Direct from Vicenza: Italy's distinctive amaretti.

Amaretti (little bitter cookies) date to northern Italy in the 1700s, when legend tells us that a young baker and his fiancee, searching for a gift to the visiting cardinal of Milan, swiftly gathered sacks of almonds, sugar, eggs and flour and first baked these shiny biscuits for their guests.

Sprinkled with sparkling sugar crystals, amaretti are delicious dipped in Vin Santo or red wine and excellent for pie crusts as well.