This lovely “Liberty” style building in the old part of town, just near the cathedral, was the ancient confectionery factory set up by grandpa Nicola Mucci, who perfected the art of confectionery from the legendary Caflisch of Naples. In 1930 he made the confectionery for the wedding of King Humbert of Savoy and Maria José. It was here that the inimitable soft-centred “Tenerelli” were created, with almonds from Puglia and hazelnuts from Piedmont, coated in two layers of chocolate. A charming late-nineteenth-century atmosphere, countless exclusive creations, and a museum illustrating the history of comfits. Four generations.
Nicola Mucci was aged just fifteen when he made his first confectionery for his father’s shop. It was 1894, and he had been working as an apprentice for just a few months at Caflish, the elegant Swiss chocolate shop in Naples. Back home, he immediately tried out his new art and, after five years at Caflish, he opened his own factory for dragees, chocolates, sweets, and liqueurs right in the heart of Andria, just by the cathedral. “The fragrances of vanilla, cinnamon, bergamot and coffee have been wafting through this palace of delights ever since, indulging the senses of high society”, say his descendants. From then on, Mucci started amassing honours and awards at international and universal Expos around Europe. In about 1920, Mucci created the “Mandorla Imperial”, a new dragee with a peeled Bari almond covered in purest white chocolate and lightly coated in sugar. This earned him a commemorative medal of 8 January 1930, celebrating the Royal Wedding between Crown Prince Humbert of Savoy and Maria José, Princess of Belgium, for which he supplied the sugared almonds. His confectionery evolved in the 1930s, leading to the creation of the famous “Tenerelli” dragees which have a “tender” heart made with almonds from Puglia and IGP hazelnuts from Piedmont coated in a double layer of the purest chocolate. This ancient tradition of the finest old-fashioned handmade dragees continues today using the original recipes. Authentic masterpieces in miniature, Mucci confectionery is made with ultra-fine ingredients that give it its inimitable taste and quality.
The lovely Liberty-style building with its stones vaults, which was the original confectionery factory, now houses a museum, the Museo del Confetto, with collections built up with patience and passion by the Mucci family. Divided into four sections, the holdings include documents, utensils, equipment, and moulds for making dragees, sweets, and chocolates.
