Known for its unusual smell, its name is derived from a European word meaning 'bed-bugs', yet a different culture thinks it does wonders for their love life. Mentioned in the Bible, it was also mentioned in another ancient piece of well known literature. What is it, and how was this aphrodisiac associated with children's Christmas dreams?

lanfranco

This is coriander, peasy, also known as the delicious cilantro. Its name is derived from "corys" for "bedbug," owing to the supposed similarity of smell, and it's mentioned in Exodus 16. Give me a few minutes, and I'll get a sugar plum site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriander Mar 08 06, 8:29 PM

lanfranco

According to this, sugar plums were originally sugar-coated coriander: http://www.sallys-place.com/food/columns/gilbert/cilantro.htm Mar 08 06, 8:32 PM

peasypod

Bingo Miss Frankie, and I recently had the pleasure of making our dear robboy a big pot of Chicken and Corn soup laced with cracked pepper and cilantro, a popular ingredient in my kitchen. Mar 08 06, 8:41 PM

lanfranco

Yum. I love cilantro myself and use it frequently. But I'm off to dinner now, and I don't expect to find much in the way of cilantro up here ... Mar 08 06, 8:46 PM

xfacilitatorx

"While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads"........ Mar 08 06, 10:49 PM

xfacilitatorx

Coriander: (if this is correct) Exodus 16:31 - Now the house of Israel called its name manna; it was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. Numbers 11:7 - Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. http://bibleontheweb.com/Bible.asp http://bibleontheweb.com/Bible.asp Mar 08 06, 10:53 PM

Arpeggionist

Well, it's one possible translation. Not the one I would have given it though, but my knowledge of botany is quite limited. Mar 09 06, 2:23 AM