SC - Sugar

[Decker, Terry D.]

> One wonders if they meant white sugar (ie finely refined and purified) vs
> Broun (ie not so finely refined and purified), as opposed to the molasses
> containing stuff we have now? Do you actually GET brown sugar in the
> period
> refining process? or do you get more "sugar in the raw", which is also a
> shade of brown?
> 
> --AM, who likes turbinado in all kinds of dishes :)
> 
Yes, you get brown sugar in the period refining process.  The initial
refining produces a deep brown sludge loaded with molasses.  Mexican
peloncillo is a dark brown sugar loaf usually poured during the first or
second cooking.  As the molasses is extracted, the sugar gets lighter in
color until you reach white.  Much of the modern brown sugar is white sugar
which has the refined molasses reintroduced.  IIRC, turbinado and "sugar in
the raw" are actually extracted earlier in the refining process so it can be
said they were not made with refined white sugar.

While the hardware has changed, the actual process of refining sugar is very
similar to what archeologists believe it was when it was introduced around
500 BCE.

Bear

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