Told by Jeannine Simon, heiress of the Maison Simon.
Red Sugars are often associated with barley sugars.
The latter, whose origin dates back to 1638, were made from a recipe created by nuns from Notre-Dame-des-Anges in Moret (77). The difference lies in the addition of barley extract, this barley that is not found in our red sugars.
The beginning -
It was Ovide Hudréaux, my great-grandfather on my mother's side, who, in 1925, made the first molds representing pigeons, roosters and small birds. The silver-plated metal molds are made of zamac (a zinc alloy with a little aluminum, copper and magnesium as other metals).
My grandparents Lucie and Jean Simon, specialists in assorted desserts, fine sweets and confectioners in Braux but also fairground (Maison Simon-Hudréaux) started making red sugars at that time in the 30s. They became sugar cookers. On the left here is one of our old candy bags saved from time.
My father Constant, born in 14, gave them a hand in the manufacture of this confectionery. In 38 he got married, the same year my sister Claudine was born, then it was my turn the following year in 1939.
World War II -
The conflict with Germany interrupts the production of red sugars,
My father, Constant is recalled, it's the exodus, we have to leave,
A neighbour, who was part of the trip and had had a military career, advised the family to take the road to Vendée by a big detour in order to avoid German attacks. My grandfather Jean, a fairground confectioner, took his rolling shop pulled by a truck. Thus, 22 people took their place with us to Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie.
My father was taken prisoner on July 2, 1940 at Fort Latiremont, on the Maginot Line, about twenty kilometers from Longuyon. He was deported to Germany to Stalag XI A, Altengrabaux camp near Magdeburg. His matriculation number was 89,662 and he was released on May 10, 1945.
The Post-War -
As soon as the war ended, I remembered, as a child, the visit of inhabitants of Braux who brought my parents sugar in exchange for red sugars:
On a large table, my parents placed the
cups in which red sugars
were waiting with a small name paper for the fans
of barter. Upon his return from captivity, my father took over the
manufacturing, festivals with two shops and two
children's rides, following the death of my grandfather
Jean. For my part, I am very quickly put to
contributed for free from my childhood to
casting, demolding, trimming and bagging
red sugars.
The Cadence -
In 58 my father stopped working as a fairground worker and settled in Braux. That was the year I got married, at the time people got married quite early. This marriage gave birth to my three children, Nathalie the eldest, Jean-Claude and then Fabrice. To the great despair of my grandmother, Lucie, I had to work and found a job at the CIGCEM (Industrial Company of Chemical and Mechanical Gravure) in the press.
After the working day at the factory, from the end of August, red sugar is in the news.
2,000 pipes are cast and individually bagged as production progresses. It is my three children who in turn are put to work and carry out this delicate work. From September to St. Nicholas, production is going well and volunteer work accompanies it. Finally, December 7 arrives, the molds are washed, put away and the days become calmer again.
In 1981, the CIGCEM closed, which was a tragedy. I was able to find a job in the town of Épinay-sur-Seine in the Paris region. I stayed there for 20 years as a caretaker. I returned to our Ardennes every weekend during the Sugaring Off season, and my children also helped us when they could.
Then in 2001, after my retirement, I returned “home”, leaving my children and grandchildren in Paris.
The next generation -
In 2002, my father Constant Simon died and left me his workshop at the corner of rue Salengro and de la Promenade. I had promised him to continue making these traditional sweets invented by my great-grandfather Ovide.
So, after his death, I decided to move his workshop into my basement on Rue de la Promenade after setting up a bright, tiled, very dry and well-tempered laboratory. I remember one winter when, arriving in my father's laboratory, the preparation was frozen. The floor had to be cleaned with mops; it was often cold, even damp, sometimes too hot, and too light, poor conditions for perfect success.
In the laboratory, the work table covered with a 5 cm thick granite slab is original, it took men to move it here for me, the whole street helped me.
Above, a mini-hoist with two chains and hooks moves on a suspended rail. This is reminiscent in miniature of the transport of molten cast iron above the molds. It is in some ways the same principle but with sugar. The aim is the same, to bring the container containing the cooked sugar above the molds to fill them. My father had come up with this trick when he realized that the weight of the pans was becoming too great and tiring.
Nowadays -
Today, I still use some of my great-grandfather's zamac molds that escaped the breakage. All the others are cast iron and represent animals, cat, squirrel, duck, chick, rooster, pigeon, characters, Saint Nicholas, two dancers, objects and monuments like the Eiffel Tower, pipes, pistols, church etc.
Every year for 15 years, I have been reviving this small business in the second half of October, traditionally for St. Nicholas and the Christmas holidays. I hope that this tradition will continue, for the symbol, the history.
For my part, I will continue to produce them as long as I can. And this fear of the last few years about who will succeed me in the family is no more because the succession is now assured, to our great happiness.
Jeannine SIMON