Sugar and almonds from the Orient

Today there is no longer any doubt that the Near East is the place of origin of the almond-sugar mixture. Here almond trees flourished, and here sugar cane, originating in India, was already being cultivated during the lifetime of the celebrated physician Galenos von Pergamon. Marzipan, today referred to in Persia as "gaz", was served as the crowning culinary delight at the banquets of the caliphs. For an especially successful poem, the poet Al Mutanabbi (d. 965) received a fish sculpted from almonds and sugar, served in a dish of honey.

With Arab rule, the sweet confections came to Spain and Portugal, where the tradition was carried on in Toledo and Portogao. From the early Middle Ages, however, central Europe maintained close trade relations with the lands of the East, from which spices and silks, sugar and almonds were imported. The Crusades deepened understanding of the Oriental way of life, and greatly strengthened these relationships. Venice was the transshipping point for the goods which began the difficult land journey to Augsburg and Vienna. For the coastal cities, however, the sea route was more secure, although longer.

From Lübeck records it can be seen that in 1299 an unloading fee of one penny had to be paid for three sacks of almonds. In the 14th century, the importation of almonds, rice and figs was recorded frequently, but that of sugar was recorded only three times. Medieval cookbooks give an insight into the lavish use of almonds, even in meat and fish dishes.

Sugar was still very rare, even in the 15th century. Whether Lübeck at this time received ready-made electuaries (medicinal mixtures with sugar, in the form of a paste) and confectionery by way of Venice and Antwerp cannot be ascertained. For sugar, fantastic prices were paid, and these fell slightly only when, with the discovery of America, new areas of cultivation for sugar cane were opened up. However, prices still remained high enough to allow sugar to appear - in incredibly extravagant amounts - only on the tables of the upper classes.