A liking for sweet flavours has long existed in the Italian palate. And that, married with the Italians’ love of celebrating, means that sweet things – cakes, pastries, biscuits – are intuitively associated with occasions such as birthdays, christenings, weddings, saints’ days and religious festivals such as Christmas and Easter. But it actually goes further than that: the Italians love sweet things so much that they indulge almost on a daily basis – a quick small pastry with a coffee for breakfast, or a slice of something delicious mid-morning or afternoon. After the riposo (the Italian siesta) is a popular time for having something sweet: this gives a burst of energy for the rest of the day (so they say!). Visiting friends and family conjures up yet another excuse: I wouldn’t dream of popping in to see neighbours or friends without taking with me a box or bag of homemade biscuits.