Libre de totes maneres de confits
- Year
- c.1380
- Origin
- Spain · Europe
- Language
- Catalan
- Category
- Medieval European
Libre de totes maneres de confits is an anonymous medieval Catalan manuscript dating from the late fourteenth century, devoted entirely to confectionery, preserves, syrups and candied fruits. As one of the earliest surviving European treatises focused exclusively on sugar work, it documents the techniques and ingredients of Iberian confectioners at a time when sugar was a costly luxury, reflecting the Mediterranean trade networks and Arab culinary influences that shaped Catalan cuisine.
Cooking from this book
Codonyat
Signature dishCodonyat, a dense quince paste set firm enough to slice, stands as the emblem of this medieval Catalan compendium. The manuscript gathers techniques for preserving fruits in honey and sugar, candying peels and roots, and conjuring sweetmeats fit for apothecary and noble table alike. Quince, prized for its keeping qualities and perfumed flesh, sits at the heart of that tradition, and codonyat remains a living link between the book's fourteenth century world and the Iberian sweet pantry today.
An editorial note on a dish associated with this book, written for The Coquinist. It is not a reproduction of the book's recipe.
