Sucket was a kind of confectionary or dessert popular in early modern England. The word is related to
succade
Succade is the candied peel of any of the citrus species, especially from the citron or ''Citrus medica'' which is distinct with its extra-thick peel; in addition, the taste of the inner rind of the citron is less bitter than those of the other ...
, a kind of dried fruit.
The dish was a sweetmeat involving sugar plums and dried fruit in thick syrup flavoured with ginger and other spices. The dried fruits themselves were called "suckets" or "dry suckets".
As a dessert course, sucket was sometimes brought to the table in a silver "sucket barrel" and eaten with silver forks, known as "sucket forks". These forks seem to have been the earliest table forks in use in England.
Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is ...
was given three sugar loaves and a barrel of sucket by Lady Yorke as a New Year's Day gift in 1562. Elizabeth ate sucket at
Kenilworth Castle
Kenilworth Castle is a castle in the town of Kenilworth in Warwickshire, England managed by English Heritage; much of it is still in ruins. The castle was founded during the Norman conquest of England; with development through to the Tudor pe ...
in 1575.
Mary, Queen of Scots
Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567.
The only surviving legitimate child of James V of S ...
enjoyed sucket as a prisoner at
Tutbury Castle
Tutbury Castle is a largely ruined medieval castle at Tutbury, Staffordshire, England, in the ownership of the Duchy of Lancaster and hence currently of King Charles III. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. People who have stayed in the castle ...
.
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and is one of the largest libraries in the world. It is estimated to contain between 170 and 200 million items from many countries. As a legal deposit library, the British ...
Mary, Queen of Scots: two new acquisitions
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References
Confectionery
Medieval cuisine
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