Comfit

Comfit
Not to be confused with confit.
Licorice comfits

Comfits are confectionery consisting of dried fruits, nuts, seeds or spices coated with sugar candy. Almond comfits (also known as "sugar almonds" or "Jordan almonds") in a muslin bag or other decorative container, are a traditional gift at baptism and wedding celebrations in many countries of Europe and the Middle East, a custom which has spread to other countries such as Australia and Puerto Rico. While licorice comfits (also known as torpedoes because of their shape) are multi-coloured, almond comfits are usually white for weddings but may be brightly coloured for other occasions.

A late medieval recipe for comfits[1] is based on anise seeds, and suggests also making comfits with fennel, caraway, coriander, and diced ginger. These aniseed comfits seem to be a precursor of modern aniseed balls.

  • French almond comfits for a baptism

  • Red almond comfits called "Confetti rossi" are used in Italy to celebrate the conferring of a degree.

See also

References

  1. ^ *British Library, Harleian collection, BL MS Harley. 2378. Composite Miscellany of Medical, Culinary and Alchemical Texts and Recipes. late 14th-15th cent..

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Synonyms:
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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Comfit — Com fit, n. [F. confit, prop. a p. p., fr. confire to preserve, pickle, fr. L. conficere to prepare; con + facere to make. See {Fact}, and cf. {Confect}.] A dry sweetmeat; any kind of fruit, root, or seed preserved with sugar and dried; a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Comfit — Com fit, v. t. To preserve dry with sugar. [1913 Webster] The fruit which does so quickly waste, . . . Thou comfitest in sweets to make it last. Cowley. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • comfit — early 14c., sugarplum, from O.Fr. confit preserved fruit, from L. confectum, from confectionem (see CONFECTION (Cf. confection)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • comfit — [kum′fit, käm′fit] n. [ME & OFr confit, orig., pp. of confire, to preserve < L conficere: see CONFECT] a candy or sweetmeat; esp., a candied fruit, nut, etc …   English World dictionary

  • comfit — драже caraway comfit тминное драже pistachio comfit драже с корпусами из фисташек …   English-Russian travelling dictionary

  • comfit — noun Etymology: Middle English confit, from Anglo French *confit, from past participle of confire, cumfire to prepare, from Latin conficere, from com + facere to make more at do Date: 14th century a candy consisting of a piece of fruit, a root… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • comfit — /kum fit, kom /, n. a candy containing a nut or piece of fruit. [1300 50; ME confit < MF < L confectum something prepared. See CONFECT] * * * …   Universalium

  • comfit — noun a) A confection consisting of a nut, seed or fruit coated with sugar. b) A computerised image of a suspect produced for the police force. See Also: comfiture …   Wiktionary

  • comfit — Synonyms and related words: Jell O, blancmange, candy, compote, confection, confectionery, confiture, conserve, frosting, gelatin, glaze, honey, icing, jam, jelly, marmalade, meringue, mousse, preserve, sweet, sweet stuff, sweetmeat, sweets,… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • comfit — see CONFETTI …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

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