{"id":12389,"date":"2021-01-18T13:34:17","date_gmt":"2021-01-18T18:34:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/?page_id=12389"},"modified":"2025-01-12T13:29:21","modified_gmt":"2025-01-12T18:29:21","slug":"panettone-pannetone-pannettone","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/?page_id=12389","title":{"rendered":"Panettone! Pannetone! Pannettone!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>
\nOne of these things is not like the others, or so the song goes. In this case, the outlier is the first Panettone,<\/em> the only orthographically correct version of the subject of this post. To tell the truth, the two imposters share the spotlight only by way of capitulation to less-than-forgiving search engines (and not as a sly reference to the 90s R&B\/soul group) because it is my mission to ensure that everyone falls in love with this gift to the culinary arts as deeply, passionately, and yes, obsessively as I have.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re all familiar with panettone, right? That Italian (Milanese, specifically) sweet, fruity, fluffy cake that\u2019s usually consumed for the holidays (Christmas, specifically) but can be enjoyed year-round by ardent aficionados (me, specifically).<\/p>\n

Fanciful spellings aside, you\u2019ll find panettone in most markets around Christmastime and in Italian specialty shops year round (fortunately for us). A little digging uproots an extended family tree including pandoro, pandolce, panforte, panpepato, and pangiallo. The last four differ radically from the subject of our discourse so for the sake of completeness, let\u2019s dispatch them straightaway:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Pandolce, \u201csweet bread\u201d, hails from Genoa, and unlike gossamer panettone is dense and somewhat crumbly like a cookie.
\n\u2022 Panforte, \u201cstrong bread\u201d, is neither breadlike nor cakey; it\u2019s more of a dense, chewy fruit paste, spicy and sweet. I sometimes serve it as an accompaniment to a cheese plate.
\n\u2022 Panpepato, \u201cpeppered bread\u201d, is a subset of panforte, gingery, nutty, and covered with chocolate.
\n\u2022 Pangiallo, \u201cyellow bread\u201d, is Rome\u2019s challenger. Sometimes saffron infused, often laden with chocolate and always dense with dried fruit, I know this one only by repute.<\/p>\n

Now that we\u2019ve dispelled any confusion regarding the distant cugini,<\/em> we can focus on the object of our affection. Our goal is to determine which style and brand you like the best. We\u2019ll start with style; the two you\u2019re most likely to encounter are panettone, the pride of Milan and pandoro, Verona\u2019s answer to it.<\/p>\n

The story of how panettone gets its name is the stuff of which legend is made but I frankly don\u2019t find any of the fables particularly convincing. One tale recounts that in 15th century Milan, a delicious bread was crafted that incorporated yeast, an ingredient so dear in that era that it earned the moniker \u201cpane di tono\u201d,<\/em> literally \u201cluxury cake\u201d \u2013 feasible, except that every Italian dictionary I own or found on the interwebs fails to suggest \u201cluxury\u201d as a definition for tono.<\/em> But I suppose Italian was different back then.<\/p>\n

Another more linguistically stringent contender avers that since pane<\/em> means bread or cake, adding the diminutive suffix -etto<\/em> turns it into a small loaf cake and then appending the augmentative suffix -one<\/em> renders it large, thus describing a \u201clarge small loaf cake\u201d. Really? But I suppose whimsy was different back then.<\/p>\n

Yet another narrative tells of the Duke of Milan\u2019s cook who having prepared an otherwise sumptuous repast disastrously burned the dessert. Fortunately, the young kitchen apprentice, Toni, proposed that they serve the sweet cake he had made for his own breakfast. Delighted, the Duke requested the name of the delicious cake, the cook replied \u201cil pane di Toni\u201d,<\/em> and the rest is history. I don\u2019t know about you, but if I had concocted so splendid a treat for my breakfast, none would have been kicking around the kitchen come dinnertime \u2013 not to mention the fact that the preparation of panettone is a time consuming, arduous process and not something one hastily throws together for breakfast like a bagel with a schmear. But I suppose panettone was different back then.<\/p>\n

Less about folklore and more about traditional religious ritual, the people of Milan save a piece of their Christmas panettone, have it blessed and eat it on February 3, the morning after Candlemas which for them heralds the end of the Christmas season. Known as the Feast of San Biagio, it celebrates the saga of St. Blaise as he saved the life of a boy who was choking on a fish bone by feeding him bread in order to dislodge the bone. Eating panettone for breakfast that day therefore pays homage to the \u201cprotector of the throat\u201d, patron saint of throats and noses, and ensures that his followers will be safeguarded against colds and sore throats in the upcoming year. Who needs a flu shot when you have such a delicious excuse to enjoy more panettone?<\/p>\n

