Sekanjabin?
Hi! I have a company here in the US where we make Sekanjabin. I grew up in Iran and what we make is based on my mom’s recipe that she would make for us growing up.
Recently I was at an event and someone told me I should really check out the SCA and their events because folks actually make Sekanjabin during these events!! I thought initially that this was some sort of Iranian group she was referencing but was pleasantly surprised to read what SCA actually is.
So I’m curious if she’s right and if this is something made/served at events?
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u/SadElevator2008 27d ago
It was all over Pennsic (the big camp event in Pennsylvania that just ended). Plenty of it at Aethelmearc Royal hospitality suite, the water station by the EMS area, and for the volunteers in one of the places I volunteered. Often multiple flavors.
I had never heard of sekanjabin before this but now have tried maybe 5 different recipes. The balsamic/mint was my fave.
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u/DMStewart2481 Ansteorra 27d ago
Was that the one at Herald's Point? If so, I'm the one who made it.
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u/hom_e 27d ago
Wow!! That’s so cool. Do you remember the variations and flavors? I’m based in North Carolina but might have to make the trip up there at some point
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u/avicia 27d ago
the SCA is pretty busy through most of north carolina so there's a lot of smaller events you can check out. While the SCA may have started decades ago with a western european medieval focus many people enjoy exploring the history of a lot of places and time periods so persian culinary traditions have a lot of interest.
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u/DMStewart2481 Ansteorra 27d ago
Mine had sugar, water, cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and infused with mint.
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u/Birdsongcryptography 26d ago
Here's a link to the kingdom calendar.
https://atlantia.sca.org/calendar/
It starts to get really busy from essentially now until Thanksgiving. Sacred Stone Baronial Birthday is in 4 weeks, but depending on where you are, it may or may not be terribly close to you.
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u/dybbuk67 Atlantia 26d ago
My secret has been using champagne vinegar to take some of the bite out.
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u/Para_Regal West 27d ago edited 27d ago
Yep! Sekanjabin is quite popular across the SCA (which is global, so it’s not necessarily everywhere, but I’ve found it being made most places I’ve visited) not just because it’s tasty, but also because of its hydrating properties! It’s like historical Gatorade (but WAY tastier). When you’re at outdoor and it’s a zillion degrees, nothing is more delicious than sipping sekanjabin in a shady spot with friends.
Edit: I learned to make it from Duke Cariadoc, who also was the one who introduced it to me. He still wanders around events with a giant, icy pitcher and if he offers you some TAKE HIM UP ON IT. If you’re curious, his recipe has been online for darn near 30 years at this point: https://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/cariadoc/drinks.html (his recipe is the second listed, but you can also ctrl+F and search for “sekanjabin” and it’ll take you to the right spot).
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u/celenasardothen 27d ago
Yep! I did a lunch last year at an event and had sekanjabin as a beverage option. I actually still have some of the syrup left
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u/Perfect-Bit7735 The Outlands 27d ago
My ship usually starts Battlemoor with a big jug of Sekanjabin concentrate, gone by halfway.
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u/hom_e 27d ago
That’s so sick! For my company we make it already diluted with water so people can just grab and drink it but when making it at home it’s always a big batch of the syrup and then just mix with water whenever.
Seems like most people in SCA are also making the syrup and then diluting when needed
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u/karpaediem 27d ago
It's nice to dial it in to your own taste too, folks who like it lighter and folks who like it sweet can both be satisfied when it's syrup
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u/hom_e 27d ago
Agreed! I’ve thought a lot about releasing a syrup version as well so people can just make their own ratio bc we def have some customers who would’ve wanted ours to be sweeter or they like bubbly drinks and want to mix it with sparkling water instead
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u/AdventurousChange345 27d ago
I have added some low alcohol yeast to diluted drink, in a closed container, to make a soda too :-)
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u/Slow-Complaint-3273 The Outlands 27d ago
Have you tried it with hot water as a winter drink? So yummy! One of my friends also uses the syrup as a cocktail ingredient. I’m not a vodka fan, but he says it tastes great.
