Turbinado Sugar

As I sit here today working on a new cookbook for the World Tea Expo event, I typed in “turbinado sugar” an ingredient for Dena’s (my baker) famous Creme Brule Tea Recipe.  I wondered what the heck is it?  I know it’s large course granules of sugar that we sprinkle on top of cookies and scones, but where did it get its name?  So I decided to look it up on wikipedia. According to them, it is “made from sugar cane extract. It is produced by crushing freshly cut sugar cane; the juice obtained is evaporated by heat, then crystallized. The crystals are spun in a centrifuge, or turbine (thus the name), to remove excess moisture, resulting in the characteristic large, light brown crystals.” I was also pleased to find that in the United Kingdom it is called “demerara” sugar, a name I had heard of but didn’t know what exactly it was. So for those of you curious like me, there’s your answer.