The sugar refinery

Sugar cones are seen lying in the sugar refinery drawn by Theodoor Galle. Archaeologists found similar cones in Antwerp's Suyckerhuys (literally, sugar house). This is where the Italian Balbani family from Lucca set up their refinery around the year 1545. Liquid refined sugar was poured into the sugar cones and allowed to set. The set sugar, the so-called sugar loaf, took the shape of a cone.