Each country has its own (bad or good) practices when it comes to dealing with the hours between meals, ranging from the chronic consumption of on-the-run nibbles to partaking in delightful rituals like the English custom of afternoon tea. Italians aren’t big on what they call merende, or snacks, preferring to save their appetites and calories for the myriad pleasures of the table at pranzo or cena (or among young urbanites, apericena).

But despite the admirable no-nosh discipline practiced by its food-savvy natives, Italy is home to one of the best snacks in Europe, called the Merenda Reale, and unless you’ve visited Turin, you probably haven’t had a chance to try it, or even heard of it.