Deborah's Pantry of test-driven and hard to find culinary supplies

Each Pantry item comes packaged in a manner reproducing 18th century packaging using contemporary images and extant examples, whether packaged in paper packets, cloth bags, or glass or earthenware containers.

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The Sugars, Sugar Candies,
and Syrups

Brown, caster, and muscovado sugars;
lump sugar and sugar loaf

"A sweet juice extracted out of canes growing in the West Indies, which being bruised and pressed are put into vessels, where the liquor is boiled 7 times, till it is brought to a consistence, by means of lemon juice." (John Nott)

Honey was not commonly used in the colonies simply because the taste of sugar was preferred.

Sugar, Caster 2 oz, $.75 Used in cooking when the finest sugar is needed; scraped off the sugar loaf and ground in a mortar. This is NOT modern confectioners' sugar.	Sugar, Caster 1 lb, $3.50 Used in cooking when the finest sugar is needed; scraped off the sugar loaf and ground in a mortar. This is NOT modern confectioners' sugar.
Sugar, Muscovada / Muscovado 4 oz, $1.20 Coarse, brown crystals of minimally processed sugar. Good for kitchen use.	Sugar, Muscovada / Muscovado 1 lb, $2.50 Coarse, brown crystals of minimally processed sugar. Good for kitchen use.
Sugar, Brown 2 oz, $.50 Similar to muscovado, except slightly lighter in colour and harder; further whitened by removing impurities.	Sugar, Brown 1 lb, $2.75 Similar to muscovado, except slightly lighter in colour and harder; further whitened by removing impurities.
Loaf and Lump Sugar Double-refined, in blue paper wrap. "The purple paper 'round loaf sugar boiled in cider or vinegar in an iron pot with a small bit of alum make a fine purple slate color..." (John Pearson) Sugar was purchased in tall conical loaves. Pieces were cut from them with special sugar-cutting implements. Well-to-do households bought whole sugar loaves, but smaller quantities could be purchased from the apothecaries (originally sugar was treated as a spice), and later from apothecaries and grocers. Loaf sugar is suitable for use in cooking and baking without being clarified further (boiled to remove scum). Sugar Loaves may not be available for immediate shipment: Deborah refines the sugar and makes the loaves herself, and the curing process is very time-consuming. If you have an urgent need, especially for the larger sizes, please contact Deborah for estimated delivery. Availability is subject to current stock and current stage of processing.
Loaf Sugar 2 lb, $10.00	Loaf Sugar 5 lb, $18.00
Loaf Sugar 7 lb, $22.00	Loaf Sugar 25 lb, $55.00
Sugar, Lump 1 oz, $2.00 Irregular lumps cut off sugar loaves.	Sugar, Lump 2 oz, $3.50 Irregular lumps cut off sugar loaves.
Sugar Sampler Four corked jars in an attractive box. One ounce each brown, caster, lump and muscovado sugars. $18.50	Sugar Sampler One ounce each brown, caster, lump and muscovado sugars wrapped in paper. $8.50

Brown sugar in a cone shape was non-existent in Western Europe and the colonies.
The process of refining sugar was to remove the molasses and other impurities and leave a clean white sugar. One of the steps in the whitening process was to place the unrefined sugar in a cone with a hole at the bottom to drain out the impurities.

Mexican candies known as Piloncillo, Panela or Panocha Cane Sugar have been and are still offered as loaf sugar. Buyer beware!

Sugar Candies

Yellow, white, and brown candies

"Candy, or Sugar-Candy, is a preparation of sugar, made by melting and crystallizing it six or seven times over to render it hard and transparent. It is of three kinds, white, yellow and red. The white comes from the loaf sugar, the yellow from the cassonado, and the red from muscovado." (Encyclopaedia Brittanica, 1771)

Refined sugar is clarified and crystallized by slow evaporation. Brown sugar candy was made by using muscovado sugar rather than white, and red sugar candy was achieved by the addition of Indian fig juice. More research is needed on this red sugar candy, so it is not offered here.

White Sugar Candy 2 oz, $2.25	White Sugar Candy 8 oz bag, $8.00
Brown Sugar Candy 2 oz, $2.25	Brown Sugar Candy 8 oz bag, $8.00
Yellow Sugar Candy 2 oz, $2.25	Yellow Sugar Candy 8 oz bag, $8.00

Syrups

"Syrup, composition of a thick consistence, made of the juice of herbs, flowers or fruits...Herb is defined to be a plant that is not woody, and haves that Part which appears above Ground, every year, as Parsley, etc." (N Bradley)

Orangeado, Raspberry and Sugar Syrups

Syrups were often medicinal and should be carefully researched prior to use.

Black-berrie Syrup
5 oz bottle, $9.00

Orange Syrup
5 oz bottle, $9.00

Often called "Orangeado."

Raspberry Syrup
5 oz bottle, $8.00

A thick liquid made by cooking raspberry juice with sugar to the desired consistency; used to add a red color to various fruit and pastry dishes.

Sugar Syrup
5 oz bottle, $9.00

John Malcom at the South Sugar house on December 5, 1765: "better and cheaper for sweetening Coffee."