Orchid Research and Salep

My research into the world of orchids is still in its infancy, but what I have learned so far has been fascinating to say the least. Not long ago, I wrote a blog post about incredible specimens of amber that were found with insects preserved inside, carrying extinct orchid pollen dating as far back as the Miocene and Cretaceous periods. It was a thrill to look that far back, but my next stop in this historical journey brings me to a place that feels a bit more familiar yet no less legendary: ancient Mesopotamia.

a depiction of King Ashurbanipal from relief carvings

Mesopotamia was situated within the Tigris and Euphrates river basins in the northern part of what was called the Fertile Crescent. While we know this area today as Iraq, it also reached into parts of Iran, Turkey, Syria, and Kuwait. One of the most significant hubs of this region was the ancient city of Nineveh, which eventually became the capital of the Assyrian Empire. At its peak around 700 BC, it was actually the largest city in the world, renowned for its art, education, and culture. It even boasted beautiful gardens, parks, and a zoo.

The man ruling over this empire from 669 BC until his death was King Ashurbanipal. He was such a unique figure because he was a true scholar-king; he often depicted himself wielding weapons right alongside a stylus to showcase his knowledge of literature and mathematics (Britannica, n.d.). He established the world’s first "universal" library in Nineveh, which is considered the most comprehensive and systematically organized library in history (British Museum, n.d.). It is estimated to have housed over 100,000 texts, remaining unmatched in size until the Library of Alexandria was built centuries later.

When researchers excavated the site of his Royal Library in 1849, they found the broken and scattered remains of this massive collection. Among the tablets were the famous Epic of Gilgamesh and the "Flood Tablet," which recorded a story of a great flood that, until then, was only known from the Bible. However, they also found something a little more domestic: ingredient lists for recipes. These clay tablets referenced elaborate meals that called for rare ingredients, including dates, apples, figs, pomegranates, and saffron. Most interestingly for my research, they specifically listed orchid root harvested for the table (Popa et al., 2020).

The orchid roots mentioned were likely species of the tuberous Orchis genus, along with edible species of Disa, Habenaria, and Eulophia, all of which were widely distributed across Northern Africa and Central Asia. While we do not know exactly why the orchids were consumed as they were in ancient Mesopotamia, we can speculate based on other historical references. Edible flowers were used in various cultures to enhance flavors or aromas, and often for their aesthetic value in royal cooking (Erdoğan, n.d.).

After the death of Ashurbanipal around 627 BC, the Neo-Assyrian Empire began to fall apart due to intense civil wars. By 612 BC, Nineveh was destroyed, but those clay tablets survived the ruins, preserving the knowledge of their culinary use of orchids. This ancient practice eventually evolved into something called Salep.

More modern images by way of botanical drawings of the orchids mentioned above

Botanical drawing of Eulophia Virens from 1866

Botanical drawing of Disa Uniflora from 1911

Botanical drawing of Habanera procera  from 1858

Botanical drawing of Orchis mascula from between 1917 and 1926

So what is Salep (Saw-lep)?

Salep has a history that dates back to the 8th century in Anatolia, or modern-day Turkey. It was used as a beverage and as a flavoring for dishes alongside rosewater, honey, or orange flowers (The Istanbul Insider, n.d.). The orchids used to produce Salep are those with underground tubers, such as Orchis mascula. The name mascula is actually Latin for "virile" or "male," which is quite apt because the tubers of the plant look remarkably like a pair of testicles. When the tubers are ready for harvest, the older ones are removed from the soil, washed, and boiled. This boiling process is important because it stops the potential growth of another tuber, essentially "locking in" the starch. Once cleaned, they are laid out in the sun to dry until they are hard enough to be processed in a mill and turned into flour. This flour contains a nutritious polysaccharide called glucomannan, a soluble dietary fiber that is very hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs water and thickens beautifully. Historically, Salep has been used to treat digestion problems like heartburn or gas almost like an ancient version of Pepto Bismol (Erdoğan, n.d.).

