Piloncillo

This is one of the culinary treasures of the old slave lands, widely sold in Latin neighborhood groceries in the United States. Ask for piloncillo (made in narrow conical shapes) or panela (thick flat rounds). Depending on the store, it may come from any of half a dozen Latin American countries that had parallel sugar-raising and slave-owning pasts. There is no one standard size and, in fact, no standard grade of refinement. Some are darker and more interesting, some lighter in both color and taste. See Brown Loaf Sugar Syrup for suggestions on handling.