New Delhi, July 27 -- As I drag my suitcase to my B&B, I pass several shops that appear at first glance to be florists. Closer inspection shows that these aren't real flowers nor are they tacky plastic ones. Instead, they are stunning arrangements made from candied almonds. Known as confetti, these are one of Italy's oldest confectionery traditions that have marked every milestone, from weddings to baptisms to graduations. And I'm in the town where this tradition was born-Sulmona in the region of Abruzzo in central Italy, about 165km east of Rome.

It's mid-afternoon and I've just emerged from the informative and interesting civic and archaeological museum. I wander down Corso Ovidio, the town's main thoroughfare where it seems like every...