[Sca-cooks] Very early sugar candy recipes- 12th century

[James Chevallier]

Those :with a particular interest in sugar might want to look at Andy Smith's "Global History" of the subject:



Sugar: A Global History
By Andrew F. Smith


https://books.google.com/books?id=thV4BgAAQBAJ&pg=PT7&dq=inauthor:smith+intitle:sugar&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwitqIz2gqrSAhVmiFQKHdhQCFwQ6AEIHjAB#v=onepage&q=Arab&f=false


Jim Chevallier
www.chezjim.com




-----Original Message-----
From: Johnna Holloway <johnnae at mac.com>
To: SCA_Subtleties at yahoogroups.com E-List <SCA_Subtleties at yahoogroups.com>; Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Sent: Fri, Feb 24, 2017 4:23 pm
Subject: [Sca-cooks] Very early sugar candy recipes- 12th century

Hi AllI have been doing some research into early sugar and candy recipes and in the course of that research I came across mention of the Mappae Clavicula manuscripts. Being the librarian that I am, I started hunting for information and eventually found an English translation.Mappae Clavicula: A Little Key to the World of Medieval Techniques Author(s): Cyril Stanley Smith and John G. Hawthorne Source: Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, Vol. 64, No. 4 (1974), pp. 1-128 Published by: American Philosophical Society Available through Jstor.  Accessed: 29-01-2017 00:48 UTC On page  4, the authors note “This is the Mappae Clavicula. Of this there exist a fragment from the early ninth century, an extended manuscript of the tenth century, and the most complete one dating from the twelfth century, which we translate here.” On page 19: “The compiler of the Mappae Clavicula incorporated all this: in addition he included some freshly translated accounts of Arabic alloys, north European runes, ancient Greek pneumatic toys, and a number of other recipes from various places on pigments and dyes, alcohol, sugar candy, coffer-dam construction, and incendiary mixtures.”So while most of the manuscript concerns pigments, processes, alchemy, et cetera, there are then these three noted candy recipes. The candy recipes in translation are: 285. The recipe for sesame candyThe recipe for sesame candy. Put white pure honey near a moderate fire in a tinned [pan] and stir it unceasingly with a spatula. Place it alternately near the fire and away from the fire, and while it is being stirred more extensively, repeatedly put it near and away from the fire, stirring it without interruption until it becomes thick and viscous. When it is sufficiently thickened, pour it out on a [slab of] marble and let it cool for a little. Afterwards, hang it on an iron bolt and pull it out very thinly and fold it back, doing this frequently until it turns white as it should. Then twist and shape on the marble, gather it up and serve it properly.  286. Sugar candy Now by a similar cooking process [put] some sugar soaked in a little water in a tinned [pan] and defroth it when it boils and strain it well in a colander. In this way, after adding in the ingredients that you know, stir it unceasingly until it reaches [the correct] consistency. Pour it out in separate pieces on a marble [slab] that has been lightly oiled. Carefully cool the pieces on the marble, separate them from it by hand and keep them properly.[footnote 195]  287. Penidias candy Now penidias candy [is made] like sesame candy after the sugar has been defrothed and strained, but without stirring it. When it has been fully cooked, work it on the bolt as described above, then shape it by cutting with shears. [Footnote 195] On the history of sugar, see M. F. Deerr (1949). Although sugar was known in classical antiquity it was not much used in Europe until the twelfth century, after Arabic influence. [This source would be: DEERR, N. F. 1949-1950. The History of Sugar (2 v., London).]I’ve posted this to my blog and the account can be found there as well as here.http://commonplaceboke.blogspot.com/2017/02/subtleties-early-sugar-recipes-from.html <http://commonplaceboke.blogspot.com/2017/02/subtleties-early-sugar-recipes-from.html>Additional information about the Mappae Clavicula may be found here:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mappae_clavicula <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mappae_clavicula>http://www.cmog.org/library/manuscript-mappae-clavicula <http://www.cmog.org/library/manuscript-mappae-clavicula>http://letteraturaartistica.blogspot.com/2015/10/mappae-clavicula-origins-of-alchemy-in.html <http://letteraturaartistica.blogspot.com/2015/10/mappae-clavicula-origins-of-alchemy-in.html>Johnnae _______________________________________________Sca-cooks mailing listSca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.orghttp://lists.ansteorra.org/listinfo.cgi/sca-cooks-ansteorra.org