konfyt, noun

/kɔnˈfeɪt//kɒnˈfeɪt/
Forms:
cómfáát, comfytShow more Also cómfáát, comfyt, confeit, confeyt, confijt, confyt, convyt, komfyt, konfeit, konfijt.
Origin:
Afrikaans, DutchShow more Afrikaans, from Dutch konfijt.
A preserve or conserve of fruit in its own syrup, either whole or in large pieces. Also attributive, and combination konfyt-jar. See also moskonfyt.
1861 ‘A Lady’ Life at Cape (1963) 59They have a long ‘siesta’ in their darkened rooms: after which Coffee and cakes, tea and cómfáát.
1862 Lady Duff-Gordon Lett. from Cape (1925) 157I have bought some Cape ‘confyt’; apricots, salted and then sugared, called ‘mebos’ — delicious!
1888 Cape Punch 18 July 12The ladies were..much skilled in the arts of making a delicious dish, called by them comfyt, meaning come fête or feast.
1891 H.J. Duckitt Hilda’s ‘Where Is It?’ 149‘Naartje Comfyt.’ (Mandarin Orange Preserve..).
1896 R. Wallace Farming Indust. of Cape Col. 9A delightful Afrikander custom..a cup of tea, with a liberal supply..of some beautifully preserved home-made confyt.
1908 M.C. Bruce New Tvl 79Beyond the making of the family ‘comfyt’, at which the Dutch women are exceedingly skilful, there was no use for an abundant supply [of fruit].
1910 C. Meredith Peggy of Cape Town 32She made sasaarties, moss-bolletjes, komfyt, and the Lord knows what, and invited nearly everyone in the place to her house.
1913 D. Fairbridge Piet of Italy 156It was barely four o’clock when..Piet..set out, well fortified with coffee, zoet-cookies and konfyt.
1913 A. Glossop Barnes’s S. Afr. Hsehold Guide 171Take weight for weight of sugar (to each pound of sugar ½ pint of water; this is the rule for all konfyt).
1920 S. Black Dorp 42Anita now entered with komfyt, an exquisitely flavoured preserve made from melon skins.
1925 P. Smith Little Karoo (1936) 71On the long trestle-table in front of the church door the women spread their offerings of baked meats and pastries, their konfijts and waffels.
1931 V. Sampson Kom Binne 218The Dutch tradition, especially at Cape Town, is to have preserves of all kinds, called komfyts, with afternoon tea, if visitors are present.
c1933 J. Juta in A.C. Partridge Lives, Lett. & Diaries (1971) 154She will give you some of the watermelon ‘konfijt’ you all like,’ she said.., remembering my weakness for this highly-spiced preserve.
c1933 J. Juta in A.C. Partridge Lives, Lett. & Diaries (1971) 161Watermelon konfyt. Slices of melon preserved in their own syrup, first by the Malays, then the local farmers.
1944 I.D. Du Plessis Cape Malays 45The Malay has a fondness for sweets. All kinds of konfyts and sweets are prepared.
1947 L.G. Green Tavern of Seas 87Malay families sometimes sell these fine eighteenth century saucepans, kettles and konfyt pots.
1951 S. van H. Tulleken Prac. Cookery Bk 301Konfyt is fruit preserved in a heavy syrup, either whole or cut into large pieces.
1955 A. Delius Young Trav. in S. Afr. 102With tea there was always served either preserved oranges or melon, known as konfyt, or hard, white rusks called beskuit.
1968 W. Fehr in D.J. Opperman Spirit of Vine 221Exquisite examples of English, Irish, Dutch or Flemish konfyt-jars.
1968 K. McMagh Dinner of Herbs 15No konfyt of green fig or watermelon had been as transparant; crisply green without and tender and juicy within.
1980 A. Dangor in M. Mutloatse Forced Landing 162In your home you were taught that watermelon, like life, had to be turned into konfyt, calcified, preserved in sugar, and eaten demurely.
1986 M. Klinzman in Style Apr. 140Preserves are a traditional South African delicacy, colloquially referred to as ‘konfyt’. They differ from jam in that the whole small fruits or portions of fruit are cooked in a syrup until this becomes thick and clear.
1988 F. Williams Cape Malay Cookbk 63Konfyts are usually served on their own as a sweet at weddings and feasts.
1992 P. Dobson Informant, Cape Town, Western CapeWatermelon konfyt. A preserve made with the rind of a watermelon.
A preserve or conserve of fruit in its own syrup, either whole or in large pieces. Also attributive, and combination konfyt-jar.
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Afrikaans
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kommetjie, nounn.koningklip, nounn.
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