I went to dinner a few weeks ago with an Italian friend and another American who loves Italy as I do. We decided to try an Italian restaurant praised for its authenticity. Two of us ordered pizza, one got pasta, and we were all happy with the quality and flavors.
At the end of our meal my Italian friend couldn’t resist, she had to try their gelato. Would it be like back home? And, so began one of the quintessential faux paus that Americans commit with Italian pronunciation.
My friend asked for the gelato. “What flavor would you like?”, the waitress wanted to know. “Pistachio” (pronounced with the end sounding like Pinocchio). “Pistachio?” The waitress corrected her, pronouncing it the American way. “Si, pistachio”, my friend said again, pronouncing it correctly in Italian. This went several times before they agreed they were talking about the same thing. I almost died laughing.
We then began laughing about the whole, “bruschetta” pronunciation that we poor Americans butcher all the time in Italy. The joy of trying to speak a foreign language! We laughed and laughed until the gelato arrived discussing our various embarrassing slip-ups in each other’s language.
Thankfully, the gelato was perfect. The perfect texture, only a mild green color so we could tell they had used only natural ingredients. Delicious pistachio flavor.
It reminded me of the same natural pistachio flavor we loved (and devoured!) in Mia Emilia’s Torrone Al Gusto Pistacchio from the makers at Di Iorio in the Southern region of Campania.
Having fallen in love with their Monachino, (a chocolate covered hazelnut nougat that is to die for) when I asked my husband what he would like to include on our next Mia Emilia order my phone started dinging like crazy. “Chocolate.” “Chocolate.” “Chocolate.” “Maybe some more chocolate.” We have a problem, we know.
More than happy to honor that request, I ordered several different varieties of Torrone, and the pistachio was one of them.
Breaking it open, the inside was just right. Just like the best pistachio products in Italy. They all have this pretty, pale green inside and the unmistakable nutty flavor.
This Torrone is extra special, because along with the pistachio flavor, you also get the crunchy, roasted almond flavor, all wrapped up together in delicious dark chocolate.
Sometimes the chocolate coatings on chocolate covered products can taste a bit waxy and fake, and sometimes they are, but not in the products by Di Iorio. The quality of this chocolate is just as high as the nuts, honey, and other natural ingredients inside. Every bite is so rich with flavor and texture.
Pistachio is an especially popular nut and flavor in Italy, and one of the many prides of Sicily. Sicily is the region best known for pistachios, especially the small town of Bronte near the famous volcano, Mt. Etna.
Italy is so special with its many regions, each offering their own unique culinary and cultural gifts. The makers of the Di Iorio Torrone manage to mix them together capturing the beauty of the land, richness of the culture, and sweetness of the life lived in their country. A taste of that Torrone is a taste of Italy, and one that delights every time.
When the craving for chocolate, chocolate, and more chocolate hits you next, give Mia Emilia’s Italian chocolate products a try. The chocolate will satisfy that craving and go one step further, it will leave you mesmerized by the perfect combinations of natural ingredients blended together into a treat that could only be from Italy.