SC - <<<SNIP>>>I make superfine sugar in my blender, could they nothave ground it very fine also? I don

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Nick Sasso wrote:
> 
>> I have information that sugar was ground in mortar and pestal in
order to make it usable.  Up until at least 15th century in Western
Europe cooks also had to use a sort of grater in order to get the sugar
from the compressed loaves that the sugar came in.  They didn't so much
have sacks of sugar in most of Europe, from what I have read, as we now
do until closer to the end of 17th century.  The grater made it similar
to crytal sugar, and a mortar was used to make it finer as needed.>>

I think a big factor in people's unwillingness to believe what can be,
and was, done with mortars is the simple fact that they've never tried,
or are just extremely lazy. Assuming they're not arthritic, or something
like that. Many people rationalize that the things they don't feel like
doing are impossible, but I've ground superfine sugar in a mortar, too,
and even made small quantities of flour (lacking a proper quern, but I
have a large granite mortar I use for all sorts of things, especially at
demos). It is by no means impossible, but not necessarily fun. On the
other hand, you'd be surprised what you can do when the alternative to
not doing it is not eating, or at least not eating what you'd like.
 
I've often wondered about the possible extent to which things like the
expansion of the Roman Empire  and feudalism were driven by the basic
desire to have someone else to grind your flour... 

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com
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