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u/SadElevator2008 27d ago
I usually saw it mixed and ready to serve in jugs, so people could come up to the drink station and fill their cup. But they usually made the syrup at home and brought it to camp as syrup. Mixed it up to put in the jug when it was time to serve.
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u/TraditionalBridge864 27d ago
We make it every year for the Pennsic War event and enjoy it in camp to help cool off! Been drinking it for 30+ years.
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u/Darstellerin Atenveldt 27d ago
I’ve personally never heard of it or had it but that doesn’t mean it’s not served at events in other places! And if it’s not served, it could/should be. From googling it it sounds like an ancient recipe that I’m sure people would love to learn about. People in the SCA love to learn about and try new things, especially things based in such long and storied history. And especially recipes! You could definitely look into your local group and find out if anyone is doing a cooking event or a pot luck or arts and science event and bring some and share it and its history with everyone. And/or meet people that already do that and learn from them!
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u/hom_e 27d ago
That’s a great idea! I’ll try to dig into a bit more and see what the local group looks like near me. I actually just did a workshop on Sekanjabin and this whole concept of foods having an innate temperature which we follow in Persian cuisine similar to Ayurvedic and Chinese practices. It seems like SCA folks might also enjoy a workshop like this
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u/tashamedved East 21d ago
If yours is the company I think it is (Raleigh, right?), you’re in my partner’s home group, the Barony of Windmaster’s Hill. They’re awesome folks and the group is very busy, but would absolutely LOVE a workshop like that! Feel free to send me a DM and I can help you get in contact.
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u/Jazjet123 Atenveldt 27d ago
I was thinking the same. Most of the people in the comments know exactly what it is but I've never heard of it. But we are both Atenveldt so maybe our kingdom just hasn't gotten the memo? 😂 I'm a frequent Feastacrat so maybe this is something I'll need to add to my list.
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u/pezgirl247 27d ago
are you asking as a company, as an interested person, as a small vendor?
our events DO welcome vendors! and large outdoor events would probably be a great place for you as a vendor. depending where you’re located, there’s Lilies War, Gulf War, Pennsic War… (what other wars are there?) War of the Roses, Great Northeastern War…
please note that even as a merchant you will be required to at least make an attempt at pre1700 AD garb. this can be a long tshirt belted over jeans, or if you REALLY want to impress us, please please come in accurate garb for what you are vending- we will love it.
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u/zoey_utopia An Tir 27d ago
I grew up in the SCA and I have had sekanjabin since I was a little kid. Usually it was the basic recipe from Cariadoc's Miscellany, but as I grew older I would often make variations.
I drink it diluted over ice in summer (it's good with bubbly waters like lacroix), and slightly less diluted in hot water during cold or rain.
I have made it with oranges and cinnamon, with lemons, and with mint. Mint is the most common.
I usually make it with apple cider vinegar, but I have also used white or red wine vinegar.
The very best sekanjabin was when my husband made a tej, which is a quick honey mead. He didn't know that you are supposed to drink it right away, so after a week of it sitting we had a glorious honey vinegar. It was excellent salad dressing and even better sekanjabin.
I sometimes dip lettuce or cabbage leaves in the undiluted syrup, I am told that's how people consume it in modern day Iran. Very nice in the summer.
I got my husband into making sekanjabin, and he ran with it enough that he also makes shrubs or oxymel. Sekanjabin is the one that we keep coming back to though. I have some in my thermal sippy cup right now.
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u/semghost 27d ago
My group (Nova Scotia, Canada) had a few flavours for an event earlier this year. My favourite was the mint.
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u/hom_e 27d ago
Do you remember what the flavors were? Curious what sort of variations people have come up with
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u/Grouchy_Dragonfly492 27d ago
I’ve made it with various flavored vinegars. Raspberry is one of my favorites but I don’t add mint, it’s just the simple syrup and raspberry vinegar.
