Vercelli has an ancient history not only because of its monuments, squares or churches, but also because of its cuisine.
Traditional sweets include bicciolani, proclaimed in 1903 unique and indispensable heritage of the Piedmontese cultural-gastronomic tradition.
These sweets have a secret recipe behind them that has been passed down through the years. It seems that their origins date even as far back as the Renaissance. In some documents, dated 17th century, in fact, the name bicchiolani is found. Such bicchiolani were used, as payment, to the Confraternity of St. Bernardine.
Another document, however, states that in 1803, Carlo Provinciale began producing Bicciolano in his workshop that stood in the courtyard of a house under Torre dell'Angelo. Together with his wife, he gave birth to the famous typical Vercelli cookies. Apparently, it was from his wife's expert hands that these yummy, ancient cookies took shape. It is assumed that the Renaissance recipe and that of Carlo Provinciale were somewhat different, and that Provinciale's was an improved version of the 17th-century recipe.
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