On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 1227
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Takeapintofsugarandone-thirdofapint
ofalmondsandgrindbothtogetherfine,
thenscentwithcamphor.Takeone-thirdof
apintofsugar,anddissolveinanounceof
rose-wateroveraslowfire,thenremove.
Whencooled,throwinthegroundsugar
andalmonds,andknead.Ifthemixture
needsstrengthening,addmoresugarand
almonds.Makeintomiddlingpieces,
melons,triangles,etc.Thenlayonadish
andserve.
—KitabalTabikh,transl.A.J.
Arberry
InEurope:
ASpiceandMedicine
WesternEuropeansfirstencounteredsugar
duringtheirCrusadestotheHolyLandinthe
11thcentury.ShortlythereafterVenice
becamethehubofthesugartradefromArab
countriestotheWest,andthefirstlarge
shipmenttoEnglandthatweknowofcamein
1319.Atfirst,Europeanstreatedsugarthe
waytheytreatedpepper,ginger,andother
exoticimports,asaflavoringandamedicine.
InmedievalEurope,sugarwasusedintwo
generalsortsofpreparations:preservedfruits
andflowers,andsmallmedicinalmorsels.
Sweets,orcandy,begannotaslittle
entertainingtreatsbutas“confections”(from
theLatinconficere,“toputtogether,”“to
prepare”)composedbytheapothecaries,or
druggists,tobalancethebody’sprinciples.
Sugarservedseveralmedicinalpurposes.Its
sweetnesscoveredthebitternessofsome
drugsandmadeallpreparationsmore
pleasant.Itsmeltabilityandstickinessmadeit
agoodvehicleformixingandcarryingother
ingredients.Thesolidityofafusedmassof
sugarmeantthatitcouldreleaseitsmedicine
slowlyandgradually.Anditsownsupposed
effectonthebody—encouragingbothheat
andmoisture—wasthoughttobalancethe
