Biscotti: the twice cooked biscuit
Biscotti is the perfect accompaniment to a whole host of hot drinks. When a range of flavours are added to the twice baked biscuit, the nuances compliment coffee and teas in a homely and warm manner that’s too delightful to resist.
According to the annuals, the typical side-dish to beverages was initially created in the small Italian city of Prato. Lying in the centre of Italy and under the shadow of Monte Cantagrillo’s peak, we can only assume and hypothesise that life was slow and sometimes sleepy – hence why the biscuits were ‘double baked’.
But whilst there’s a romantic notion to that ideal a more likely origin story is that the biscuits have been in existence for quite a long time, though Prato plays an integral part in the biscuits reinvention. Traditionally seen as a traveller’s food, it was favoured by the hordes of Roman legions that marched during the Empire’s glory day and also by those that wanted to embark on long walks from A to B; something which we all like to do when the weather is nice and the days stretch on forever.
But when Rome was sacked, the humble and crumbly biscotti fell from favour until it reappeared, in Prato and its southerly neighbour Florence. And since its return it has been enjoyed by millions more people over the years; from fisherman to artists and farmers to coffee connoisseurs and, of course, everybody in-between.
Why does it enjoy such a prominent position in the coffee culture? Well, we have had a thought, had a nibble and then had a snooze and come up with the answer: Like some of the better things in life it is fantastic on its own, even better with company but, importantly, it is a blank canvas that can be anything and everything to anybody and everyone.
And it goes great with wine as well as coffee.
Here at Caffe Society we (somewhat unsurprisingly!) sell Biscotti. Available in two flavours – either chocolate or almond -and in packs of either 24 or 96, it’s a great seller!