.
4. To qualifie hot distempers &c.
4. It is thus made (I mean Simple Juleps for I have nothing to say to
Compounds here; all Compounds have as many several Idea's as men have
crotchets in their Brain) I say Simple Juleps are thus made: Take a pint
of such distilled Water as conduceth to the cure of your distemper,
which this Treatise will plentifully furnish you withal, to which add
two ounces of Syrup conducing to the same effect (I shall give you Rules
for it in the last Chapter) mix them together and drink a draught of it
at your pleasure; If you love tart things ad ten drops of Oyl of Vitriol
to your pint and shake it together, and it will have a fine grateful
tast.
[NB: Oil of Vitriol is sulfuric acid and is a Bad Idea]
5. All Juleps are made for present use, and therefore it is in vain to
speak of their duration. "
