Update: We should have Quaranta, Bauli, Balocco, Baci, Nonna Maria Mostaccioli, and Vergani this Saturday, the 16th!
It's that time of year! The leaves are past their prime, there was frost on the car this morning and I finally gave in to the kids request and turned on the fireplace! Oh, and what you really want to hear is that pallets stocked full of treats direct from Italy are starting to arrive!
What else? Oh, marzipan! Yes, it's back. These sold out so quickly last year. They're beautiful. Make sure you order soon!
We have a ton of new items as well. Assorted biscotti samplers, ricciarelli, soft hand formed amaretti. (I nicked a box and brought them to my mom's so we could try and we felt like we were transported back to Siena!)
We'll add more items as they arrive. We know that many of you are waiting for Antica, Strega, Fiasconaro, and of course mosticcioli. If you sign up on a product's page we'll notify you as soon as the item arrives! Wishing you a wonderful start to the holiday season!
That's right! Only one more feast! If you've never been to the feast of St. Gerard at St. Lucy's Church in Newark, NJ you should start making your plans to attend the 120th feast of St. Gerard Maiella. Here's a link to all the information that you'll need, including the procession times. We'll be there with the torrone stand to offer biscotti, nuts on the string, keychains, stickers, ceci, and of course torrone! Not only will the torrone stand be there but you'll find sausage and peppers, zeppole, and a whole bunch of great Italian treats. There will be music from the 17th-20th. There's secure parking on site. So stop by!
Grazie To Everyone Who Stopped By The Torrone Stand This Summer!
Thank you to all of our customers who stopped by the stand this year to say hello! It's great to meet new customers and catch up with those who we see each year. Looking forward to next summer!
So what's on tap for the holiday season?
It's starting to get colder up here in Vermont. The leaves are changing and we went to pick up some new skis yesterday! So that means...it's almost time for all of our holiday items to arrive! We play a waiting game each fall. Which products will be the first to arrive, which will be later than originally planned? Which company didn't get their production done before their annual August break? It's frustating and exciting at the same time!
After that the order of arrivals is hard to predict. In the beginning of November we should have panettone from Bauli and Balocco - as well as some new items from them. Amaretti from Amaretti del Chiostro and Brutti ma Buoni! Quaranta torrone should arrive around that time as well. The hot item from last year - Fratelli Motta shelf stable cannoli will be here as well. Figs from Rondo, torrone from Sara, new biscotti that we've never carried before as well as new chocolates.
Antica Piemontese, Strega, Sapori, mostaccioli, Sorelle Nurzia are usually the last products to arrive. We always hope that they get here before Thanksgiving but sometimes it's not until the first week of December that they've been released from customs and shipped up to us. Fingers crossed that it's on the earlier side this year! There are too many products to list here so check back often and explore our site.
I'm also going to try and get some of the non-food items that we sell at the torrone stand up on the site. Keychains, stickers, etc. These will be great for stockings!
Remember if there's a product that you're waiting for sign up on the product page and I'll notify you as soon as it comes in. This is especially important for Strega, Sorelle, and mostaccioli as they sell out quickly! You can also email me at info@torronecandy and I will put you on the notify list.
I'll be putting up the products as they arrive so check back often. I'll also try to update the blog to let you know when I think items will arrive.
Are you wondering why we don't stock the candy all year?
Well, we do bring in some brands all year, Ferrara, La Florentine, Oliviero and a few others but the majority of the brands only ship for the winter holiday season. We could buy for the entire year but then I would be concerned about the quality of what I would be shipping out. We only want to stock and ship what we think is of the highest quality. So if you're waiting for a particular poduct, sign up to be notified of it's arrival.
Let's Celebrate With 13% Off!!* Ends 11:59am EST, 9/30/19.
Use Code 13ANNI
It's hard to believe that it's been 13 years since we launched our website to "bring the feast to you"! If you've been with us since the beginning you may remember how hard it was to navigate the old site and place an order. While our site has changed, (and we hope has become easier to navigate), our mission of providing great customer service and a taste of the past has not.
We love to hear stories from customers about how a taste of torrone brings back memories of family gatherings at Christmas, going to the feast with their nonni, or Sunday dinners with so many people squeezed in around the table you could hardly move!
Back in 1988, when we started to sell torrone at the feasts, we never dreamed that we would be selling torrone online! In 2006, when our website launched, we were not even sure if there was an online market for torrone. We are thrilled that we have been able to provide families across the United States with quality torrone and specialty holiday items for 13 years! We love providing the Italian treats that are part of your family traditions.
Our sincere thanks to you - our loyal customers!
Mille Grazie!!!
Waiting for Our Favorite Products and New Items!
Why are so many items out of stock? While we do bring in some torrone and other confections multiple times a year, many companies only ship their products to the U.S. for the winter holiday season. Our holiday orders have been placed and many are on the water and will be here in October!
Over the next few months delicious candy will start to arrive. Torrone from Oliviero, Sorelle Nurzia, Antica Piemontese, Strega, Flamigni, Vital, Sara and Quaranta. Panettone and Pandoro. Panforte. Biscotti, Figs and More. We can't wait for the shipping containers to arrive!
If there is a product that you're looking for, sign up to be notified when it's back in stock and be the first to know!
If you're in the NYC area, come on down to Little Italy! Our torrone stand is located at 117 Mulberry St, between Canal and Hester until Sunday, Sept. 22nd!
Stop by for some torrone, taralli, mostaccioli, ceci e fava, and nuts on the string!
Join us and over 1 million others and celebrate in NYC's Little Italy! Cannoli eating contest, music, the blessing of the stands. Don't miss it!
Containers are being loaded in Italy with lots of great items for the holiday season!!! We can't wait!
