Invention of sweets and pastries
WHS connected to the 'invention' of a specific sweet or pastry:
1. They must be sweets (candy), sweet pastries or sweet desserts
2. They are believed to have originated in a specific place within the core zone of WHS.
3. They are widely available elsewhere as well, not only at their place of origin, or well-known enough to attract visitors to sample it as a local delicacy.
Connected Sites
| Site | Rationale | Link |
| Avila | Yemas de Santa Teresa: "a pastry that is identified with the Spanish province of Ávila. Its fame has spread across the country and they can be bought throughout Spain but typically they are a souvenir connected with the city of Ávila." (wiki) | |
| Belem | The famous portuguese pastel de nata is believed to be created before the 18th century by Catholic Monks at the Jerónimos Monastery | |
| Bordeaux | Canelé, "a small French pastry flavored with rum and vanilla with a soft and tender custard center and a dark, thick caramelized crust". The canelé is believed to originate from the Couvent des Annonciades, Bordeaux in either the 15th or the 18th century. (wiki) | |
| Budapest | (1) Dobos torte, "a Hungarian sponge cake layered with chocolate buttercream and topped with caramel". "The layered pastry is named after its inventor, Hungarian chef József C. Dobos, a delicatessen owner in Budapest. Dobos torte was first introduced at the National General Exhibition of Budapest in 1885" (2) Esterházy torta, invented by Budapest confectioners in the late 19th century. The "torta consists of buttercream spiced with cognac or vanilla, sandwiched between four and five layers of almond meringue (macaron) dough. The torte is iced with a fondant glaze and decorated with a characteristic chocolate striped pattern" (wiki) | |
| City of Bath | Bath Bun - "a sweet roll made from a milk-based yeast dough with crushed sugar sprinkled on top after baking". Said to be invented by Doctor William Oliver from Bath in the 18th century (wiki) | |
| Costiera Amalfitana | Sfogliatella ("a shell-shaped filled Italian pastry") was invented in the monastery of Santa Rosa da Lima in Conca dei Marini in the 17th Century | |
| Edinburgh | Edinburgh rock or Edinburgh Castle rock: "It consists of sugar, water, cream of tartar, colourings and flavourings. It is formed into sticks, and has a soft and crumbly texture." | |
| Ferrara | Zuppa inglese: "The origins of zuppa inglese are uncertain. One theory states that it originated in the sixteenth-century kitchens of the Dukes of Este, the rulers of Ferrara. According to this story, they asked their cooks to recreate the sumptuous "English trifle" they had enjoyed in England at the Elizabethan court, where they were frequent visitors. However, no recipes for the dish are recorded before the late nineteenth century". | |
| Florence | The invention of "Gelato", the confection based on ice, cream and egg yolk as a development of the older water-based sherbet/sorbetto has been linked to Florence during the rule of Catherine de Medici. One version is that the architect and all-round Renaissance man Bernado Buontalenti was charged by Catherine with preparing 'events' for diplomatic guests including banquets and entertainments. In 1565 one of these served a frozen dessert with a recipe approximating to modern 'Gelato'. Buontalenti Gelato is still available! | |
| Great Spa Towns of Europe | (1) Traditional Czech Spa Wafers from the Bohemian spa towns; "The production of the wafers in Karlsbad and Marienbad was traditional to the towns' German-speaking population, who, after the ethnic cleansing of the area, brought the craft to Germany" (wiki) (2) Vichy Pastilles: "a French confectionery produced in the spa town of Vichy in central France. They were invented in 1825. They are recognizable as a white, octagonal type of candy pastille bearing the word "Vichy" in all-caps." (wiki) | |
| Historic Cairo | Om Ali: "The dish, which is traced back to the early years of Egypt's Mamluk era, is named after the wife of the Sultan of Egypt who asked her cooks to come up with the most delicious dessert that they could create." This happened in 'a' palace in Cairo. | |
| Istanbul | Turkish delight or lokum, a family of confections based on a gel of starch and sugar. "According to the Hacı Bekir company, Bekir Efendi, named Hacı Bekir after performing the Hajj, moved to Constantinople from his hometown Kastamonu and opened his confectionery shop in the district of Bahçekapı in 1777. He produced various kinds of candies and lokum, later including a unique form of lokum made with starch and sugar." However, this 'invention' is debated and the exact origin of these sweets is yet to be definitively determined. (wiki) | |
| Lübeck | Lübeck Marzipan: "in the 18th century, the marzipan produced in Lübeck started becoming well known for its high quality, due to its high almond content." The early confectionaries were located at Lübeck market square (wiki de) | |
| Moravian Church Settlements | Moravian Honey Cakes (since 1783) | |
| Nancy | Rum baba or baba au rhum ("a small yeast cake saturated in syrup made with hard liquor, usually rum, and sometimes filled with whipped cream or pastry cream"): the original baba was introduced into France in the 18th century via Alsace and Lorraine. This is attributed to Stanisław Leszczyński, the exiled king of Poland (wiki) | |
| Salzburg | Mozartkugel: "a small, round sugar confection made of pistachio, marzipan and nougat that is covered with dark chocolate. It was originally known as Mozart-Bonbon, created in 1890 by Salzburg confectioner Paul Fürst (1856–1941) and named after Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart" (wiki) | |
| Santiago de Compostela | Tarta de Santiago: "an almond cake or pie". "The first news of the use of this " almond cake ", which we know today as Tarta de Santiago, comes from 1577 during a visit by Pedro de Porto to the University of Santiago... Currently they can be bought in almost all pastry shops in the towns and areas through which the Camino de Santiago passes" (wiki es) | |
| Siena | Ricciarelli: "traditional Italian biscuits – specifically, a type of macaroon – originating in 14th century Siena. It is considered one of the signature sweets of Siena". | |
| Sintra | Queijadas de Sintra: "In medieval times, these small pies were used as a form of payment due to the fact that Sintra had great pastures and a surplus of fresh cheese which was used in the preparation of queijadas." | |
| Tallinn | Marzipan as a sweet was invented by Lorenz Cawietzel in 1806 (at the same time as in Luebeck). He opened a café“Maiasmokk” (Sweet Tooth) where marzipan was made among pastries. | |
| Toledo | Mazapan de Toledo, a type of marzipan. "Marzipan was probably first made in Persia, now Iran. It came to Europe with the Arabs in the Middle Ages, through Spain, where it actually first became popular. The "Mazapán de Toledo" is still one of the most famous in the world." (wiki de) | |
| Torun | Torunskie Pierniki: "a traditional Polish gingerbread that has been produced since the Middle Ages in the city of Toruń." | |
| Verona | Pandoro, a traditional Italian sweet bread. It was officially invented in *Verona* as a modern form of a traditional Veronese/Venetian sweet by Melegatti in 1894, whose first shop was in the heart of the old town. | |
| Vienna | Sachertorte, a chocolate cake. It was created by Franz Sacher, a Viennese confectioner. His son "Eduard opened the Hotel Sacher in 1876... The Sachertorte is said to be instrumental in spreading the fame of the hotel; or perhaps the other way around. The exact recipe as created by Sacher himself is a closely guarded secret." | |
| Yazd | Shirini Yazidi, as made famous by the Haj Khalifa Confectionery in Amir Chakhmaq Square. |
Suggestions?
Do you know of another WHS we could connect to Invention of sweets and pastries?
A connection should:
- Not be "self evident"
- Link at least 3 different sites
- Not duplicate or merely subdivide the "Category" assignment already identified on this site.
- Add some knowledge or insight (whether significant or trivial!) about WHS for the users of this site
- Be explained, with reference to a source