Magnusmade by Lorenzo
  • The Love Fool
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Linked In
  • Contact
     

GoodReads

  • Home
  • About
  • What I do
  • Blog
  • Events
  • Book Clubs
  • Order Book
  • Contact

Magnusmade

Lorenzo Petruzziello | Author Website + Blog

  • Writing
  • Read
  • Travels
    • Canada
    • Denmark
    • England
    • Germany
    • Italy
      • Milan
      • Naples
      • Rome
    • USA
      • Boston
      • Las Vegas
      • New Orleans
      • Puerto Rico
  • Food
  • Cocktails
  • Recipes

Food, Italy, Rome, Travel · October 3, 2019

Maritozzo and the Modern Serenade

While living in Rome (back in 2011), I once went on a hunt for a special Roman sweet called maritozzi con panna. These sweet Roman sugar brioche buns are filled with whipped cream and served at breakfast – but I found them available any time at bars, cafes and pastry shops.

What’s in a name?

The name maritozzi stems from the word marito (husband) giving it a marriage connotation. Historically, it was custom for the groom, as proof of his love, to give these buns to his future bride, who referred to her future husband as maritozzo (quasi-husband) – hence the name of the sweets.

In some regions, including Le Marche, maritozzi can be larger loaves served at Easter, at the time of Lent. In Rome, maritozzi are small buns available year round and typically served with panna or whipped cream.

Although these sweet brioche buns look simple, the process for making the dough is a long one: it must rise overnight for at least twelve hours. Once the buns are baked and cooled, a slit is cut and filled with fresh whipped cream. Simple.

As you bite into one of these cute little clouds of sweetness, you will know it was worth the wait.

The maritozzo pictured here was the size of a large hot dog bun. The brioche was the usual light sweet bread and the freshly whipped cream had just the right amount of sugar for a slight sweet taste – not too sweet.

For those that fear whipped cream (or can’t have it for dietary reasons), there is an alternate version, which incorporates raisins (and nuts) in the dough mixture and served as is or, of course a dab of cream can be added on top. Also important to note, some recipes also add anisette liqueur for flavor.

One of the most famous places to get maritozzi is at il Maritozzaro, but these buns can be found in pastry shops all around Rome.


  • il Maritozzaro – Via Ettore Rolli, 50, 00153 Roma 

Modern Serenade

When discussing maritozzi with my Italian friends, they shared with me another intriguing pre-wedding tradition: the revival of the moonlight serenade.

In parts of Italy, it has become tradition for a groom and his guys to gather below the future bride’s window or balcony and perform songs in honor of their love. No, these men are not in tights performing with a minstrel. Some bring their acoustic guitars, use a stereo as back up or even perform as a full band. They are sometimes (probably usually) drunk and just sing to the window above as the bride-to-be eventually appears alla Juliet.

Italian rap pop artist Jovanotti, offered us an example of a modern serenade with his 1991 song and video for Serenata Rap. In the song, he continuously pleads his lover to come to the window.

Maybe it’s time to make the maritozzi and serenade a thing again.


NOTE: This is an updated version of an article originally posted in 2011 on a previous blog I ran called Modern Culture: Italy. The article was part of a series called Adventures in Rome. The blog no longer exists; however, I am pulling and updating some of the articles that I found to be interesting enough to have a life here on Magnusmade.com.

Posted In: Food, Italy, Rome, Travel · Tagged: culture, dessert, food, Italy, pastry, rome

You’ll Also Love

A José Andrés Culinary Experience
Cinecittá: Italy’s Hollywood
In Search of Death’s Cookie

Comments

  1. Nicole Licare says

    October 3, 2019 at 09:32

    fun read! YUM!

    Reply
    • Lorenzo says

      October 3, 2019 at 10:48

      Thank you!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Next Post >

Rome’s Pizza al Taglio

Magnusmade
Welcome to Magnusmade, my official author website and personal blog on writing, reading, travel and food & drink.

GoodReads

Subscribe

Enter your email address and receive notifications of new posts.

Topics

Search

Twitter

My Tweets

Latest on Instagram

lorenzomagnus

Instagram post 2194443879296790205_5122486 I recently received a belated and unexpected birthday gift: a book to take me on a fantastic reading adventure. 🗝📖
@erinmorgenstern 
#read #book #books #libro #libri #letteratura #literature #fiction #fantasy #reading #adventure #erinmorgenstern #reader #novel
Instagram post 2193736057403662327_5122486 My Pear and Cardamom cake cooling before I dust it with confectioners’ sugar. 🍐Just testing out some adjustments to my Apple cake recipe. 
#baking #bake #pear #cardamom #dessert #cake #torta #dolce #pera
Instagram post 2192631768186799390_5122486 Scotch Deviled Egg 
@thehavenjp 
#scotchegg #scottish #scottishpub #pub #pubfood #food #egg #eat
Instagram post 2189597638024895010_5122486 December 🎄
#december #homedecor #mynambe #interiordecorating #christmas #christmastree
Instagram post 2189311768466242307_5122486 Sunday morning. Wake up. 🌤
Instagram post 2188754968444468847_5122486 @pastoralfortpt 
#lunch #pizza #pranzo #Boston
Load More...

Copyright © 2019 Magnusmade · Design by Julie Molliver · Theme by 17th Avenue