Gastro Obscura introduces us to the serpetone, a pastry dish native to the Umbria region of central Italy. It gained the internet’s attention earlier this year when a redditor asked for help translating her grandmother’s handwritten recipe. The Today show highlighted the project and the serpetone, a pastry appropriately shaped like a snake.
It’s made with cocoa powder, nuts, dried or candied fruit, and anise liqueur. Some varieties include almonds on the back to give a spiked and scaly appearance. It might be associated with Christmas because the season represents the triumph of righteousness over Satan, represented by the snake.
Photo: Rachel Rummel