Fun Facts For Food
Fun Facts for August
Once a symbol of wealth and prosperity, sugar is now so commonplace and inexpensive that it takes a good deal of effort to avoid using it. Sugar is extracted from plant sources (sugar beets or sugar cane) and then refined into the desired form. Most syrups (maple syrup, corn syrup, molasses, and honey) are also derived from plants.
Sugars
BROWN:
Granular; refined sugar with some impurities left in or molasses added; light to medium brown; moister than white sugar; slight molasses flavor.
MUSCOVADO:
Granular brown sugar that has undergone little processing soft and moist; dark brown with pronounced molasses flavor.
DEMERARA:
Partially refined sugar in large crystals, golden brown, dissolves slowly.
TURBINADO:
Course granular sugar that is slightly more refined than Demerara sugar; golden brown
WHITE, COURSE:
Pure, refined sugar in large crystals; dissolves slowly; also known as preserving sugar.
WHITE, GRANULATED:
Pure, refined sugar in small, evenly sized crystals.
WHITE, SUPERFINE:
Pure , refined sugar in very small crystals, dissolves quickly; also known as bar sugar.
CONFECTIONER’S:
Very finely powdered , pure refined sugar, usually mixed with a small amount of cornstarch to prevent clumping; also known as 10X.
WHITE, LUMP:
Pure, refined, granulated sugar pressed into small cubes or tablets; also known as cube sugar.
Syrups
CORN:
Liquified sugar extracted from corn; less sweet than sugar; comes in light (pale yellow) and dark (deep amber).
MAPLE:
Liquified sugar made from the concentrated sap of the sugar maple; golden brown.
TREACLE:
A liquid by-product of sugar refining, not widely used in the United States; light od dark; flavor resembles molasses.
FLAVORED:
Sugar or other syrup with added flavoring; common types are cassis (black current), grenadine (pomegranate), maple.
MOLASSES:
Thick, dark brown liquid by product of sugar refining; rich flavor but less sweet than sugar; comes in sulfured, unsulfered, and blackstrap.
HONE:
Thick, pale straw yellow to deep brown liquid; creamed honeys are moist and granular; may be packaged with honeycomb, whole or in pieces; sweeter than sugar
