What are sweatmeats?

Question

They always talk about sweatmeats in the books I read about midevil times.

Answer 1

Sweetmeats are fried or boiled bull testicles.

Answer 2

This is an old name for what we call candy (even today in many places the term used for candy is "sweets" or sometimes even "sweeties").

They were usually preserved nuts or fruits; however, their preservation most likely depended on honey, because sugar was not widely available in Europe until about the 1600's.

Marzipan, a paste of pulverized almonds and--most likely--honey (also called "marchpane") was used in the Middle Ages, but generally only by the rich, as the almonds were likely imported from warmer climates.

By the way, don't confuse sweetmeats with sweetbreads--THOSE are made from the genitalia and pancreas of calves, lambs, and other young animals.