Treacle
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Treacle is the generic name for any syrup made during the refining of sugar cane[1] and is defined as "uncrystallized syrup produced in refining sugar".[2]
The most common forms of Treacle are the pale syrup that is also known as golden syrup and the darker syrup that is usually referred to as dark treacle or black treacle. Dark treacle has a distinctively strong flavour, slightly bitter, and a richer colour than golden syrup, yet not as dark as molasses.
Treacle is used chiefly in cooking as a form of sweetener.
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[edit] History
Historically, the Middle English term triacle[3] was used by herbalists and apothecaries to describe a medicine (also called theriac or theriaca) — composed of many ingredients or one — that was used as an antidote treatment for poisons, snakebites or various ailments.[2]
In Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Chapter 7, the Dormouse tells a story of Elsie, Lacie and Tilly living at the bottom of a well, which confuses Alice, who interrupts to ask. "The Dormouse again took a minute or two to think about it, and then said, 'It was a treacle-well.'" When Alice remonstrated, she was stopped by the Mad Hatter's analogy: "You can draw water out of a water-well, so I should think you could draw treacle out of a treacle-well." "Alice said very humbly. "I won't interrupt you again. I dare say there may be one".[4]
[edit] Production
Treacle is made from syrups that remain after sugar is removed from the refining process. The sugar cane or sugar beets are crushed, then the juice boiled to specific consistencies for crystallization, treacle being one of a group of named syrups extracted during this process.
[edit] See also
- Treacle mining
- Treacle sponge pudding
- Venice treacle, also known as Treacle of Andromachus
[edit] References
- ^ "Treacle Origins and Uses at www.recipes4us.co.uk". http://www.recipes4us.co.uk/Specials%20and%20Holidays/Treacle%20Origin%20Uses%20Recipes.htm.
- ^ a b Oxford Dictionary ISBN 9781851521012
- ^ From Old French triacle, derived from Latin theriaca, meaning "antidote to poison" (OED, s.v. "treacle").
- ^ Taking Carroll's nonsense seriously, some have imagined that wells or springs believed to contain curative water were known as "treacle wells".
[edit] External links
Old 'Recipes4us' page "Treacle Origin"
CSR Sugar company of Australia - Treacle
Sugar Australia website - refiner and marketer for CSR limited.
