The
first thing most people think of when they think of desserts in Italy is
gelato. Who wouldn’t? It has the cool, creamy sweet taste we all know and love
in ice cream, but somehow it’s just better
in Sorrento. Maybe it’s the scoop they use to place the delicious creation
in a simple sugar cone or mini paper cup and how it looks nothing like the ice
cream cones in the U.S. It could be that not only do you not feel strange
asking for two flavors but in fact, they encourage it. Pineapple and coconut? Delicious. My personal favorite, mint and milk
chocolate. It’s like a Junior Mint in ice cream form. What
could be better?
Or
maybe what makes gelato so much better than ice cream is the fact that you can
get gelato in Sorrento whenever you
want. Eleven A.M? Sure. Two in the afternoon? Absolutely. Midnight? Why not?
Whenever you have a hankering for it, there’s always somewhere right around the
corner to grab a few scoops. Other delicious desserts in Sorrento include Tiramisu, cannolis, lemon cake and the
delicious waffles served at David’s Gelateria. Nutella and whipped cream on
a giant homemade waffle, what could be better?
Autumn
has fallen here in Sorrento. The wind has picked up, temperatures have dropped,
and the humidity has finally broken. Though the leaves on the trees haven’t
drastically changed color, there are only four short weeks left in the month of
October. Starting in November and lasting throughout the winter months in
Sorrento Torroncini is a popular
dessert for natives and passersby. Made with pure fresh ingredients: honey, sugar egg whites and nuts, torroncini
is made in two ways, hard and crunchy or soft and chewy. Some toroncini is
even covered in chocolate. This treat is
so popular it can be purchased online and delivered to your door!
With
the holidays fast approaching tourists and locals alike are starting to think
of how they will be celebrating in true Italian fashion, with food!
Being in the
heart of historic Sorrento makes the options endless. If you’re in the mood for
a light flaky pastry with a bit of chocolate added for some extra decadence, mustacciuoli is the way to
go.
If you are looking for something with more of a salty, nutty taste, rococo would be a fabulous option as it
is a pastry with almonds. It still gives that light texture of a traditional
Italian pastry while giving just the right amount of salt and nutty taste with
a little extra crunch! For something a
bit more adventurous try sapienza a dessert featuring biscuits, nuts, and oversized
citrus fruits such as lemons. Of
course lemons, this is Sorrento after all!
Some Italian candy and dessert companies have
recently made their way across the pond to grace to red white and blue with
their scrumptious treats. Bindi is a dessert and pastry company that distributes
their products from a plant in Italy as well as one in the United States. The
company began in Milan in 1946 when founder Attilo Bindi opened his first
location, a small storefront. Now more than sixty years later, Bindi is a
worldwide distributor of some of the best sweet treats Italy has to offer.
Sometimes the easiest go-to gift after going on an
exotic trip is a gift basket. It embodies the essence of your experience in the
simplest yet elegant way. Walking the streets of Sorrento it is clear that gift
baskets are just as popular here as they are around the world. As a town with
an influx of tourists from June until the end of October shopkeepers know what
their clients look for when shopping for souvenirs. They create gift baskets
filled with cheese, wine, limoncello and sometimes dried fruit, pastries,
crackers or breads.
Traveling to Sorrento is a magical experience
filled with some of the most delicious desserts you’ll ever try, especially
during the fall and winter months. Bringing gifts home can be the perfect way
to remember the magic of your Italian adventure while bringing it home to share
with others. Hopefully, once you share the food and stories with loved ones
back home, they’ll want to come with you on your next trip!
by Shannon Devaney
