When it comes to torrone, the famous differences between North and South of Italy are as distinct as ever. The torrone made in the North of Italy is the hard one, delicious, but it threatens to break your teeth. The South, instead, produces a soft torrone. And, ready for this? It is in Sicily that Torrone was invented. Carlo Assenza, of the Corrado & Carlo Assenza Caffe’ Sicilia Team, knows how important Sicily is in the history of the existence of torrone in Europe. In fact, he mentioned to us that it is because of the Arabian influence on torrone that Caffe’ Sicilia uses so much honey and so little sugar in their nougat, all of which is made in the back-room workshop of Caffe’ Sicilia in Noto, Sicily.
Torrone: it’s Originally Sicilian
I’m sorry to disagree with Corrado and Carlo, but while they may be right about the hard torrone in the North and soft torrone in the South, I think torrone was invented in Cremona. The medieval dessert was named after the bell tower of their beloved cathedral. Tower is ‘torre’ in Italian and ‘torrone’ is literally a great big tower. Their bell tower was for centuries the tallest in Europe.
Every single bar and restaurant in Cremona has a house made version of torrone.
Ciao George! Thanks for chatting with us about torrone, great info. Torrone is definitely one of those Italian specialties that has somewhat mysterious origins and has been redefined by many different Italian cities. Cremona does indeed have a wonderful torrone tradition!
Torrone originates from the small town of San Marco dei Cavoti in Campania, Cremona (not Torrone) is from the North, Sicily produces some incredible Torrone as well but I am certain that the birthplace is San Marco dei Cavoti. The beauty of Italy is that traditons are hard to argue, although appearing similiar, certain small techniques or ingredients make every item unique and its own.