Enough history; what\u2019s it like? The shape is that of a domed, squat cylinder, about 5\u20136 inches high, 8\u20139 inches in diameter, typically baked in a pan lined with a ring of corrugated, often brown, paper. Based on a sweet risen dough, it\u2019s airy, eggy, buttery, moist and so light that it practically floats; it pulls apart almost like cotton candy although you\u2019ll want to slice it with a serrated knife. The classic version is stippled with candied citron and raisins and often sports an almond or hazelnut glaze.<\/p>\n

Many other less traditional but still delicious flavors abound including pistachio, sour cherry, mixed berry, pineapple, peach, apricot, pear, bits of chocolate, moscato wine, limoncello, zuppa inglese, tiramisu, crema pasticcera<\/em> (custard), and combinations thereof including varieties without candied fruit.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve seen numerous recipes with recommendations for what to do with leftover panettone. \u201cLeftover panettone\u201d is an oxymoron and bears no further discussion here. I will admit, albeit grudgingly, that you can freeze it, but only if it’s wrapped extremely well: seal tightly in plastic wrap, cover with aluminum foil, place in an airtight freezer strength plastic bag, and wrap in swaddling clothes.<\/p>\n

Like so many cultural dichotomies such as Coke vs Pepsi, the Beatles vs the Stones, the Addams Family vs the Munsters, and Mary Ann vs Ginger, there are those who champion Verona\u2019s pandoro (\u201cgolden bread\u201d) over Milan\u2019s panettone. The texture of pandoro is a little denser than that of panettone but not as dense as pound cake. Also sweet and buttery, touched with vanilla, they are customarily devoid of candied fruit or decadent chocolate and creamy fillings; on occasion, you might detect a delicate whisper of other flavorings like anisette or lemon zest. Picture a two-dimensional eight-pointed star, extruded upwards conically into three dimensions and taller than a panettone; it is often presented with nothing more than a sprinkling of powdered sugar to resemble the snow-covered Alps in winter. If you insist on inventing more complex dishes using “leftover” Italian Christmas breads and cakes, the more modest pandoro lends itself better than panettone to the addition of cr\u00e8me fra\u00eeche, mascarpone, whipped cream, custard and fresh fruits, or the likes of Nutella \u2013 since panettone is, after all, perfection straight out of its wrapper (in my not so humble opinion, of course \ud83d\ude09).<\/p>\n

Now on to brand. Like everything in the food world, it should always be about what you like personally and individually, not about what somebody tells you you should like. Each brand has its own flavor and texture, let alone unique varieties. Over the years I\u2019ve eaten my way through mountains (think Alps) of these treats and I\u2019ve found what I consider to be the very best: Albertengo brand Panettone Tradizionale Glassato (traditional glazed) \u2013 but they\u2019re almost impossible to find in New York. So I wrote to the nice folks at Albertengo in Italy in buoyant English and foundering Italian and they turned me on to the one place in the city that stocks the stuff: Nicola\u2019s Specialty Foods. The photo at the top of the page shows this morning\u2019s breakfast: Albertengo Tradizionale Glassato \u2013 la colazione dei campioni!<\/em><\/p>\n

I consider myself fortunate to be a regular attendee at the Specialty Food Association\u2019s Fancy Food Show every year here in New York City. Featuring thousands of new products from the US and internationally, they\u2019re considered North America’s hottest place to catch the latest in specialty foods. Needless to report, at the 2017 show, I spent a good deal of discerning time in Italy\u2019s pavilion checking out the panettoni both for flavor and to determine where retail outlets will be. After all, when I find a winner, you need to know how to score some!<\/p>\n

 
\n2020 Update:<\/em><\/p>\n

Nicola\u2019s has gone the way of all estimable suppliers of specialty wares, so to feed my habit, I needed to find a new dealer (as it were). Having exhausted the search at local (and not-so-local) brick and mortar purveyors of panettoni for my favorite brand and style, I had no choice but to turn to the interwebs. Sure, there were plenty of panettoni to be found, but sadly, not the one I was jonesing for. A few sites did list it accompanied by the legend, \u201cCurrently unavailable. We don’t know when or if this item will be back in stock.\u201d Not very helpful. Crestfallen, I did sample other contenders, but none measured up to my vision of perfection.<\/p>\n

Not long after, a pair of social media friends, hardcore foodies who appreciate the good stuff, contacted me. They had been visiting Montreal and returned bearing an enormous 22-pound panettone made by Loison Pasticceri, a company headquartered in Italy, family-owned for three generations and passionate specialists in panettoni, pandori, and the like. Aware of my addiction, they invited me to their home to partake of this mammoth masterpiece.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nNot to put too fine a point on \u201cmammoth\u201d, but that\u2019s a shiny quarter down there.<\/p>\n

One taste and I was hooked. That day, two delightful things happened: I finally met this charming couple IRL and I found new love in Loison. Fortunately, Loison\u2019s products were easy to purchase on the web. Too easy, perhaps. Although I prudently ordered them sequentially, all told, I probably bought more than I should have.<\/p>\n

