Alkekengi
My grandmother used to buy chocolate-dipped alkekengi at a pasticceria in Bologna, under the portico besides San Petronio. I think it was called Pasticceria Zamboni or another name starting with Z, but I am not sure. Maybe my friend Betta can correct me here. Alkekengi, or chichinger as they are sometimes called in Italian, were not a popular fruit and that pasticceria was the only place I had ever seen them. They were delicious and available only a couple of months out of the year — when the fruit was in season — and that made them even more special. Since we lived in Ravenna and my grandmother would go to Bologna only every few months to buy bookbinding supplies for my grandfather, we only ate those treats once a year. Dipped in dark chocolate, with the dried leaves sticking out to be used as stems, they made a lasting impression on me.
Over a year ago, I found them at Whole Foods without realizing what they were (here they go by the name "golden berries"). They just looked yummy and I can never resist golden yellow. After I brought them home and tasted them, I realized that they were alkekengi. I tried to get the people at Whole Foods to procure some with the leaves attached so I could dip them in chocolate, but they could only find them already plucked and packed. I did try the chocolate treatment, but it was a bit of a disaster.
A couple of days ago, I found them again. I was surprised because I remember distinctly that in 2005 they were in the store in October or November, so maybe these come from a different country or maybe they are in season twice a year. Anyway, I'm going to get me some chocolate and try again.
Chichinger al cioccolato! Yum.
Comments
Isn't it amazing that little things can transport us back in time so vividly? A scent, a colour or a taste can take us to a time and place that were out of our mind 'til just that second; and now we can almost reach out and touch the memory because it's so real.
I hope that you can recreate your grandmother's treat!
Posted by: Wannietta | April 1, 2007 9:08 AM
can you put them on toothpicks? they sound wonderful and i wish i could taste them!
Posted by: anne | April 1, 2007 10:09 AM
they are so shiny! i am going to have to trot down to my whole foods and see if they are here too.... i am intrigued.
Posted by: stephanie s | April 1, 2007 10:19 AM
mmmyum! we call them physalis here; can't say i've noticed what parts of the year they're available but they'll be imported in any case so prolly from different countries through the year. and, we usually get them with the dried leaves still attached. i really must try the chocolate treatment, it sounds divine!
Posted by: kris | April 1, 2007 1:04 PM
could they have been candied or dried before being dipped in chocolate? sounds interesting! A couple Christmases ago Saveur mag. had an article about candied Italian fruits...wow!!
Posted by: karen | April 1, 2007 1:10 PM
I've never heard of these before. I'll have to stop by Whole Foods and investigate. Aside from dipping them in chocolate (love to try that), do they taste sour?
Posted by: domesticshorthair | April 2, 2007 10:15 AM
I love your blog, your knitting and especially the book reviews are great. These 'golden berries' are yummy. We get them imported to Finland too. The Finnish name for these is a bit odd, the direct translation of the Finnish name would be 'pineapple cherries'.
Posted by: kaisakaisa | April 5, 2007 3:28 PM
I have found your chichinger in many fruit stands during my visit to Vancouver, B.C.! They are called golden berries here as well, but also cape gooseberries, which they sell dried at Trader Joe's. It's nice to try them fresh for a change.
Posted by: domesticshorthair | August 25, 2007 8:41 AM