RED SANDALWOOD
(Santalum rubrum) aka: Saunders, Sanders
Red Sandalwood was used as a food colouring in medieval and renaissance food. Disolved in alcohol it makes a scarlet colour.
From Two 15th c. Cookery-Books by Thomas Austin, 1888. (compiled from several period English manuscripts circa 1425-1450):
"Gyngerbrede.-Take a quart of hony, & sethe it, & skeme it clene; take Safroun, pouder Pepir, & throw ther-on; take grayted Bred, & make it so chargeaunt that it wol be y-lechyd; then take pouder Canelle, & straw ther-on y-now; then make yt square, lyke as thou wolt leche yt; take when thou lechyst hyt, an caste Box leves a-bouyn, y-stykyd ther-on, on clowys. And if thou wolt haue it Red, coloure it with Saunderys y-now."
This entry graciously contributed by Robyn Hodgkin of Australia
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