Orengat (Candied Orange Peel)

Scully points out that Andrew Boorde, in his A Dyetary of Health, (286) says,

Orenges doth make a man to have a good appetyde, and so doth the ryndes, if they be in sucre, they do comfort the stomache; the juce is a good sauce and doth provoke an appetyde.

The Menagier de Paris says it takes nine days...ummmmmm NO.

I have made candied orange peel with modern sugar/simple syrup but this recipe from the Scullys' Early French Cookery seemed like fun so I ate an orange before taking Luna for a walk this morning and saved the peel. I am brainstorming for something to take to the upcoming Baronial Event Terpsichore, which includes a dessert revel. I found a grapefruit and rosemary madelaine idea on pinterest . Not sure if madelaines are period... but ANYWAY... I did this

with HONEY AND GINGER!!

Scully and Scully were rocking 2 cups of julienned peel and I just had the one so I did have to reduce the portions, no thang.

So they boiled the prepped peel for ten minutes,drained and repeat.
then make a syrup out of honey, water and ginger, cook till syrup is absorbed
finally lay to dry, sprinkle with sugar. But...I thought...sugar was... hmmmm...here I found some questionable modern additions like dry flake coconut and chopped nuts. I left mine naked.

What was interesting was that the water from the initial boil took on a lot of color. It was really quite pretty.

It made me start thinking. I know waste was looked upon quite frowningly and thus medieval cooks used as much of everything as they could,what could I do with this beautiful liquid? I tasted it. Really quite waxy...odd mouth feel... has anybody done anything with this? Do you suppose it was so waxy because of the way modern oranges are processed and shipped? It was supposedly organic...whatever the F THAT means! Regardless, I now have some nice "orengat" drying on the counter. It is gonna take a minute. Quite damp today.

When it dries I will make the Confiture de noiz from Menagier.