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The oldest and most noble Christmas cake is called Panforte

Pan Forte and Vin Santo Fattoria del Colle

In Siena the Christmas cake that is a must is called Panforte born as peppered bread to give energy it became a noble cake in honour of Queen Margherita

PANES FORTIS

Without panforte Christmas would not be Christmas for Donatella Cinelli Colombini!

The old tradition of this Christmas cake from Siena goes back about a 1000 years . The name PanForte (Panes Fortis) came from the fact that the water in the fruit used to make the cake, kept it soft but at the same time gave origin to moulds which gave and acidic taste to the cake as well.

In 1505 the Panforte began to be a great success thanks Sister Berta, who, worried about the health of the soldiers. She modified the recipe so that is might become energetic for the body and spirit, adding an abundant dose of pepper (Pan Pepato)

During the years the Panforte has not been changed much until 1879 when Queen Margherita di Savoia came to visit the Palio city. Her visit was anticipated by an inspection by her chamberlain who also had the job of choosing the dishes for the “royal palate”. He had a more delicate version prepared for her eliminating the melon and substituting the pepper covering with icing sugar. That is how the Panforte Margherita was born

At Fattoria del Colle the panforte is prepared by the pateisseur and served freshly baked during the Christmas holidays and most of all during the New Years Eve dinner. Hopefully we can soon get back to normal in 2021!

INGREDIENTS FOR PANFORTE

Ingredients Pan Forte Fattoria del Colle

600 g of candied orange and cedar, 300 g of almonds and 200 g of toasted hazelnuts, 200 g of acacia honey, 150 g of sugar, 3 eggs, 100 g of vanilla sugar, 5 dried figs, 150 g of flour, 30 g of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pepper, greaseproof paper and hosts (to be bought in a chemists)

2 May 2015

Wine cats

After the winery dogs, now the wine cats, in other words 4 legged friends become a necessary presence in boutique wineries

Read for you by Donatella Cinelli Colombini

Wine cat

There is a legend about cats in the Vinsanto lofts in the Chianti region. Nobody has ever seen them but everyone talks about these felines that used to spend their whole life in the dark lofts protecting the small vinsanto barrels from the mice. In truth is does rather seem a tale because the places most loved by these hungry mice were the cellars and most of all the places where cold cuts, cheeses and nuts were stored. But for centuries cats have been welcomed in country homes and in cellars where excellent wines are made thanks to the passion of the producers who live there. These wineries are called “boutiques” small establishments where the owner has his home, surrounded by the vineyards, kept like gardens.

17 February 2015

in Forum: News and lifestyle, Not only wine..., Vines and wines

Donatella Cinelli Colombini presents herself part 2

In 1998 when I left my family’s estate (one of the oldest and most prestigious producing Brunello) to create my own, that bears my name, it really seemed a “mission impossible” By Donatella Cinelli Colombini [caption id="attachment_10091" align="alignleft" width="225" caption="Donatella Cinelli Colombini Cavaliere della Repubblica"][/caption] Again like in my other troubled chellenges I had no money, in fact with debts much superior to the income and two wineries with buildings to be renovated, vineyards to be replanted, cellars to be built and more importantly no sales network.. Now we sell wine to 31 foreign nations. I have in the meantime understood that it...

24 December 2012

Ricciarelli: the recipe for the typical Christmas cakes from Siena

The home made freshly baked ricciarello is the nicest cake in the world. It has a taste of Tuscany, of Christmas, of local traditions and affection

Nothing at all to do with the commercial ones!

Advice for gluttons from Donatella Cinelli Colombini

Ricciarelli and Vin Santo_Fattoria del Colle

THE LEGEND

Traditional, easy and fragrant, it helps you rediscover the pleasure of almond paste. The ricciarello is the Sienese Christmas cake and since 2010 it is a product protected with the IGP certification. A traditional delicacy from as far back as man can remember. It seems that the oldest recipe is a document in a convent in Buonconvento 20 km from Fattoria del Colle. Its name has a legendary source and come s from the Crociato Ricciardetto della Gherardesca who it seems brought the recipe from theMiddle East.

