From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
A confection made of honey and crushed almonds, flavored with rose water, with origins in ancient Egypt and a grand tradition in sculpted candy making. The word is a German spelling of marzapane, an Italian term from the Renaissance meaning a "little box for candies"; however, in the Middle Ages, it referred to a "small container for coins." The word may derive from the Latin marci pan or Marco panis, meaning the bread of Saint Mark, who has always been associated with bread.
