SC - treackle

[allilyn at juno.com]

Hi Kateryn,

I don't know about treacle, specifically, but the Portugese were
processing--making their slaves process--cane sugar in the 15th C.  A PBS
series on 'Black Africa' did some comment on this.  Since molasses, or
treacle, is a by-product of the sugar making process, then it would have
existed.  Was it exported?  Did anybody make it into pie?  
Hess, in 'Martha Washington's Cookbook', says:
"Treacle, a sovereign remedy, appeared on Old English unchanged from Old
French triacle, which inb turn came from Late Latin triaca, antidote for
a venomous bite (OED), "  and says lots more.
It was used as a broad-spectrum cure-all.  There might be a number of
ingredients, 30 or more.  The treacle of Andromachus is attributed to
Nero's physician, but may have been Greek, going back into antiquity. 
London treacle was a relative newcomer, associated with molasses. 
Probably 17th C.  In the 17th C., treacle  came to be used in baked
gingerbread; she gives a recipe for pepper cakes using treacle.
Lady Fettiplace, at the end of the 16th C, is still considering Venice
triacle to be a medicine.
Markham's glossary mentions neither treacle or molasses.


Regards,
Allison,     allilyn at juno.com

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