Bitter taste for makers of old sweets

I FEASTED on BBC 2’s The Sweet Makers, where modern day confectioners went back in time to make the sweets our ancestors snacked on.

Modern snack makers Andy, Diana, Paul and Cynthia, pictured below, dressed up as servants in Haddon Hall Derbyshire to recreate recipes from 400 years ago.

Apparently, sugar was reserved for the aristocrats. Those who wanted recipes cooked with this new ingredient had to employ cooks to create the dishes.

As the team got to grips with the freezing ancient kitchen, the sugar of the day came in what looked like elephant dungshaped packs. Cooking in primitive conditions had the gang really struggling. Chocolatier Diana nearly set herself on fire and Cynthia moaned that she wouldn’t need to go to the gym after having to do so much by hand.

Eventually they finished their first round of dishes and I have to say that the waffles, fermented oranges and marzipan and sugar house didn’t really whet my appetite.

Give me a Creme Egg or a Topic bar anytime.