Mandorlato of Cologna Veneta, the Doges' crunchy treat.

There is a town in the south of the province of Verona, in the "bassa" as they say, where the Venetian dialect is spoken. An enclave that has remained strongly linked to the Serenissima Republic, and thus to the various dynasties of the Doges. 

 

The Doges relied on ambassadors who traversed their lands far and wide, from Bergamo to the island of Cyprus in search of typical products that could delight the tables of wealthy Venetian lords. Right in the area of Cologna Veneta, south of the city of Verona, towards the province of Padova, they found this crunchy treat of almonds fused in a mixture of honey, sugar, and egg white: a typical product that even today remains the traditional sweet of Verona along with Pandoro and Nadalìn. 

 

Alvise Zorzi, a writer and Venetian nobleman, wrote in his book Daily Life in Venice in the Century of Titian: "In the sixteenth century, there were other customary gifts: the focaccia of Easter, the Mandorlato, and the mustard of Christmas, the chestnuts, and the quince paste of St. Martin's Day." 

 

The ancient recipe was revived in modern times in 1852 by Italo Marani, a pharmacist from Cologna who breathed new life into this tradition, bringing it back to prominence. Today, this municipality of the Bassa Veronese also thrives on this sweet economy, and you can find numerous historic artisans of the Mandorlato. 

 

Hard, crunchy, it is even said to be glassy, because of how it breaks and the shards it leaves when it crumbles. A mixture of Puglian almonds or Sicilian almonds from Noto, acacia honey or wildflower honey, egg white, and sugar. Even today, the ancient tradition of the Doges remains strong among Veronese families and beyond. 

 

Thanks also to Spaghetti&Mandolino, you will have the opportunity to taste one of the best mandorlati produced by a family of historic artisans, the Bauce, who have been awarded and recognized by guides like Gambero Rosso for the high quality expressed by their products. 

 

So happy holidays to everyone with a bit of ancient flavors from Cologna Veneta and its mandorlato.