SC - Well, First off, my apologies for posting this to the wrong list. We are going at it in our Kingdom

[Nick Sasso]

Well, First off, my apologies for posting this to the wrong list.  We are going at it in our Kingdom list about the use of various ingredients accurately and documenting variations.  It is a great thing to see happening on that list!

Now, as for my assertion that sugar would have been brownish in color comes from my limited understanding of the sugar making process and extraction of molasses in the whole procedure.  I was recently told by someone asserting to be authoratative in sugar making that extraction of the impurities in cane syrup was not as efficient in MA.  That would have yielded a slightly tinged crystal/loaf not unlike demarera (?).  

I am wondering if 'white' sugar is not a relative term. To diferentiate it from less refined or a darker sugars.  If there is a reference to 'white' sugar, then there logically must have been, somewhere, an 'unwhite' sugar.  I will be reading to try to find something related to that theory.

In Two Fifteenth Century Cookery Bokes, there is a recipe for Flathonys that instructs to cast sugar on the tart after baking, but does not, IIRK, call it white sugar.  That would be a textual difference from where I can start, would it not?  Mayhaps there is sugar and white sugar?

Just what I need....another ingredient research project.  The mustard has been fun, but sugar could take years :o)

pacem et bonum,

niccolo difrancesco

In a message dated 10/6/99 4:26:04 PM Eastern Daylight Time, njs at mccalla.com 
writes:

<< This was brownish in color and available in 'loafs' that were shaped 
something >>

There are several references to 'white' sugar in Le Manegier. Where did the 
idea that sugar was brown in period come from? I have seen no period 
references describing it as anything other than white.

Ras
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
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