The year: 1441. The place: Cremona, Italy. The occasion: the wedding of Francesco Sforza to Bianca Maria Visconti. Featured in the buffet was a sweet made in the shape of the famous tower of Cremona.
The word for tower in Italian is torrione, and it is from this word that the name for the candy, torrone, is derived. Though torrone exists in many varieties and flavors, at the heart of each treat is nutmeats (usually almond or hazelnut), honey, and egg whites.
These days torrone is especially popular as a holiday or winter dessert. Some flavor variations include lemon, orange, and vanilla (limone, arancia, e vaniglia).
