Table of contents:

Where to buy nougat at Christmas or at least once in a lifetime, region by region
Where to buy nougat at Christmas or at least once in a lifetime, region by region

Video: Where to buy nougat at Christmas or at least once in a lifetime, region by region

Video: Where to buy nougat at Christmas or at least once in a lifetime, region by region
Video: Ariana Grande - One Last Time (Lyric Video) 2024, March
Anonim
Image
Image

The prize becomes futile compared to the pursuit of perfection, which is the true eroticism of the matter. Also because let's face it, compared to panettone and pandoro the nougat looks like the son of a minor Christmas. Yet, there are people who do not take it easy, precisely: the nougatists who aspire to the top. We recommend them, to match the panettone, at least we who are fond of the quarter stick. Do it too.

Nougat: perhaps not everyone knows that

  • torrone derives from the Latin torre, that is toast.
  • the ingredients are basically 3: dried fruit, egg white and honey, the sugar came next.
  • we owe the recipe to the Arabs who brought it to the Mediterranean basin from China, where the nougat was born.
  • in Cremona, where according to another version, nougat was born in 1441, it is based on almonds as in Veneto and Puglia. In Piedmont it is based on hazelnuts, and I would like to see, with the abundance of round and gentle hazelnuts from the Langhe that there is. In Sicily, almonds (from Noto) and pistachios (from Bronte) play the game.
  • eye, although it is in all respects, there is no hard nougat. Either it is soft, a version pleasing to the less vigorous teeth but opposed by purists, or it is crumbly, that is, it crumbles in the mouth. It certainly isn't, indeed, it doesn't have to be iron or rubbery. Therefore, the egg white must be whipped so that it incorporates the necessary air to form breaking points in the mass.
  • today more than the classic nougats are sold miniaturized ones, in short, nougats. A recent invention that has somewhat rejuvenated the moldy image of nougat.
  • Cremona and Benevento bring together 70% of the market.
  • the artisanal nougat is distinguished from industrial production for ingredients and processing, which can last up to 12/15 hours. Generally, artisanal nougat is richer in honey and dried fruit, the other in less expensive ingredients such as egg whites and sugar.
  • in addition to Cremona and Benevento, the Italian nougat towns are: Asti, Bagnara Calabra, San Marco dei Cavoti, also in the province of Benevento, Alvito, Tonara.
  • Now let's see where to buy nougat at Christmas or at least once in a lifetime, region by region (alas, some are excluded).

SICILY

Geraci, Caltanissetta, via Pulci, 10/14. At Christmas: the crumbly white made with almonds from Agrigento, pistachios from Bronte and almond honey. Once in a lifetime: Jolanda, almond nougat filled with almond cream and covered with dark chocolate, a bite of 20-30 grams handmade and wrapped one by one.

Sicillfrutti, Bronte (CT) v.le Regina Margherita, 113. At Christmas: The 4 fruits with almonds, pistachios, walnuts and pine nuts and orange blossom honey. Once in a lifetime: more definitive pistachios than in Bronte on the planet there is none, ergo, the powerful nougat only pistachios.

Caffè Sicilia, Noto (SR), Corso Vittorio Emanuele, 125. At Christmas: the classic of almonds, soft and yielding even in the toasted version. Once in a lifetime: Blu Noto, soft, with the almonds and beans of the precious Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.

Image
Image

LOMBARDY

Bandirali, Crema (CR), via Piacenza, 93. At Christmas: crumbly white made without glucose but with black locust honey and almonds from Toritto in Puglia, Slow Food presidium. Totally handcrafted (yes, even in Cremona it is possible) in a bain-marie in a copper pot. Once in a lifetime: Bandirali produces only the traditional type.

Zilioli, Brescia, via Cadorna, 1. At Christmas: in these days, in the triumph of seasonal sweets prepared by the cult pastry shop for the Brescia gastrofans, there is a nougat from perdition. Both in the crumbly and soft version. Once in a lifetime: The variant covered with chocolate.

Ernst Knam, Milan, via Anfossi, 10, tel. 0255 194 448. At Christmas: the cube (it is the fetticcio shape of the chef-pastry chef, former collaborator of Gualtiero Marchesi) with hazelnuts, wildflower honey and vanilla beans, which in the chocolate-covered version becomes a log. Once in a lifetime: Eat the nougat as if it were a spoon dessert. You can with the nougat mousse (fragments of nougat and refined chocolate) one of the most successful experiments of the brilliant pastry chef.