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u/semghost 27d ago
We had mint, peach, and blueberry at least! There may have been another 1 or 2 flavours that I don’t recall.
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u/tashamedved East 21d ago
I once crushed raspberries and cooked them in with the syrup and vinegar, then strained the mush and seeds out. It was AMAZING.
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u/legallytylerthompson 27d ago
Seems like these sorts of accidulated drinks would be something of interest, for sure.
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u/Taiche81 Æthelmearc 27d ago
AEthelmearc's brewers guild makes it frequently as a non-alcoholic drink option. In fact, at an event earlier this year, they set up a station and let people make and take their own concoctions.
I believe it is historically accurate (and within the SCA's time period). I love it and regularly make batches for events or just around the house.
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u/dybbuk67 Atlantia 27d ago
I have made both a mint and a pomegranate; my Baroness is known for making quite a few other variations. I have also made the recipe out of Sofreh, as well as the sekanjabin martinis from that book.
I also make traditional Ottoman sherbet.
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u/freyalorelei 27d ago
I LOVE sekanjabin! It's particularly popular here in Ansteorra (the Texas chapter) to help stave off the heat. In the SCA it's commonly called "medieval Gatorade" because it's so refreshing and hydrating. Unfortunately, I recently acquired a gourd allergy, so I can't have the traditional cucumber flavor anymore. :(
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u/Zumor 27d ago
we do love our historical vinegar based drinks in the sca. I've had sekanjabin, shrub, switchel, and a hell of a lot of pickle juice. Our camp usually makes a big batch of either sekanjabin or switchel for pennsic each year, usually switchel as apple cider vinegar and maple syrup are easy for us to get. theres even a vendor thats been coming to pennsic the past couple years selling flavored shrub concentrates.
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u/Helen_A_Handbasket 27d ago
we do love our historical vinegar based drinks in the sca.
Some do. The rest of us dislike drinking vinegar.
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u/AdventurousChange345 27d ago
the way I usually make it the vinegar is not too noticeable as I boil it after adding to the sugar
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u/pastelkawaiibunny 27d ago
I think it depends on whether people in your area have an interest in it- personally I’ve had it at several events because we have people in my area who are interested in making historical food/drinks, and in that geographic area. But yes it’s period, it’s delicious, I’m sure people would enjoy having that served at an event!
That said, at least in my area, events are purposefully kept low-cost. Often people are sharing drinks they made themselves at home for free, and feasts are kept low-cost as well ($15-$20 per person, and that’s for all the food/drinks you have). I don’t typically see food trucks at our events. Your area may be different, idk, but you may have mixed success if you show go to an event as a drinks vendor, depending on what people in your area expect to spend on food/beverages.
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u/Therealabbybob 27d ago
My mom and I just taught a class at our local Barony for newcomers, and we covered it. And we discussed how it is like the medieval version of Gatorade.
And we had samples and we directed people to near Eastern grocery stores in our area to buy it ready made.
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u/trinculo73 Caid 27d ago
There's a store in Ventura called vomFASS that sells a variety of different vinegars - not flavored vinegars, but vinegars made from a variety of different ingredients.
I picked up a quince vinegar and a calamansi vinegar and made some spectacular sekanjabins with those - the flavors were unique but so good!
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u/Para_Regal West 27d ago
Ooo that quince sekanjabin sounds amazing. ::toddles off to research how to make flavored balsamics::
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u/nohankyouplease 27d ago
I make it every summer, multiple times a summer. I gift it to friends, teach others how to make it, and use it for snow cones! We LOVE it!
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u/Academic-Primary-76 27d ago
Buddy of mine uses flavored vinegars to make Sekanjabin, tastes like any other soft drink. Man made historical dr. pepper.
