Tuscany has produced some of the most famous cakes and breads in Italy with the likes of the beloved spicy Christmas treat that is Panforte coming from Siena, as well as the less well-known Panpepato; Castagnoli, Amaretti di Carmignano and Cantuccini biscuits coming from Prato; and the zesty Schiacciata alla Fiorentina and ancient ice-cream cake that is Zuccotto coming from Florence. While these baked treats can now be found all over Tuscany and Italy and all throughout the year, many were originally very localised and made to celebrate specific events and religious festivals such as saints days, Christmas, and Easter.
Dark brown in colour, with a glossy finish due to the sugar and egg glaze applied to the crust, the Buccellato sweet bread from Lucca is soft inside and is sweet, flavoured with aniseed and the sultana raisins that are stirred into the mixture. It is a must-try for any self-respecting foodie who has found a luxury villa in Lucca, particularly if you are visiting in the Fall, as it is an excellent and seasonal treat that is perfect comfort food to enjoy as temperatures drop and everyone looks forward to cosy nights in. As the locals say, “Chi viene a Lucca e non mangia il buccellato è come non ci fosse mai stato” (“Whoever comes to Lucca and doesn’t eat buccellato can't say that they've been here").
Dark brown in colour, with a glossy finish due to the sugar and egg glaze applied to the crust, the Buccellato sweet bread from Lucca is soft inside and is sweet, flavoured with aniseed and the sultana raisins that are stirred into the mixture. It is a must-try for any self-respecting foodie who has found a luxury villa in Lucca, particularly if you are visiting in the Fall, as it is an excellent and seasonal treat that is perfect comfort food to enjoy as temperatures drop and everyone looks forward to cosy nights in. As the locals say, “Chi viene a Lucca e non mangia il buccellato è come non ci fosse mai stato” (“Whoever comes to Lucca and doesn’t eat buccellato can't say that they've been here").
Buccellato was originally made and eaten during the demonstrations of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and Crossbow, a religious festival and traditional celebration that is held in Lucca each September. However, the Buccellato di Lucca can now be purchased in the city throughout the year. The name of this sweet bread comes from the Latin word, “buccella,” meaning, “to bite.” To the ancient Romans a buccellatum was a round loaf of soldier's bread and the Medieval sweet bread that would become Buccellato is still often made in a ring shape. The first recorded written reference to the Buccellato that we have dates back to 1485 in documents relating to the criminal case of a woman who had supposedly killed her husband by serving up the sweet bread with an unusual and unwelcome special ingredient: poison. There are also records from 1578 during which it was decided that the Buccellato was so integral to life in Lucca that a levy was imposed on its sale by the Republic of Lucca in order to raise the tax funds necessary to rebuild the embankments of the river Serchio.
Typically found on Luccan tables on a Sunday afternoon, the Buccellato was traditionally bought fresh in a local bakery and then carried home on the forearm after attending weekly mass. Today, as more typical loaf-shaped varieties are often commonly sold, you are less likely to see someone wearing their cake home and more likely to see people walking around with a fresh loaf in a bag. A fixture of celebrations in Lucca, during which it is served with the beloved local Vin Santo dessert wine, Buccellato is also often served up along with fruit as dessert after dinners or is toasted in the morning and enjoyed with a milky coffee for breakfast.
Once you have found a luxury villa in Lucca and are spending time in the city, be sure to pop into the famous Taddeucci pastry shop to buy their beloved Buccellato or, if you can't wait and are desperately counting down the days until your next trip to Tuscany, then why not try your hand at making a Buccellato of your own at home by following this excellent recipe by the wonderful Juls' Kitchen?
