tannin ink

Ingredients

tree bark, Pinus picea, Abies L., bashm

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

Soak bark of a tree in water until it gives up its juice. Then it is boiled until it becomes viscous. Then the liquid evaporates to leave it dry (p. 30). The tree mentioned is identified as Pinus picea or Abies L., also known as bashm (p. 30). Instead of the bark, the needles (kusim) may be used (p. 30).

Evidence

"In France and Germany, the break was made earlier. In the former, Jacob ben Meir gave the following recipe: Soak bark of a tree in water until it gives up its juice. Then it is boiled until it becomes viscous. Then the liquid evaporates to leave it dry."

Remarks

This represents a transition where tannin-based inks became permissible for sacred texts in European Jewish communities, breaking from the soot-ink tradition (p. 30).