Our 1st feast of 2019 starts on Sunday! Visit the torrone stand in Wilmington, DE at St. Anthony's Festival from June 9th - 16th! More information here.
We hope you find time to visit our torrone stand this summer! You can pick up items that are not available on the website - andrite, lemon cookies, key chains, bumper stickers, ceci e fava, St. John's bread and more!
Oliviero Favorites Are Back!
We just picked up some of our favorite Oliviero products! The Oliviero family has been producing Italian torrone, croccante, and other confections near Avellino, Italy since the beginning of the 20th Century. They continue to use traditional recipes for their hard and soft nougat while experimenting with new flavorings and techniques - ensuring they continue to supply us with high-quality products made with only the finest ingredients. Try some today!
Many cities in Italy have grand Easter celebrations. While the days leading up to Easter are solemn, Easter and La Pasquetta, the day after Easter, are filled with excitement. In Florence, Easter is celebrated with the Scoppio del Carro, expolsion of the cart. The wagon that is at least 2 stories high, is wheeled through the streets to the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore. Once there, a dove-shaped rocket is sent into the wagon igniting a spectacular firework show. Afterwards, there's a parade through the historic section of Florence.
There's a saying in Italy, “Natale con i tuoi, pasqua con chi vuoi” (Christmas with family, Easter with who you want). La Pasquetta or Little Easter, is a nation holiday in Italy. Italians enjoy the day off visiting friends and enjoying a picnic of leftovers from Easter along with salami, cheese and perhaps some homemade wine. Some may travel to the sea, to enjoy the sunshine and the barely warm water. Entire cities come together for free concerts, outdoor luncheons and egg rolling games. The city of Panciale in Umbria has a different sort of rolling contest. They roll cheese wheels!
Easter and Passover Food
It's Passover and Easter soon and many are thinking about what to make. Easter bread, spinach pies- with alici, without or with olives, meat pies and wheat pies! Do you have lamb or spiral ham? Or both? Are you busy making brisket, matzo ball soup and macaroons? Do you serve gefilte fish - I hope with lots of horseradish! That's the only way I can get it down! I just saw a recipe for matzoh lasagna?! Here's a twist on the traditional haroset -Haroset all'italiana, a paste-like mixture of ground dates, oranges, raisins and figs. We're having a combination of our favorites this week. I'd love to make some carciofi alla romana but it's so much work! Here's our recipe for our Easter bread.
International women's day is celebrated around the world to show solidarity and recognize the importance of women in society. The day was born out of political and social awareness for women. In 1945, the Union of Italian Women set aside March 8th to celebrate womanhood. In Italy, bouquets of mimosa are given to mothers, sisters, daughters, wives and friends to show appreciation and respect. Many museums are free for women and aim to highlight works by women.
I just finished reading a very interesting short article about Dr. Maria Montessori, the founder of the Montessori schools, on Italian Sons and Daughters of America's website. Not only was she a "highly respected educator and an activist for women’s rights and peace, she also is the only Italian woman with the honor to appear on an Italian banknote."
TorroneCandy is a family-run and operated business started by Anthony Andriola. As a young boy, he frequently attended Italian feasts in New Jersey and New York with his family, and mesmerized by the sounds and smells that surrounded him year after year, dreamed of one day owning his own stand.
In the 1970s, he decided to start Anne Marie's Concessions, named after his daughter, and began to sell seafood and eventually sausages at local Italian feasts in New Jersey. "Tony Sausage," as he was affectionately referred to, changed to "Tony Torrone" in 1988, when he purchased his first torrone stand.
At that time, there were only a few remaining torrone sellers, and they sold one or two brands at the most. While visiting Anne Marie in southern Italy, where she was studying abroad, Tony spotted a road sign advertising a torrone factory. He followed the signs up a steep, winding road to the G.M.F. Oliviero Torrone Factory in the town of Ospedaletto d'Alpinolo. After a meeting with the owner, Fillipo, and his friendly employees, Tony made the decision to start selling Oliviero torrone the following summer.
Anne Marie's Concessions morphed into TorroneCandy when, in 2006, we opened our online marketplace to provide our loyal customers with the delicious torrone, biscotti, chocolates, and panettone they craved all year long.
Our family values our customers' loyal patronage, and we look forward to serving them online or meeting them at the next festa. TorroneCandy is now run by Anne Marie, her husband, Jason, and their young helpers, Isabella and Lucia, as well as other family members and friends. You can still find Tony and long-time and absolutely essential employee, Roddy, running the torrone stand at Italian summer festivals throughout the Northeast!
Small businesses survive because of thoughtful customers like you who value customer service and take an extra step in supporting businesses like ours.
Celebrate Valentine's Italian Style with unique treats from Italy! See our favorite picks here! And enjoy FREE SHIPPING on orders $59 or more! Use code VDAY19. Ends 2/9/19.
The TorroneCandy family would like to thank you for your support. We know you have a choice of where to purchase your torrone and holiday specialties and we appreciate your support of a small family business. We strive to provide a variety of items as well as personal customer service and hope that we are successful in bringing a little bit of Italy to you and your family.
Want to learn more our history, check out the About Uspage.
Have an item that you would like us to carry or a questions, contact us.
Just a reminder that many of our items are seasonal. If the item that you desire is out of stock, just enter your email address on the product page, under notify me and we'll contact you when the item is back in stock.
And remember to connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date on new product offerings!
We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and that the start to the new year has been a happy one!
Thank you to all of our returning customers and a warm welcome to our new friends! Thank you for allowing us to continue to offer you the Italian products that help keep the tradition of torrone alive!
If your supply of torrone, panforte or panettone is long gone, we have a lot of items on sale to restock for the winter!
