When one thinks of the culinary scene in Italy, they tend to picture hearty pasta dishes, perfect pizza, rich glasses of wine and even richer cups of coffee but the country has also produced some of the best-loved desserts in the world that foodies – especially those with a bit of a sweet tooth – should make a point to try. Nothing can compare to the authentic version of a dish made in the country from which it comes but it is also true that everything just tastes sweeter when you are on holidays! Often cited as a traditional dish from Piedmont, you should certainly make a point to try the beloved panna cotta dessert if you have found a vacation rental in Piedmont but you’re sure to also find delicious examples all over the place if you are planning a holiday in Italy!
Literally, “cooked cream”, panna cotta is made of sweetened cream that is then thickened with gelatin, moulded into shape, and flavoured with different ingredients including coffee, vanilla, or rum. This sweet and creamy delight is then usually served up with a berry coulis or a caramel or chocolate sauce. Garnishes of fruit or mint are usually added to complete the dish and make it more visually appealing.
Like many iconic dishes, the exact origins of the panna cotta have become obscured by time and there are some competing tales about how it came to be. However, we do know that it was not mentioned before the 1960s in Italian cookbooks. One origin tale suggests that it was invented by a Hungarian woman in the Langhe in the early 1900s. While a record in an 1879 dictionary mentions a similar dish called latte inglese (“English milk”), which was made of cream cooked with gelatin and moulded. Other sources suggest that this dish was actually made with egg yolks, implying it might be another dessert entirely. Although we cannot say for certain who invented the dish and where they did it or when, the Region of Piedmont officially claimed the dish as one of the traditional food products of the region in 2001.
Exact origins are also not necessary to enjoy a perfect panna cotta so why not book a holiday rental in Piedmont and come try it for yourself on a perfect foodie vacation in Italy?