Sweetmeats for Christmas
I acquired a couple of books about Christmas the other day for £1 a piece with some really different bits and pieces in. One of these has a whole section for sweetmeats. Originally and traditionally "sweetmeats" referred to a table with lots of little bits and bobs of "tempters" to tease the palate and in the Victorian age to tempt the gentlemen to linger over port. A tradition that is carried on to this day although probably more better known in a different guise. What exactly are sweetmeats, Fudge, chocolate rum truffles, pretty frosted fruits, chocolate covered tangerines or grapes, coconut ice, Marzipan fruits, Turkish delight, Turrone, Torrone Molle Peppermint creams, toasted almonds or hazlenuts, sugared almonds etc etc. The tin of sweets on the coffee table that we all tuck into and nibble at whilst we are watching the Christmas TV (well that is the commercialised version) all constitute sweetmeats and come Christmas I always try and make a few...