Image
Image

PIEDMONT

Antica Torroneria Piemontese, Sinio d’Alba (CN) loc. Borgonuovo, At Christmas: focus on the classic crumbly white from Alba, only with Piedmont IGP hazelnuts. Once in a lifetime: The numbers. Squares of nougat numbered from 1 to 6, each corresponding to a variant, including the classic crumbly with Piedmont IGP hazelnuts, the soft one with pistachios and almonds, and the innovative soft nougat with dehydrated cherry.

Davide Barbero, Asti, via Brofferio, 84. At Christmas: Piedmont crumbly nougat bars, made with Piedmont hazelnuts from the Mombercelli d’Asti area and Acacia honey, flavored with vanilla and without the addition of glocose. Once in a lifetime: The Piedmontese confectionery laboratory, active since 1883, prepares an ingot covered with gianduia chocolate that is addictive.

LAC, Borgo San Dalmazzo (CN), via V. Veneto, 66. At Christmas: The crumbly white version of the Artisan Chocolate Laboratory is sidereal, just think that the hand-made dough is made of 60% acacia honey and round and gentle hazelnuts from the Langhe. Once in a lifetime. Nougat made only with Bronte pistachios.

Image
Image

VENETO

Pasticceria Biasetto, Padua, via Facciolati, 12. At Christmas: soft nougat made according to Venetian tradition with freshly toasted almonds, in this case from Avola, and orange blossom honey. Once in a lifetime: the master pastry chef based just behind the basilica of Sant’Antonio will prepare a variant of the Flemish school, flavored with spices: nutmeg, cinnamon, anise.

Scaldaferro, Dolo (VE), via Ca 'Tron, 31. At Christmas: the crumbly almond stick made with toasted almonds and a mixture of 5 honeys, including salted honey from the Venetian barena, very rare. The slow manual processing (12 hours) produces among other things the characteristic amber color. Once in a lifetime: Soft nougats flavored with candied fruit and covered with refined dark chocolates. Scaldaferro pods do not contain gluten.

Mandolarto Bauce, Cologna Veneta (VR) via Roma, 34. At Christmas: we are in Veneto so almond, a specialty that can be entered in the championship of crumbly white nougat with almonds. The Bauce version is distinguished by the use of dried fruit that comes from Puglia, present at 40 percent. Once in a lifetime: La Bauce only prepares almond.

Image
Image

SARDINIA

Salvatore Pruneddu, Tonara (NU), via Porru, 13. At Christmas: the soft, actually a cross between soft and crumbly, made without sugar or glucose but with local honey and dried fruit the Tonara tradition (from Tonara, the capital of Sardinian nougat). It can be with almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts. Once in a lifetime: the version covered in 6 flavors: vanilla, lemon, dark chocolate, milk, vanilla myrtle and lemon myrtle, prepared in small, completely contagious bars.

Atzori, Ales (OR), via Sardegna, 18. At Christmas: the classic one. White, crumbly, with almonds, dried fruit and without glucose syrup. Honey deserves a separate discussion, which is Luigi (Licu) Manias' decisive millefiori, also from Ales, an obligatory reference for every self-respecting honey ball. Once in a lifetime: the Atzori do not concede anything to flavorings and coverings, they only make classic nougat.

Image
Image

LIGURIA

Pietro Romanengo, Genoa, via Soziglia, 74r. At Christmas: the almond-flavored dark white of the historic Genoese pastry, soft and classic. Once in a lifetime: the nougat of the Queen, indetitable recipe for nougat with pistachios of non-Italian origin.

Image
Image

TUSCANY

New World, Prato, via Garibaldi, 23. At Christmas: hazelnuts from Langa and pistachios inevitably from Bronte alone represent half of Paolo Sacchetti's soft nougat mixture, a reference point for gourmets from all over the region. Once in a lifetime: Lunigiana honey and a Valrhona chocolate cru are the main ingredients of the coated version.

Tuttobene, Campi Bisenzio (FI), via San Quirico, 296. A paradise for Florentine gastrofans for an endless series of desserts, which include almond nougat, pistachios and hazelnuts in both crumbly and soft versions. Once in a lifetime: the bar made with 60% pistachios, almonds and hazelnuts with chestnut honey.

