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| Type | Biscuit |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Siena |
| Main ingredients | Anise seeds, almonds, candied fruits, coriander, flour, Tuscan millefiori honey |
Cavallucci is a rich Italian Christmas pastry prepared with anise, walnuts, candied fruits, coriander, and flour. They are Sienese in origin, and the name translates approximately to "little horses".[1] The chewy biscuits traditionally use Tuscan millefiori honey as an essential ingredient in the dough.
The cookies were originally imprinted with the image of a horse (cavalli is the Italian term for horses).[2] The cookies sold today are a gentrified version of a pastry which is traceable to the reign of Lorenzo the Magnificent (1449–1492), when they were called biriquocoli.[3]
Many hypotheses are associated with the origin of its name. According to the most popular version of the story, cavallucci were served to travelers on horseback as a source of nourishment for long trips.[3] Along a similar vein, another speculation is that postal workers who delivered mail over long distances ate the cookies on a regular basis.[1] Additionally surmised is that these sweets were the usual snack of servants who worked in horse stables of rich Italian aristocrats in Siena, a city which gained its fame for horse racing.
The pastry is often paired with sweet dessert wines, such as Vin Santo, and dipped into the wine before being eaten.[3]
