[Sca-cooks] sponge sugar

[Suey]

Johnna defined panal de azucar or sponge sugar as "azucarillos" but Placido Domingo at http://www.amazon.ca/Zarzuela-Companion-Placido-Domingo/dp/0810844478explains explains that it is translated as "'meringues', in (Federico)Chueca's day (1846-1908)'azucarillo' was a honeycomb-like 'meringue' made from sugar syrup, egg whites and lemon juice, it could be eaten as a "golosina" (meringue) but more commonly the 'aguadora' (water seller)would place a chunk of azucarillo to soak in her earthen-ware water jug to 'endulzarla' (sweeten it, the water) and to 'templar su crudeza' (to make it more palatable), not dissimilar to the 'panal de azúcar' or the 'esponjado' served with cold water. 
	http://historiasdelagastronomia.blogspot.com/2006/05/el-azcar-de-la-caa-al-terrn-traves-del.html explains that it is a sweet produced by making a sugar syrup to which lemon is added. The latter gives it spongy or honeycombed affect. This is called pink sugar also in Spanish.
Suey