Because of its popularity over the centuries, as well as modern construction and population growth in the Middle East, the wild populations of these orchids have declined. It is now actually illegal to import or export real, true Salep flour because the ecosystem is so fragile (The Istanbul Insider, n.d.). Modern formulations usually substitute other starches for the orchid flour, often served with hot milk and garnished with cinnamon.

I recently reached out to a friend on Facebook who travels a lot to see if they were familiar with the drink. We had a great discussion about it, and they suggested a store where I might find it. As soon as Josh and I finished our workday, we hopped in the car and headed to the next town over. We wandered the aisles for a while, and I even ended up buying eight pounds of persimmons, before we finally found it near the Turkish Delight. It was a small box with several packets of mix, and since they only had two left, I grabbed them both.

Once we got home, I was so eager to see what it tasted like. I took a total shortcut and heated some milk in the microwave (please don't judge me!) and used my milk frother to mix in the ingredients. I added a tiny bit of sugar and a dash of cinnamon, and that first sip was just absolutely cozy. I can see why it is so popular in the colder months. I shared some with Josh, though I ended up finishing the cup myself. I’ve since realized that my microwave shortcut wasn't the ideal way to prepare it. Next time, I plan to boil the milk on the stove to let the mix thicken properly; from what I have read, it should be just a bit thinner than a melted milkshake.

It has been so neat to connect the dots of orchids through history and see how they have been used. I know I am only touching the tip of the iceberg, but I look forward to what I learn in the future. Just today, I went to the monthly meeting of the Triad Orchid Society. Each meeting, members bring orchids from their collections to be rated by an American Orchid Society judge. One of the plants caught my eye and I recognized the name immediately: it was a Habenaria! I told the owner all about how that species was documented as a food source in ancient Mesopotamia. She had no idea, and another member even suggested I set up a display at a future show to share these historical findings. I am really looking forward to what lies ahead!

I'm really looking forward to what lies ahead!

Orchis mascula in it's
natural environment

Some more information on Orchis mascula

Scientific Classification

• Kingdom: Plantae
• Clade: Tracheophytes
• Clade: Angiosperms
• Clade: Monocots
• Order: Asparagales
• Family: Orchidaceae
• Subfamily: Orchidoideae
• Tribe: Orchideae
• Subtribe: Orchidinae
• Genus: Orchis
• Species: Orchis mascula

When it comes to the actual plant itself, Orchis mascula is a hardy perennial that generally stands about 20 to 24 inches tall. If you saw one in the wild, you’d notice its leaves are clustered right at the base of the stem, they’re oblong and usually a pale green, sometimes decorated with distinct brownish-purple spots. Interestingly, even though this orchid doesn't actually produce any nectar, it’s a bit of a master of deception; it still manages to lure in pollinators like bees, wasps, and the occasional beetle. The sheer range of where this species grows is pretty incredible. You can find it stretching all the way from Portugal and Ireland up through Scandinavia and into Russia. It also makes its home in Northern Africa and across the Middle East as far as Iran. Because it’s so adaptable, it pops up in all sorts of spots, meadows, mountain pastures, and deep forests, thriving in both bright sun and cool shade. It’s also quite the climber, growing everywhere from sea level up to altitudes of 8,000 feet.

References

Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. (n.d.). Ashurbanipal. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ashurbanipal

British Museum. (n.d.). A library fit for a king. https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/library-fit-king

Erdoğan, N. (n.d.). Salep: Turkey's underground treasure. The New Gastronome. https://thenewgastronome.com/salep/

Popa, F., Popa, A., & Cantor, M. (2020). History of orchids: A history of discovery, lust and wealth. Scientific Papers. Series B, Horticulture, LXIV(1), 589–594. https://horticulturejournal.usamv.ro/pdf/2020/issue_1/Art76.pdf

The Istanbul Insider. (n.d.). Salep and boza: History and recipe of special Turkish winter drinks. https://theistanbulinsider.com/salep-and-boza-history-and-recipe-of-special-turkish-winter-drinks/