From our blog enBuenosAires
Italy, for us born abroad who live very far away, always remains a dream destination. We think it, we imagine it, we desire it. We know a lot about Italy and, at the same time, unfortunately, we know nothing. I am sure that all Italian-descendants like me have at least once in their life imagined with their eyes closed to get off the plane (or ship!) And touch that land that is also a bit ours, and then off to explore it, breathe it in, taste all those little poems of smells and flavors that we have always and only fantasized about. In my case, one of the things that most feeds these fantasies is a small but great treat. An Italian delight that here in Argentina, every time I find it in some store and can finally buy and taste it, leaves me breathless. And with my eyes closed it makes me dream and think Italian. I'm talking about almond sugared almonds. A made in Italy product that is considered here in Argentina a real little treasure.
Almond sugared almonds: the white treasure hidden in grandfather's kitchen
My adoration for almond sugared almonds is ancient. To talk about them I must first explain where and how I met them. I think the story started when I was 2 or 3 years old. Grandfather and grandmother had had to return to Italy for a long time. Back in Argentina they had brought with them many things of the house. And of all, to me, child, those that struck me most were bags of pearls with a strange shape, white and smooth. From that first meeting, I retain some unforgettable details. First of all, I remember my grandfather, who told me to try one. "White confetti" he called them. I obeyed. And I was overwhelmed. Love at the first bite. And grandfather? She placed the precious supplies on top of the cabinet, too high for me to reach alone. In short, safe, just like you should do with a treasure.
I also remember that for me, as a child, the sugared almonds were always a bit hard to chew, I struggled. I also got hurt sometimes. But the reward for that effort was priceless: the dessert first and then with that Sicilian aroma. That full, slightly bitter taste stayed in your mouth for a long time, and in your memory forever.
But white sugared almonds weren't for every day. Trouble! When we were allowed, grandfather distributed two to each child, maximum. And then you had to keep your mouth watering and wait for the next time. Next time she wasn't coming until after seven days. Because the sugared almonds in my Argentina have always been the treasure of the party.
We ate them only on the weekend after lunch at the grandparents' house, or on special occasions together with coffee. That rationing was of course also a grandfather's strategy to make them last as long as possible. Who knows when they could have returned to Italy to replenish the precious supplies! After all, buying them in Argentina was an almost impossible mission. Unavailable in stores at the time. Luckily there was occasionally some villager who had just returned from Italy who, on commission from his grandfather, brought the one kilo packet as a gift. A real bonanza!
In Italy
Once I grew up, on my first unforgettable trip to Italy, I remember the day I went for the first time to do the shopping and in the small town shop, up above, there they are: the white sugared almonds! Pack files! I did not believe my eyes. I hadn't even thought they might be available in a very ordinary grocery store. It may be childish, but I swear it opened my heart. Again, coincidentally, they were lined up on a high shelf. But this time I had grown up (physically, in my head at that moment I was just like a little girl).
And, of course, I raided the packages under the gaze of the seller, surprised not so much by my gigantic appetite but rather by the happiness she saw sparkling in my eyes and in my smile. I remember also photographing them with my cell phone and immediately sending the photo to my family in Argentina. As if I ran into someone famous. Or perhaps, even better, as if I were unexpectedly confronted with a work of art. A rare event, however. I paid and left satisfied.
A rarity
Certainly for an Italian who lives in Italy, sugared almonds, like many other products Made in Italy, are now banal everyday life. I also learned that they are used to decorate wedding tables, for wedding favors. And in some cases they are even thrown to the bride and groom together with rice as a good omen. Here, it would be a shame for us. A waste that personally would fill my eyes with tears. You must understand that for us residing abroad, in Argentina, the Italian almond sugared almonds are really the rare event I talked about. Really something to get your phone out of and share awe and happiness with those you love. And keep in mind that those wonderful sugared almonds that you Italians have in quantity in practically every good shop in the country do not exist here. We have others, of course, good ones, but the taste - the original one I met that day with my grandfather as a child - I have never met here in the city.
I therefore wait for a new fabulous opportunity to return to Italy. I have only recently discovered that there is a place called Sulmona where all kinds of confetti are produced that a person could imagine. I don't know about you, but for me it is the Eldorado! It is one of the first destinations that I will propose to visit. I hope very soon, really.
Featured photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash (edited)
