The Sugar Kettle is a product of
the late 18th and 19th Century. These beautiful, sphere shaped kettles were
primarily used in the production of sugar. They were vital to the
production of sugar, appearing in many sizes, depending on the stage and
type of operation, but all primarily the same shape. The Sugar Kettle is
primarily a product of the South, where the majority of the plantations
were located, especially sugar plantations. These beautiful Historic
Kettles were also used for cooking on the plantation, whereby they had
to prepare meals for a lot of people. Made of Cast Iron, they were and
still are a very hardy, versatile kettles to do many things with.
Bayou Teche, was a major route of important to
the Southern Louisiana trade, and had many plantations along the bayou
banks. The local people used to call the Sugar Kettles, "Teches",
referring to the kettles for their cooking capabilities. The majority of
Historic Sugar Kettles were sent off to melt down for our nations war
efforts. While some stayed around, which you can see on some old
plantations and people’s lawns, most of them were melted down.
The method of producing cane sugar in early 19th
century Louisiana was largely derived from the 18th century
European sugar colonies in the Caribbean. Each cane plantation in
Louisiana had its own sugarhouse. The cane was crushed using an
animal-powered three-roller mill. The extracted cane juice was heated,
clarified, & evaporated in a set of large open kettles (Sugar
Kettles) of decreasing size which were enclosed in brickwork over a
furnace. Lime was the substance most often used to clarify the cane
juice, and the impurities that rose to the surface were skimmed off.
After syrup resulted from the evaporation of the juice, the Sugar maker,
using the rule-of-thumb techniques, determined when sugar crystals had
formed. This was called a "Strike" and was the point at which
the concentrated syrup was turned out into shallow wooden tanks and left
to cool. The cane grinding season, or roulaison, was a
festive time on most plantations. Social gatherings, dances, and candy
pullings took place after the cane was ground, and visitors to the
plantation sugarhouses were often treated to "hot punch," a
drink made of partially boiled cane juice and French brandy. The
"hot punch" was made and served from the Sugar Kettle.
Today, the Historic Sugar Kettle is not used in the production of
Sugar however; they are used in many different other ways. The Sugar
Kettle is being used for container and water gardening as well as lawn
or estate ornaments. Water fountains are also a source of use for the
infamous kettle. With a creative mind, one can do possibly anything with
these kettles because of the versatility they bring to the consumer.
|
