The linkage between Christmas and carbs in Tuscany is particularly strong, especially when they come in the form of the many traditional sweets that cannot miss from our table. Last year we talked about my personal favourites, my mother's home-made ricciarelli. This time we will talk about the combo that makes Tuscany proud: the dry and fragrant almond cookies and the sweet wine that always comes with them.
No one really knows where and when cantuccini were first baked but it's sure that Galileo Galilei couldn't live without them. To make them popular all over the world was a Prato baker that perfected the recipe that is still popular to this day. The story behind Vin Santo is even more intriguing: while people have been making sweet wine since the dawn of time, a couple of curious back stories bring us back either to the time of the Black Death or in Florence at the time of the famous ecumenical council in the 1400s.
Doesn't matter how it was born, the question that makes Tuscan argue today is quite clear: to dunk cantuccini or not to dunk? It may look absurd but a winemaker from Gaiole in Chianti has printed a warning on the label of their bottles.
Cantuccini are not very hard to find but not all of them are produced according to tradition or are IGP certified. Luckily for you, it's not very difficult to bake them at home, provided you stick to some basic rules. If you listen to the episode you will know the traditional recipe and a few expert tips.
In any case, a Tuscan Christmas cannot exist without cantuccini and Vin Santo. A table without them would be sacrilegious, an affront to our Tuscan identity. Enjoy them!
Let us know if you like this kind of episode or whatever comes to mind. The links to our contacts are here below so don't hesitate: we would be glad to know you better. If you know someone that loves Italy as much as we do, share the link to this episode: we're sure he'll thank you for it.
Email: podcast@larno.it
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Twitter: @arno_it / @WhatsupTuscany

LINKS TO SOURCES (ITALIAN ONLY)
https://panificiomulara.it/cantucci-e-vin-santo-storia-e-golose-curiosita-di-un-dessert-che-ha-conquistato-tutto-lo-stivale/
https://www.lavaldichiana.it/vin-santo-storia-leggenda-tradizione/
https://firenze.repubblica.it/cronaca/2019/02/08/news/toscana_sulla_bottiglia_di_vin_santo_il_divieto_di_inzuppare_i_cantuccini-218662282/
https://www.ghiott.it/e-vietato-inzuppare-i-cantuccini-nel-vinsanto/
https://www.authentico-ita.org/cantucci-toscani-ricetta-originale/

BACKGROUND MUSIC
Pipe Choir - Bom Bom Breakthrough (Instrumental)
A Himitsu - Cease (Instrumental)
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Wayne John Bradley - Blues Rock Original Instrumental
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