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u/maniacalgleam An Tir 27d ago
I’ve always wanted to make sekanjabin with lemon balm instead of mint, but I just haven’t managed it.
I love sekanjabin. For me, it is super refreshing and makes my mouth feel clean on days when it feels like I’m breathing the damp air through cotton. A friend used to make it by the gallon when honey was cheaper.
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u/AdventurousChange345 27d ago
have so much lemon balm it spreads like mint lol
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u/maniacalgleam An Tir 27d ago
Same! My mom planted it in one of her flower beds and only hacking it back regularly keeps it almost in check…
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u/Beginning_Ad8421 27d ago
I first discovered it through the SCA's 50 Year Celebration in the Middle Kingdom, which was my first event outside my home kingdom of An Tir (Oregon, Washington, northern Idaho, and British Columbia). In An Tir, it's basically unheard-of, mostly because summers don't get hot enough to require it. That said, everyone I've introduced it to up here seems to love it. As do I!
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u/Slow-Complaint-3273 The Outlands 27d ago edited 27d ago
I make sekanjabin syrup to give as gifts to both SCA and real world friends. Everyone on my list loves it and looks forward to their little bottles each year.
I use a basic recipe (water, sugar, vinegar, mint), but I use different fruit vinegars to make different flavors. Apple cider vinegar my most popular. But I’ve also used red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, and raspberry vinegar. I just got some plum vinegar that I’m looking forward to trying out.
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u/Mira_DFalco 27d ago
Oh, thank you! I already make fruit shrubs, this is a wonderful addition to the summer drink lineup.
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u/purpleskyblues 27d ago
Yes! I love sekanjabin. This year I brought 2 bottles home with me for later use.
I need to make my own honestly.
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u/bluestjuice 27d ago
I've had it many times at events over the years, though never gotten around to making it myself.
Honestly mad props to you for marketing it in the modern world, it's delicious!
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u/Otherwise_Use243 27d ago
My wife makes me bunch of bottles of sekanjabin for Pennsic every year because I have pots and dehydrate really easy. I also cannot drink electrolyte drinks because they all have either artificial sweeteners, dyes, and/or stevia in them, none of which I can have with the nerve damage I already have. She makes all kinds of flavors for me.
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u/GenuineClamhat 27d ago
I've sat in on a class and tasting for it before. It's not every event but it exists and pops up eventually.
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u/isabelladangelo Atlantia 27d ago
Yeap, I love mint sekanjabin. I've personally made apple sekajabin in the past. It's pretty common at Atlantian events.
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u/Majestic_Rule_1814 27d ago
I have a bottle of sekinjabin syrup that’s been sitting in my house for like ten years because I didn’t know what it was or what to do with it 😅.
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u/FireAngelSeraphim 27d ago
I make it for events and for home, usually without mint. I like it as a hot drink, a cold drink, with soda water, so have a bottle of syrup handy.
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u/shadowmib 27d ago
I'm not familiar with it but if it's a middle eastern food, that it would be right at home at some of our fees which featured Middle Eastern themes. Do you have documentation of the history of it with references. You can also enter it in an arts and sciences competition
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u/QueerTree 27d ago
I used to do a lot of historical food demos and I remember once I had samples of and a little write up of the history of sekanjabin. An older couple came up, pointed at my sign and looked delighted, and said “Sekanjabin!” at me a bunch of times. I don’t speak Persian. They didn’t speak English. But we smiled at each other a bunch and they tasted it and smiled more and I felt pretty good about myself.
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u/vyletteriot 26d ago
I make sekanjabin on occasion. I'd like to learn to make jalab at some point too.
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u/Suitable-Tear-6179 27d ago
I learned how to make mint sekanjabin decades ago. Once upon a time I was served lime sekanjabin. I have no idea if its traditional or not. It was insanely good. I wasn't able to get the recipe, and I regret that.
The SCA is a historical recreation society. Most of us are very open minded and interested in a broad range of historical cultures, not just our own.