Rapadura

Definition:

Rapadura is a kind of unrefined sugar cane candy, traditional to several areas in Latin America. In Brazil, it's usually sold in bars, which can be cut and eaten as candy, or grated and used in recipes or as a sweetener.

In July 2008, a diplomatic issue involving the use of the name "rapadura" was settled between Brazil and Germany. A German company which had registered the name for the organic sugar it sells in Germany and in the US responded to Brazil's diplomatic efforts and added its company name to the registered term.


Before the issue was settled, Brazilian rapadura producers had been having to pay fees for using the name of their historic product when they exported to Germany.

Brazil's winning argument was that rapadura is a generic term describing a product that's part of Latin American and even more so of Northeastern Brazil cultural heritage.

Minas Gerais, a southeastern Brazilian state, is also known for the traditional production of rapadura, usually on small family-owned properties.

The handcrafted process of rapadura making is slow and demanding. Sugar cane is ground. The sugar cane juice is boiled and constantly stirred for hours till it thickens and is poured into wooden moulds, where it cools and hardens.

Pronunciation: hah-pah-DOO-ra