flipDate Water with Honey and Hyssop (mashqeh)
Date Water with Honey and Hyssop (mashqeh)
Why this dish? To break the fast of the Day of Atonement, a sweet, comforting and easy-to-drink beverage was sought after a day without water. This infusion of dates, honey and hyssop unites the sweetness of the Judean desert with the purification herb of the rite — a drink that gently brings the body back to life, while the goat of Azazel carried sin away to the desert.
A warm or cool drink made by steeping crushed dates in water, sweetened with honey and scented with a sprig of hyssop. Sweet, slightly resinous and bitter on the finish, refreshing.
You have fasted, your throat is dry as my lands of exile? Then drink. Crush the dates in clear water, let them yield their sugar, add the honey and a branch of ezov for the bitterness that awakens. Drink slowly, mortal — even a fallen angel knows that one does not return from a great silence in a single draught.
- •Ripe dates — a good handful (sweetness, body)
- •Spring water — a pitcher (base)
- •Honey — a spoonful (sweetness)
- •Hyssop (ezov) — a small sprig (bitter fragrance)
Date Water with Honey and Hyssop (mashqeh)
A warm or cool drink made by steeping crushed dates in water, sweetened with honey and scented with a sprig of hyssop. Sweet, slightly resinous and bitter on the finish, refreshing.
Why this dish? To break the fast of the Day of Atonement, a sweet, comforting and easy-to-drink beverage was sought after a day without water. This infusion of dates, honey and hyssop unites the sweetness of the Judean desert with the purification herb of the rite — a drink that gently brings the body back to life, while the goat of Azazel carried sin away to the desert.
You have fasted, your throat is dry as my lands of exile? Then drink. Crush the dates in clear water, let them yield their sugar, add the honey and a branch of ezov for the bitterness that awakens. Drink slowly, mortal — even a fallen angel knows that one does not return from a great silence in a single draught.
Ingredients (period version)
- Ripe dates — a good handful (sweetness, body)
- Spring water — a pitcher (base)
- Honey — a spoonful (sweetness)
- Hyssop (ezov) — a small sprig (bitter fragrance)
Ingredients
- Medjool dates, pitted — 8 (natural sweetness)
- Water — 1 litre (base)
- Honey — 1 tbsp (sweetness)
- Fresh oregano or thyme (if hyssop unavailable) — 1 sprig (bitter herbaceous note)
- Lemon juice — a few drops (optional) (balance)
Method
- Crush the dates and gently heat them in the water for 10 min without boiling.
- Add the herb sprig and infuse off the heat for 15 min.
- Strain, pressing the dates well to extract the sugar.
- Stir in honey while warm, adjust with a few drops of lemon if desired.
- Serve warm to warm up, or chilled after cooling.
How it was made : Before cane sugar, dates and honey (from flowers or dates, 'silan') were the main sources of sweetness. Infused fruit drinks (debash, diluted syrups) were prepared for the sick and to break fasts; pure water being precious, flavoring it made it festive.
The contemporary twist : Served over ice with a squeeze of lemon, it becomes an amber date lemonade, more refreshing than any soda — perfect for a summer table.
Sources : Mishnah Yoma (proceedings of the Day of Atonement and the fast) · Nathan MacDonald, What Did the Ancient Israelites Eat?
Azazel · Charactorium