The first shipment was the Classico, tasting very much like the Albertengo version in the photo at the top of this post. Sweet and fluffy with an unadorned crown, laden with raisins and candied orange and citron, it was terrific.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nThe second was Mandorlato (almond), similar to the Classico but with the addition of an almond glaze topping, generously bedecked with whole almonds and sweet, crunchy pearl sugar bits not unlike the Easter Colomba di Pasqua I posted about here.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nThe third to arrive at my table was the Regal Cioccolato, shot through with bits of chocolate and channels of chocolate cream. Superbly chocolatey and happily in perfect balance with the cake.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nThe fourth was NeroSale: Cioccolato e Caramello Salato (chocolate and salted caramel). Now, I tend to be a purist about certain foods, so I reckoned that this wasn’t the one that would take the cake, but it may have been the best of the four (all of which were excellent) \u2013 and certainly the most outrageous.<\/p>\n

The fifth is what I\u2019m going to plead if you ask me if I really bought four panettoni this year.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s 2020. What can I say?<\/p>\n

 
\n2021 Update:<\/em><\/p>\n

As I write this, we\u2019re still in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic accompanied by its subsequent supply-chain issues, extended shipping times, inventory shortages, and inflation. Amazon is offering my two favorite imported 2.2 pound panettoni for $48 and $71 each. Nope, not this year.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve read my story, An Eggnog Excursus,<\/a> you know that part of my obsession stems from the fact that this bewitching beverage evocative of joyous childhood memories is only available for an all-too-brief period each year. Unlike eggnog, some brands of panettone are available year-round, generally dozing in supermarkets and even bodegas, but they tend to be lackluster as compared with the treasures that miraculously appear during the holiday season. It\u2019s like envisaging a standing rib roast for Christmas dinner and then being served pot roast instead. It\u2019s not the end of the world, but it is <\/em>a world away from what you had been eagerly anticipating for the better part of a year.<\/p>\n

In the hopes of ferreting out a middle ground, I decided to explore three upscale markets in my neighborhood, specifically, Whole Foods, Trader Joe\u2019s and Wegmans. <\/p>\n

My extremely biased opinion in a nutshell:<\/p>\n

Whole Foods proffered a sampler pack of individual size panettoni in three varieties, Traditional, Limoncello, and Double Chocolate, and was the most disappointing product, faring little better than the stuff you see gathering dust year round on supermarket shelves; they were bready with a tight crumb and not particularly sweet or flavorful.<\/p>\n

Trader Joe\u2019s Panettone Classico (cutely Italian-branded as “Trader Giotto\u2019s” like their EVOO), also single serving size, was better: lighter crumb, properly sweet, and amply raisined, but still, not anything to write home to Mom about.<\/p>\n

Now, how much of those two evaluations can be attributed to the size of the product itself? Is it even possible to make a proper panettone that\u2019s so diminutive? Or is this a case that raises the correlation vs causation question: just because they\u2019re both baked in a pint-sized format doesn\u2019t necessarily explain why they\u2019re both less than stellar. Or does it?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nWegmans, however, saved the day. A larger (about six inches in diameter, serves six) virtually unbranded entry, this airy, buttery baby boasted a proper candied orange peel+raisin count, an appropriate degree of sweetness, and an almond glaze topping that was topnotch \u2013 sweet and crunchy with plenty of almonds. Actual craftsmanship for under $20.<\/p>\n

But wait! There’s more!!<\/p>\n

Obviously, I’ve covered only the store brands in this update; typically most markets carry additional products. But here\u2019s the Panettone Bargain of the 2021 Christmas Season: Trader Joe\u2019s was offering a full size Panettone al Cioccolato from Italian patisserie Scar Pier for only $11.99; the interwebs imply that it\u2019s been discontinued so that might account for the price tag. It\u2019s not Milanese style (raisins, candied orange and citron peels), but it is bursting with chocolate chips and veins of rich cocoa cream \u2013 and remarkable considering the price; as a matter of fact, I wondered if there was some kind of barcode error. Does the fact that it\u2019s super chocolatey elevate it beyond what it would be otherwise? No matter. Found at TJ\u2019s in DeKalb Market Hall in Brooklyn.
\n 
\n 
\n2024 Update: <\/em><\/p>\n

The Albertengo Panettone Tradizionale Glassato is once again available via the folks at Amazon. It\u2019s a cool $55 this year but in my not so humble opinion, it\u2019s still worth every penny!
\n 
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One of these things is not like the others, or so the song goes. In this case, the outlier is the first Panettone, the only orthographically correct version of the subject of this post. To tell the truth, the two … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3336,"featured_media":0,"parent":12455,"menu_order":240,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-12389","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12389","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3336"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12389"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12389\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20622,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12389\/revisions\/20622"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/12455"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ethnojunkie.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12389"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}