Image
Image

CAMPANIA

Torronificio Di Iorio, Pietradefusi (AV), via Roma, 145. At Christmas: it is not easy to choose between 25 types of nougat, but you have to start with someone, preference given to the crumbly almond and hazelnut that the Di Iorios have been making continuously since the end of the 18th century (?) Still today the ingredients are avellane hazelnuts, honey local of sulla and zagara and Apulian almonds. Once in a lifetime: Since the 1950s the nougat factory has been producing pantorrone, which over the years has become an IGP product of the area (it can only be called this if it is produced in the Avellino area).

Confectionery Serio, San Marco dei Cavoti (BN), via Roma, 28. At Christmas: the crunchy of San Marco dei Cavoti, another future PGI from Campania. It is a crunchy made with chopped almonds and hazelnuts then covered with dark chocolate. Once in a lifetime: the classic nougat from Benevento, prepared with Bari almonds and sulla honey and covered with 72% cocoa chocolate.

Image
Image

ABRUZZO

Palmerio, Guardiagrele (CH), via Roma, 70. At Christmas: a unique almond obtained from a recipe that dates back to the mid-1800s. We are always around the soft but super caramelized nougat. Made without egg white and honey, the basic ingredients of nougat, but with candied fruit and cinnamon, it is very crunchy. Once in a lifetime: Palmerio exclusively makes his nougat.

Di Carlo, Sulmona (AQ), via del Lavoro, 15/17. At Christmas: yes, it is the historic Di Carlo confectionery, founded in Sulmona in 1883, which seasonally produces a line of nougats. Do not miss the one with almonds that come from Bari, in both crumbly and tender versions. Once in a lifetime: a particularly definitive nougat with Sorrento walnuts.

Image
Image

LAZIO

Valzani, Rome, via del Moro, 37b. At Christmas: a unique "Roman nougat" inspired by the phallic symbols found in some ruins of Ancient Rome, made with almonds, pistachios, pine nuts and chocolate. Also in the version covered with chocolate or dried fruit. Once in a lifetime: gingerbread gingerbread, a close relative of nougat made with dried fruit, chocolate and spices.

Antica Pasticceria Di Tullio, Alvito (FR), c.so Gallio, 1. At Christmas: the traditional one of Alvito, a small Lazio town synonymous with nougat, handmade with candied fruit and white royal paste covered with icing. There are many variations: white, covered with chocolate or coffee, and in the almond version. Once in a lifetime: the hazelnut nougat made with chocolate, gianduia and hazelnuts, covered with dark chocolate.

Image
Image

PUGLIA

Pastry shop Caputo, Altamura (BA), p.zza Aldo Moro, 5. At Christmas: soft nougat sweetened only with asphodel honey, a flower that grows in the Murge, no sugar or glucose syrup, candied fruit, almonds and hazelnuts. Once in a lifetime: For chocolate maniacs with high cocoa percentages, the crunchy almond covered with dark chocolate is not to be missed.

Stoppani, Bari, via Roberto da Bari, 79. At Christmas: the crumbly white with almonds, the result of a nineteenth-century recipe. Nothing strange if we consider that the annexation of Bari to the nascent Kingdom of Italy was decided in the rooms of the Caffè Stoppani. Once in a lifetime: gastrofans who love super crunchy must try the nougat made with chopped almonds and caramelized sugar, then covered with refined dark chocolate.

Image
Image

CALABRIA

Careri, Bagnara Calabra (RC), via Nazionale, 195. At Christmas: Bagnara Calabra nougat, probably next year's IGP, proposed here in different varieties. They range from roasted, with abrustolite almonds and honey, to martiniana, with almonds, caramelized sugar and a curious coating obtained with raw granulated sugar. Once in a lifetime: the so-called poglia nougat, an ingot made of Sicilian almonds and orange blossom honey covered with a sugar glaze.

Cundari, Bagnara Calabra (RC), via Nazionale, 274. At Christmas: traditional nougats from Bagnara, made with almond in the roasted version and with cinnamon. Once in a lifetime: stick nougats, both for lovers of soft and crumbly, decisive in the ice cream version, covered with a wrapping of icing.

Malavenda, Reggio Calabria, via Santa Caterina. At Christmas: frozen nougat, which has one of the places of choice in the historic pastry shop in Reggio (opened in 1872). It abounds in dried fruit and candied fruit wrapped in a sugar glaze. Once in a lifetime: nougat a poglia, Calabrian chocolate specialty flavored according to inspiration. Try the variants with citrus fruits, bergamot and orange in particular.

Recommended: