Issue 10 | Siena, Tuscany
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Welcome to Siena, the picturesque Medieval city that dominated a significant part of southern Tuscany throughout history. On an international level, Siena is perhaps most known for being the home of the Palio, a bi-annual horse race which takes place in Piazza del Campo, a sloping shell-shaped piazza recognized as one of the most beautiful Medieval central squares in Italy. The hilltop city houses another historically significant venue: the headquarters of Monte dei Paschi di Siena, considered the world’s oldest bank.
Let’s Dive
The traditional product we’ll be discovering Siena through is Panforte, a sweet “bread” prepared and consumed since Medieval times in the festive period leading up to Christmas. It is prepared with almonds, pine nuts and candied fruit mixed with honey and spices: all ingredients that were abundant in the area for many centuries due to Siena’s strategic position along the via Francigena. The ancient road that connected Canterbury (in the United Kingdom) to Rome was one of Europe’s main routes of commerce, and many merchants carrying all sorts of goods - including spices - would pass by Siena. After some years and the arrival of new ingredients from various parts of the world, white granulated sugar, flour and cinnamon were added to the recipe.
The first versions of Panforte date back to the 1200’s, when farmers living in the countryside surrounding Siena would prepare breads filled with honey and spices. It would however take another 200 years before the product would affirm itself as a local specialty and be consumed outside the confines of Siena’s province, from Rome to Europe’s major courts. The white version of Panforte - covered in caster sugar - was created at the end of the 1800s, in honour of Regina Margherita who paid Siena a visit to experience the Palio.
All this information is meticulously documented in a scroll dating back to 1205 which is preserved within Siena’s Archivio di Stato. To further highlight the significance of Panforte within Siena’s gastronomic heritage, a saint acts as the dessert’s protector. San Lorenzo, celebrated on the 10th of August, in honour of the month in which two of the Panforte’s main ingredients are harvested and prepared: almonds and candied fruit.
Tasting tip: drive a few kilometers away from Siena, in the direction of Sovicille, and pay a visit to La Fabbrica del Panforte to taste an authentic version of Panforte, whose recipe has been passed down by the Mastri Panforti.