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LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

Iconic ‘Baci’ chocolates celebrate romantic proverbs from the Italian dialects

Baci chocolates, literally translating as 'kisses', are an Italian icon - and now the sweets are celebrating the country's dialects.

Published: 27 September 2017 12:21 CEST
Updated: 27 September 2017 15:50 CEST
Iconic 'Baci' chocolates celebrate romantic proverbs from the Italian dialects
Packaging for the new 'dialect-speaking' chocolates. Photo: Baci Perugina

Each chocolate comes wrapped in small messages of love, like a romantic fortune cookie. This tradition based on the story of a chocolate-maker who supposedly sent romantic notes to a founder of the company the same way.

In fact, that's how the sweets got their name – previously, they had been called 'cazzotti' (punches), a somewhat less romantic moniker due to the round shape.

The sayings already come translated into five languages (Spanish, French, English, Chinese, and Portugues) but now, as part of a special edition of Baci, the notes will be written in some of Italy's dialects to celebrate regional sayings.

One hundred proverbs from nine dialects have been chosen for the initiative, inspired by a study carried out for Perugina, the company which makes Baci, which revealed a strong desire among young Italians to learn dialect.

The phrases being celebrated in the project include the Neapolitan idiom, “Ògne scarrafne è bèll'a màmm” (every cockroach is beautiful in its mother's eyes), the Milanese saying “I inamoraa guarden minga a spend” (lovers don't care how much they spend), and the phrase “A son mach le muntagne ch'a s'ancontro nen” (only mountains never meet) from the dialect of Perugia, the home of Baci chocolates.

In total, nine dialects will feature, including those of Puglia, Genova, Rome, Venice, Sicily, and Piedmont.

Each saying will be accompanied with a translation in Standard Italian, and the outer wrapping of the sweets will have the word 'bacio' (kiss) in the local dialect – 'Vasu' in Sicilian and 'Baxu' in Genovese, for example.

“Dialect proverbs reflect the sense of belonging to a specific place and culture, but their meaning is universally recognized because they refer to the grand themes that we all share: love, friendship, family, work, and so on,” said the company.

According to the study carried out by Baci Perugina, six out of ten Italian millennials use their local dialects, and the majority are keen to learn more of the regional vocabulary, in order to feel closer to family, understand the history of the language, and enrich their own speech.

And it's not the first Italian chocolate brand to capitalize on the popularity of local languages: Ferrero, the chocolate giant that makes Nutella, launched jars of the spread with messages in dialect in 2015. University linguistics professors helped the brand translate 'buongiorno' (good morning) and other phrases into dialects from 16 areas of the country.

READ ALSO: 21 mildly interesting facts about the Italian language

21 mildly interesting facts about the Italian language

File photo: Pexels

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FOOD AND DRINK

Six of the most Italian non-alcoholic aperitivo drinks

As well as its most famous cocktails, Italy has a long tradition of making refreshing aperitivo drinks without the alcohol.

Published: 11 April 2024 12:01 CEST
Six of the most Italian non-alcoholic aperitivo drinks

Italy’s favourite aperitivo-hour cocktails are known far beyond the country’s borders, so their names will probably be familiar to you whether you drink them or not.

But if you’re in Italy and not drinking alcohol, you might find yourself stumped when it comes time to order your aperitivo at the bar.

The first time I found myself in this situation, there was no menu. The waiter instead rattled off a long list of all the soft drinks available, most of which I’d never heard of, and I just picked something I thought sounded nice.

Luckily it turns out that Italy has some great options for an aperitivo analcolico. As well as ‘virgin’ versions of well-known cocktails, there are bitters, sodas and other Italian-made soft drinks that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

They might not be quite as iconic as the Aperol Spritz, but they’re as thoroughly Italian – plus, effortlessly ordering one of these will make you look like a true local.

SanBittèr

San Pellegrino’s SanBittèr is one of the most famous non-alcoholic Italian drinks of all, with its highly-recognisable red packaging, often enjoyed in place of Campari cocktails because of its similar dark, ruby-red color.

This drink is carbonated with a slightly sweet, citrus flavor. The recipe is more complex than that of an orange or lemon soda, with notes of spice and herbs, making it ideal to pair with your aperitivo-hour snacks.

Crodino

Crodino looks a lot like an Aperol Spritz with its bright orange hue, and that’s not an accident: it’s said to have been created as a non-alcoholic alternative, and the zesty, slightly herbal taste is similar. It’s typically served the same way. in a round goblet glass over ice with a slice of orange: a Crodino Spritz.

The name comes from the town of Crodo in Piedmont, where it is still bottled today by the Campari group.

Chinotto

Citrusy Chinotto is an acquired taste for many, but it’s worth trying: it’s one of the classic Italian bitters and is said to have a long history, dating back to a recipe shared by Chinese sailors arriving on the Ligurian coast in the 1500s.

It may look a little like Coca Cola, but don’t let the appearance fool you.

(Photo by Eugene Gologursky /Getty Images via AFP)

Aranciata/Limonata

Aranciata is Italy’s version of an orange soda, but not as sugary, and it tastes like oranges. Its base is sparkling water with the addition of orange juice and sugar. There are various brands, but San Pellegrino’s is the most popular. It also sells a ‘bitter’ aranciata amaro, with even less sugar, more citrus tang and herbal notes, which might be more aperitivo-hour appropriate.

Limonata is, as you might guess, the Italian answer to lemonade. Again there are many versions out there but the fizzy San Pellegrino limonata is beloved for its strong, sweet-sour flavour and there’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer’s day.

Cedrata

Cedrata is one of Italy’s oldest and best-known non-alcoholic drinks. It’s a refreshing, carbonated drink made from a large citrus fruit called a cedro, grown in southern Italy. It’s far less bitter than a Chinotto, but not as sweet as limonata.

The main producer of Cedrata today is Tassoni, and this is what you’re likely to get if you order it at a bar.

Gingerino

This is harder to find than the other aperitivi on the list and is seen as decidedly retro, but it’s worth trying if you can track it down.

It’s another orange-coloured, sparkling drink which became popular in Italy in the 1970s and is still sold today, though you’re more likely to find it in the north-east, close to Venice, where it’s produced.

You may be expecting it to taste a lot like ginger beer, and there are similarities, but it has stronger citrus notes and more bitterness.

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