Dragée
Type | Confectionery |
---|---|
A dragée[1] (/ˈdrɑːʒeɪ/ DRAH-zhay or /dræˈʒeɪ/ dra-ZHAY; French: [dʁa.ʒe]), is a bite-sized confectionery with a hard outer shell.
Use
Jordan almonds
In their most classic form of dragée and comfit, Jordan almonds, also known as koufeta,[2] consist of almonds which are sugar panned in various pastel colors.[3]
Jordan almonds are often used as
The term Jordan is most likely a corrupted version of the French word jardin, meaning "garden", hence, a cultivated rather than wild almond.[6][7] However, others suggest the term referred to a variety of almonds originally grown along the Jordan River characterized by long, thin, slender, rather smooth kernels in thick, heavy shells.[8]
Jordan almonds are thought to be derived from honey-covered almonds found in
Still others believe that Jordan is a corruption of the name of the town of Verdun in the northeast of France. In the 13th century, when the medieval crusaders brought sugar to Europe after their campaigns in the Holy Land, it was very valuable and considered medicinal. During that time, an apothecary in Verdun began coating other medicines with sugar (calling them dragées) to make them easier to take.[5] The town of Verdun became very well known for its dragées de Verdun.
Panned chocolate
Other chocolate dragées with multi-colored candy shells are M&M's. Initially designed to allow easy transport and consumption of chocolate for the U.S. military, they have evolved into a popular candy, but are also sold as decorative dragées in 25 different colors.
Easter
In Portugal sugared almonds ('amêndoas de Páscoa') are the most traditional treat and gift rather than chocolate eggs. Entire aisles in supermarkets may be devoted to them in the run-up to Easter itself.
Medicinal dragées
Used to increase tolerability of bitter medication, medicated candies or sugar-coated pills can be referred to as dragées.
Metallic decorative balls
Another form of dragée is a small sphere of sugar, in the Commonwealth often called a cachou, used primarily in the
Silver dragées have long been used for both wedding and holiday food decoration. More recently, metallic gold, copper, rainbow colors (red, green, blue, etc.), and
In most countries, including the
See also
References
- Ancient Greekτραγήματα (tragḗmata) 'sweets, treats' (cf. τρώγω 'to eat'), through Latin tragēmata 'sweets' and French dragée 'a sweet with almond filling'
- ^ Chu, Anita. Field Guide to Candy: How to Identify and Make Virtually Every Candy Imaginable. Philadelphia: Quirk, 2009.
- ISBN 978-0-8342-1297-8.
- ^ Chu, Anita. Field Guide to Candy: How to Identify and Make Virtually Every Candy Imaginable. Philadelphia: Quirk, 2009
- ^ a b c d "Jordan Almonds – The Delicious Mystery – Candy Atlas". Candy Atlas. Retrieved 2015-10-29.
- ^ Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, 17th edition, 2005, p. 750.
- ^ The History of The “Confetti of Sulmona” and the Pelino House Archived October 22, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "CPG Sec. 570.100 Jordan Almonds – Common or Usual Name". Fda.gov. 1941-10-20. Retrieved 2013-01-06.
- ^ a b c Office of Regulatory Affairs (2020-02-14). "CPG Sec 545.200 Confectionery Decorations (Nutritive and Non-Nutritive)". U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
- ^ Meisler, Andy (December 18, 2005). "A Tempest on a Tea Cart". The Los Angeles Times.
Sources
- Dictionnaire de Français Larousse (1996). ISBN 2-03-320222-4
- Richardson, Tim (2002), Sweets: A History of Candy, Bloomsbury. ISBN 1-58234-307-1