Thank You Italy for Perugina's Large Baci Easter Eggs

There is an Easter tradition in Italy that heralds the arrival of Spring like no other – the appearance of large wrapped chocolate eggs like those by Perugina with Baci chocolate “kisses” hidden inside in shop after shop.

But Perugina's tradition of celebrating the departure of winter’s dark days with “kisses” (for baci means kiss) did not began with some marketing thinking tank last year.

Rather it began in 1907 under the insightful direction of one remarkable woman, Luisa Spagnoli.

Together with Giovanni Buitoni, she created a small confectionery company named after her home town of Perugina.

There, in 1923, she formulated the recipe for her now legendary 'kisses' comprised of a silky smooth chocolate veil wrapped around a heart of gianduia - made of whipped chocolate and finely chopped hazelnuts.

The result chocolate was so popular it became known as Italy’s fourth favorite food after bread, wine and cheese – in short, the perfect finish to any meal large or small. 

And while Luisa changed careers in 1928 from chocolate kisses and giant Easter eggs mythically left by fluffy bunnies, she still maintained her affection to the magically rabbit by launching a firm that introduced angora sweaters and knitwear to the world.

Today both firms are still going strong, both bring enjoyable elegance into the world – just as Luisa Spagnoli would have wished. Angora Spagnoli still dazzles on the fashion runway and Baci Chocolates, with its enclosed multi-lingual message, still charms chocolate lovers around the world.

Baci Chocolatier Christian Pritchard live demo on how to prepare the Baci Chocolate. This demonstration was hosted by Espressamente Illy in the Yorkdale Shopping Center as part of the Baci Experience tour organized by Baci Perugina and Aurora Importing in November 2012.

Spagnoli’s home town even hosts the world’s first chocolate hotel, the Etruscan Chocohotel, where the headboards look like chocolate bars and walls seem to almost literally drip chocolate. It’s an amazing environment as is the Perugina chocolate factory itself.

Both are worth a visit – especially in the Spring when large chocolate eggs abound, all thanks to the Easter Bunny (and Perugina’s amazing founder Luisa Spagnoli). How sweet the treat!

Your Culinary World Copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2014

Easter Dove Shaped Bread Marks a Flaming End to Lent in Florence Italy

No one, but no one, celebrate Easter like the citizens of Florence, Italy.

In a tradition that's centuries old, teams of white oxen, bedecked in flowers (after all, the word Florence literally means the “City of Flowers”) draw a massive and mysterious 30 foot wooden structure, which is over 500 years old, through the cobblestone streets.

This Easter tradition honors Pazzino de’ Pazzi, who in 1097 was the first soldier to scale the walls of Jerusalem during the First Crusade. (Hopefully in more modern times, we will be more mature as citizens of a mutually shared planet and not hurl rocks and stones at each other.) 

But in 1097, Pazzino was climbing the Holy City’s walls and was later given three fire-striking flint stones from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as a reward for his achievement, which considering their source, made them holy relics in the 11^th  century.

Being a citizen of Florence, Pazzino placed the newly acquired relics, on returning to his beloved City State, in the care of the Church, what has honored them ever since on Easter morning.

Then as now, when the tall antique tower reaches the Piazza del Duomo, a Mass Pasqua will have just been completed. With its arrival, the real fun begins in what the Florentines call the Festival of Scoppio del Carro.

A long fuse wire will have been attached from the Duomo's high altar to the elaborate wooden tower outside. A dove, symbolizing the hope for peace and harmony, is then ignited at the altar and, with fire and sparkles, shoots down the length of the Cathedral towards the outside tower.

The flaming dove then flies into the tower, which is affectionately called “the cart” by the Florentines, to the delight of thousands gathered outside. Inside the wooden structure are hidden fireworks, which then ignite and shoot off to the cheers of the citizens, Everyone is grateful that the dietary limitations of the Lenten season are finally over as the flaming dove flies back to the Cathedral altar.

And how do the Florentine citizens celebrate their new freedom to dine without restraints? Why, with a slice of Florence's famed Colomba dove shaped Colomba bread.

And while many might say, this legendary loaf is only vaguely bird-shaped, the Florentines might reply,

"Don't worry. Life, like the flaming dove of the Cathedral, shoots by all too quickly. The outlines of one’s life don't matter all that much - as long as we have the courage to truly savor the elegant contents of both the loaf and life itself!"

Happy Easter! May your life always be full of flavor!

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2013