Bittersweet: The Story of Sugar

Peter Macinnis traces the global history of sugarcane in Bittersweet, moving from its origins in New Guinea to the courts of Shakespeare’s England. The text examines how sugar transformed societies, noting that Queen Elizabeth I consumed enough hippocras and sugared almonds to blacken her teeth. Macinnis details the brutal economics of the trade, where fortunes were built on slave labor during the era of manual processing. The narrative follows specific chapters including Sugar in the New World and The English and the sugar business. It explores the political shifts caused by Fighting over sugar and the role of Rum and politics in shaping geopolitical boundaries. Macinnis also covers the transition through Emancipation's harvest and the rise of technology in labor problems, concluding with an analysis of Sugar in the twentieth century. This book suits readers interested in the sociological impacts of condiments and the history of specific ingredients. It provides a concrete look at the wars and economic systems that defined the modern world. Those seeking simple recipes or technical cooking advice will find little value here. The work remains a focused study on the costs and benefits of a commodity that reshaped global power structures.