SUBSTANCES, NOT NARCOTIC, USED IN INFUSION, &C. 



N. O. 161. LABIATE. LABIATES. 

 Mentha sativa. W. Tall Red Mint. 



Linn. Syst. Didynamia Gymnospermia. 



The herb. 



Vernacular. Poodina, Dec. Widdetilam, Tarn. Nana, Hubbah, 

 Arab. 



Habitat. Temperate Europe and Asia. 



Remarks. See "Drugs," and " Condiments' and Spices." Sherbet 

 (Sharbat) like the Latin sorbeo, and syrup, and shrub, is from the 

 Arabic sharaba, to drink. A Sherbet is essentially water, sugared, but 

 usually further flavoured with some perfume, fruit, conserve, or sweetmeat. 

 Says Sir Thomas Herbert, of Sherbet, " it is a drink that quenches thirst 

 and tastes deliciously. The composition is cool water, into which they 

 infuse sirrop of Lemons and Rose-water ; in these torrid countries (Gom- 

 brown) being the most refreshing sort of liquor that can be invented, 

 albeit the wine there was so good that we refused not to drink it with 

 moderation." The best account of Sherjbets, the compiler has met with, 

 is in Lane's delightful work on the Modern Egyptians. " The Egyptians," 

 he writes, " have various kinds of Sherbets or sweet drinks. The most 

 common kind is merely sugar and water, but very sweet : lemonade (sherab- 

 el-leymoori) is another. The third kind, the most esteemed (sharab-el- 

 benefseg), is prepared from a hard conserve of violets made by pounding 

 violet flowers, and then boiling them with sugar : this violet sugar is of a 

 green colour. A fourth kind (Sharab-el-tooi) is prepared from mulber- 

 ries : a fifth (Sharab-el-hommeyd) from sorrel. There is also a kind of 

 sherbefc (Zebeeb) sold in the streets, which is made with raisins, as its 

 name implies. Another which is a strong infusion of liquorice root 

 (Erk-soos), and called by the name of that rcot ; and a third kind which is 

 prepared from the fruit of the locust tree (Karrob), and called in like 

 manner from the name of the fruit. The Sherbet is served in covered 

 glass cups, generally called " kullehs," containing about three quarters of 

 a pint ; some of which (the more common kind) are ornamented with 

 gilt flowers. The Sherbet cups are placed on a round tray, and covered 

 with a round piece of embroidered silk, or cloth of gold. On the right 

 arm of the person who presents the Sherbet is hung a large oblong napkin 

 with a wide embroidered border of gold, and coloured silks at each end." 

 No preaching will make men teatotallers, for the mind is drunk with wine, 

 red in the cup, before it passes the lips : but Sherbets with their elegant 

 service, and fascinating associations, would probably check much of the 

 mere idle bibbing of narcotic stimulants. 



Sherbets called Zoofa and Lilloofal are also sold in Bombay, but 

 being imported from Persia, prepared, I am unable to refer their flavour- 

 ing agents to any plants. Zoofa is the Arab name of Common Hyssop. 



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