Lonigo mandorlato nougat

The production of this white (and hard!) nougat has been documented since the 18th century, but it is likely much older, with credible attribution to the realm of medieval apothecaries. Reconstructing the history of this product is difficult because almond cultivation, the main ingredient, thrives not only in the Mediterranean basin but also in the North, albeit only in areas with milder climates, such as certain slopes of the Colli Berici, where the toponym Strada Mandolara is not uncommon.

A fruit with profound symbolic meanings, the almond was present on royal tables and was never absent from the orchard of a Venetian villa. Hence, the Venetian vocation for this sweet where almonds are bound by honey and egg white in a decidedly firm mixture.