History
of Bicerin di Gianduiotto
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This hidden jewel is found at the foot of the Alps in Turin within the Piedmont region of northern Italy. One of the oldest, most famous, and most delectable drinks in Piedmont For 200 years ‘Bicerin’ has been the drink of choice of the Turinese nobleman and peasants alike. By definition, Turin is a capital of chocolate. A tempting tour of the beauties of this sober yet elegant city must therefore begin at the old chocolate houses with their bewitching shop windows. First stop is Al Bicerin, the café frequented by Count Cavour, the architect of modern Italy, who would come here to recharge after the rigours of politics, located in Piazza della Consolata. Since 1763, this bar, which still preserves its nineteenth-century décor, has served customers a mixture of coffee, chocolate, milk and syrup (known as a "bicerin"), becoming a cornerstone of local tradition. A 'Bicerin' is in essence a “bicchierino” or “small glass” of melted chocolate, coffee, and milk. The most famous place to enjoy the original ‘Bicerin’ is at the café Al Bicerin in piazza della Consolata (although you’re likely to find ‘Bicerin’ served at most of the cafes in Turin). The Gianduiotto is a Piedmontese chocolate whose shape is similar to an upturned boat. Gianduiotti are individually wrapped in a tinfoil cover, usually gold or silver-colored. Gianduiotti are produced by mixing sugar, cocoa and hazelnut paste. The official “birth” of Gianduiotti is set at 1865, by a Michele Prochet, the first to completely grind hazelnuts to a paste before adding them to the cocoa and sugar mix. Apparently, the idea of mixing hazelnut pieces to “standard” chocolates was born during Napoleon’s reign, when importing cocoa from South America became extremely difficult. “Raw” cocoa was extremely expensive, so local producers started incorporating bits of roasted hazelnuts (hazelnuts are locally grown and were easy to come by in Piedmont) to make the final product more affordable. The name Gianduiotto comes from ‘Gianduja’ one of the masks of the Italian Commedia dell'Arte, typically representing the town of Turin (and Piedmont in general). The mask depicts an honest peasant of Piedmontese countryland, with a certain inclination for wine, gastronomy and beautiful girls, while strictly faithful to his lover Giacometta, who is usually represented by a cute girl. His origins are in Callianetto, a county between Turin and Asti, and his name in Piedmontese dialect sounds "Gian d'la dojia" (it is pronounced "Gian d'la duia") which means something like "John who appreciates good wine". As many Piedmontese people do. The combination of these centuries old traditions by Distillerie Vincenzi gives us the pleasure that is Bicerin di Gianduiotto Liqueur. At first you experience the rich intoxicating hazelnut chocolate aroma and then you taste the thick delicious ‘Gianduiotto’ hazelnut chocolate blended with 15% ABV that can evoke the feeling of being in love. This is Bicerin di Gianduiotto Liqueur. For the first time ‘Bicerin di Gianduiotto Liqueur’ is now available in the UK.
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