Among the most famous of Tuscan foods is Panforte,
Siena's famous "strong bread," which was used to
feed the Crusaders. Its origins date back to the
12th century, when it was called panpepato,
a spicy confection of honey, almonds, candied fruit,
cocoa, sugar syrup, spices and pepper. Over time,
the pepper was eliminated and a more delicate version,
Torta Margherita, was developed. La Fabbrica's
panforte is still made using traditional methods,
and the recipe is a closely guarded secret. The
company specializes in panforte (thus its name),
but it also makes a wide range of traditional
Sienese cookies, including ossi di morto ("bones
of the dead") and bite-sized cantucci biscotti.
All are traditionally paired with a glass of local
dessert wine, Vin Santo.