However the word ricciarello appears only in the 19th century so centuries and centuries after the crusades. Most surely the use of almond paste came about in the houses of the rich Sienese bankers from the southern part of the Mediterranean, prior to the 15th century, because from that era one was served “marzapani alla costuma senese” or “morzelletti” probably prepared in convents.

The most appropriate wine for this very Sienese delicacy is the Vin Santo, the most traditional dessert wine in Tuscany. Want some proof? As soon as it will be possible again come to Fattoria del Colle and you will find both!

Read the recipe below!

4 December 2012

A tour in a winery in Tuscany to discover traditions

I would have never thought that some of the old traditions I have discovered during my working experience at Fattoria del Colle were the same I already knew and grew up with. It has simply been a rediscovery. I was born in Chiusi, a small village located on the border between Tuscany and Umbria, south of Siena. It is an old town with Etruscan origins surrounded by countryside and small lakes. I have always wished to leave the countryside, and sometimes I did, to look for different spaces, different ways of living and views. Always very nice! [caption id="attachment_7467" align="alignleft" width="298" caption="the kitchen...

27 September 2012

Massage therapy and Spa during your holiday in Tuscany

Regenerate with massages, heat, relax and Jacuzzi in front of a magnificent panorama, this is what is on offer for guests coming to Fattoria del Colle on holiday [caption id="attachment_7282" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Jacuzzi con vista sulla Val d'Orcia"][/caption] In the wellness centre at Fattoria del Colle the massage room is ready. It is an intimate and comfortable place where the same character of the whole structure is re-proposed with its old stone walls, tile frames with floral designs, windows over a beautiful breathtaking panorama … there is even an old cloche hanger to get away from the “new feeling “ of the...

4 September 2012

Grape harvest weekend in Tuscany

Take part to the grape harvest of Brunello wine and Chianti in the vineyards, in the cellar and sit at the table of Donatella Cinelli Colombini restaurant [caption id="attachment_7225" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="grape harvest at Fattoria del Colle"][/caption] An unique experience to discover how the great tuscan red wines such as Brunello, Chianti Superiore and Doc Orcia are produced. You will meet new friends, you will sleep in the houses of the ancient farmers and you will live a funny day between vineyards and cellars during the grape harvest with technical wine tasting and tasty dishes from Crete Senesi and Val d'Orcia. Sunday, before...

26 July 2012

Your wonderful wedding in Tuscany

For those who desire a romantic wedding beautiful landscapes and nature are perfect frames. At Fattoria del Colle – country inn in Tuscany you get the best [caption id="attachment_7015" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Wedding at Fattoria del Colle"][/caption] The most requested location is the Belvedere, a horse-shoe shaped area surrounded buy a seating and roses. Three pillars mounted with a terracotta pine cone delimit the entrance and the centre of the curve. Behind the alter the panorama is wonderful and to the side a row of cypress trees assures shade during the summer afternoons. Then there are the lawns in front of the Val d’Orcia...

25 October 2011

The Swiss people, Pine Nuts and the Mantovana cake

As I was driving along the road, a few miles away from the Fattoria dalla Colle, I saw two children and a very tall man who were searching for pine nuts under a tree alongside the road. I said to myself “How strange! It is years since I have seen children searching for pine nuts like that”. Then I noticed that the car had a Swiss number plate and then I understood. In the Swiss Alps you cannot easily collect edible pine nuts from the trees so for this family searching for pine nuts is like the equivalent of us Tuscans being excited about being able to pick bananas straight from the trees in Egypt. It is a totally new experience.

I kept pondering and reflecting about this image and after a while it occurred to me how much growing up as a child in Tuscany has changed since I was young, even in the most simple little things such as this. Today there are so many video games and other distractions which encourage children to play insided, away from the Natural environment which surrounds them.

Before it wasn’t like that. In the Summer when I was a child I used to spent the entire afternoon with my friends collecting pine nuts and then crushing them on the wall. As a child I was almost addicted to the consumption of these pine nuts. My grandmother was so worried about how many I ate that she made someone cut down all the pine trees and made them take them away. Luckily after a few years I forgot all about them.

25 May 2011

in Farm experiences, Forum: News and lifestyle, Vines and wines