The Manna of the gods: a biblical substance full of benefits.

The biblical quote from Exodus "manna from heaven" refers to the long period of nomadism of the Jewish people in the desert, fleeing from slavery imposed by the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II.

The manna is a food historically defined as divine, announced by God with the promise made to Moses, to sustain the exiles for forty years. The expression "manna that falls from heaven" in visual art implies a connection between God and man.

In the Holy Scriptures, this sweet food that melts in the sun with the taste of honey cake has a mystical nutritional quality, connected to the divine and changes flavor depending on its consumption.

The manna is the sap extracted from the bark of some species of plants of the ash genus. Due to its uniqueness and rarity, manna has become a Slow Food Presidium, and its collection is subject to a specification to guarantee quality and certified provenance.

Manna: history and origins

The manna is an ancient biblical food and according to the 16th book of Exodus, its name comes from "Mân Hu" which means "what is it?". This expression represents the astonishment of the Jews in seeing an unknown food raining down from heaven, sent by their God in the desert to feed them.

The Greeks and Romans referred to it as "dew honey" or "secretion of the stars" due to its miraculous nature. Manna is derived from the fassino plant and was once very widespread.

It was collected in various areas of Italy such as Sicily, Calabria, Gargano, Beneventano, Molise, Lazio, in the woods of Tolfa and in the Tuscan Maremma. It was a family practice that was later replaced by the production of synthetic mannitol.

Manna: cultivation and benefits

What does manna look like? Manna appears in the form of light and spongy stalactites and is a natural sweetener with low glucose and fructose content.

Today, it is exclusively produced in Sicily in the territory of Castelbuono, Pollina, where the Manna Museum is also located, Cefalù and surroundings. Manna is obtained from the ash tree, which when incised with the "cutièddu â manna", allows threads of cotton to drip attached to violet resin filaments, which solidify upon contact with air and sun, creating whitish stalactites.

The harvesting period occurs during the summer, around mid-July, when the ash tree reaches the correct concentration of sugars for crystallization.

Manna is a sugary exudate composed mainly of mannite, organic acids, water, glucose, fructose, mucilage, resins, and nitrogenous compounds. Its composition is very complex and strongly influenced by the area of origin, the climate, the physicochemical characteristics of the soil, the age of the plants, and seasonal variations.

This product boasts many beneficial properties even in pharmaceutical and cosmetic fields. It is also used to alleviate various issues such as, for example, combating constipation or as a laxative (in both childhood and adulthood). It is also perfect as an emollient for sensitive skin, reducing signs of aging wrinkles.

Manna: uses and pairings in the kitchen

The uses in the kitchen are varied. One of the main creations with manna is sweet bread, sweetened with manna and made with flour, water, oil, milk, and yeast. It results in a very simple cake that manages to concentrate millennia of history and fascinating traditions.

In the 1980s, it was rediscovered in the field of pastry, thanks to famous products like Mannetto, the manna panettone from the Fiasconaro brothers, but it has also been included in creams, nougats, and as a formula for other desserts.

It can be combined with dark chocolate, taking advantage of its ability to smooth out the natural acidity of cocoa. In some restaurants in Castelbuono, it has been included in the menu as a complement to black pig fillet in a crust of manna, almonds, and pistachios.

Another way to consume it to enhance its flavors and benefits is to create a pure solution, both as syrup and as a digestive bitter.