Curzon Robert. Visits to monasteries

After some conversation on other matters, I inquired about the library, and asked permission to view its contents. The agoumenos declared his willingness to show me everything that the monastery contained. " But first," said he, " I wish to present you with something excellent for your breakfast ; and

from the special good will that I bear towards so distinguished a guest I shall prepare it with my own hands, and will stay to see you eat it ; for it is really an admirable dish, and one not presented to all persons." " Well," thought I, "a good breakfast is not a bad thing ;" and the fresh momitain-air and the good night's rest had given me an appetite ; so I expressed my thanks for the kind hospitality of my lord abbot, and he, sitting down opposite to me on the divan, proceeded to prepare his dish. " This," said he, producing a shallow basin half-full of a white paste, " is the principal and most savoury part of this famous dish ; it is composed of cloves of garlic, pounded down, with a certain quantity of sugar.
With it I will now mix the oil in just proportions, some shreds of fine cheese [it seemed to be of the white acid kind, which resembles what is called caccia cavallo in the south of Italy, and which almost takes the skin off your fingers, I believe] and sundry other nice little condiments, and now it is completed ! "
He stirred the savoury mess round and round with a large wooden spoon until it sent forth over room and passage and cell, over hill and valley, an aroma which is not to be described. " Now," said the agoumenos, crumbling some bread into it with his large and somewhat dirty hands, " this is a dish for an emperor I Eat, my friend, my much-respected guest ; do not be shy. Eat ; and when you have finished the bowl you shall go into the library and anywhere else you like ; but you shall go nowhere till I have had the pleasure of seeing you do justice to this delicious food, which, I can assure you, you will not meet with everywhere."

I was sorely troubled in spirit. Who covild have expected so dreadful a martyrdom as this ? The sour apple of the hermit down below was nothing a trifle in comparison ! Was ever an unfortunate bibliomaniac dosed with such a medicine before ? It would have been enough to have cured the whole Roxburghe Club from meddling with libraries and books for ever and ever.

Curzon, Robert. Visits to monasteries in the Levant. London: John Murray, 1849.