SC - SC: Candied Ginger

[David Salley]

>I would also like to have the recipe.  I would suggest, however, that 
>it would 
>be more appropriate and easier on you to post the recipe here.  That 
>is an 
>avowed purpose of the list - the sharing of period recipes.
>
>Willem
>----
>Stonewall Van Wie III         svanwie at davlin.net

Okay, I give up! I never thought there would be this much interest! 
:-D. Thanks to Dame Alys Katharine of Ashthorne Glen who first turned me
on to this stuff. I don't make it exactly the same way she did, but her's
was the first peel I tried that I actually liked. It looks a lot harder
than it is. It takes days to make, but only a few minutes per day. 

Happy Eating!

Julleran (kathe1 at juno.com)

Candied Peel

"a goodlye secret for to condite or confite Orenges, citrons, and all
other fruites in sirrop", a recipe from Thomas Dawson, THE SECOND PART OF
THE GOOD HUS-WIVES JEWELL, 1597.

"Take Cytrons and cut them in peeces, taking out of them the juice or
substance, then boyle them in freshe water halfe an hower untilll they be
tender, and when you take them out, cast them into cold water, leave them
there a good while, then set them on the fire againe in other freshe
water, doo but heate it a little with a small fire, for it not seeth, but
let it simper a little, continue thus eight daies together heating them
every day inn hot water: some heat the watre but one day, to the end that
the citron be not too tender, but change the freshe water at night to
take out the bitternesse of the pilles, the which being taken away, you
must tkae suger or Honey clarified wherein you must the citrons put,
having first wel dried them from the water, & in winter you must keep
them from the frost, & in the Sommer you shal leave them there all night,
and a day and a night in HOnie, then boile the Honie or Sugar by it selfe
without the orenges or Citrons by the space of halfe an hower or lesse
with a little fire, and being colde set it agiane to the fire with the
space of halfe an hower or lesse with a litle fire, and being colde set
it againe to the fire with the Citrons, continuing so two mornings: if
you wil put Honnie in water and not suger, you must clarifie it tow
times, and straine it through a strayner: having thus warmed and
clarified it you shall straine and sett it againe to the fire, with
Citrons onely, making them to boyle with a soft fire the spae of a
quarter of an houre, then take it from the fire & let it rest at every
time you do it, a day & a night: the next morning you shall boyle it
again together the space of half an hower, and doo so two morninges, to
the end that the Honie or Suger may be well incorporated with the
Citrons. All the cumuing sonsisteth in the boyling of this sirrope
togetehr with teh Citrons, and also the Sirrope by it selfe, and heerein
heede must be takken that it take not the smoke, so that it savour not
the fire: In this manner may be drest the Peaches, or lemmons Orenges,
Apples, green Malnuts, and other liste being boile more or lesse,
according to the nature of the fruits."

Redaction:

Take the peels from citrus fruit, cover with water and simmer for about
20 minutes. Drain, cover with cold water and let sit for about 8 hours.
Drain, cover with cold water and simmer for about 20 minutes. Drain,
cover with cold water and let sit for about 8 hours. (Repeat until peel
is tender and water is relatively clear. Number of times varies depending
on type of fruit and thickness of peel.) Remove excess pith after second
or third simmering, depending on tenderness.

Cut peel into bite-sized pieces, simmer again and save the water. Add
sugar to the water and boil it to make a syrup. Add peels and remove from
heat. Let sit overnight. Simmer peel in syrup until syrup is almost gone
and peel is translucent. Spread peel on cookie sheets to dry. (May be
speeded up by placing cookie sheets into a hot oven *after* you turn it
off.)