Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Panettone for You, Panettone for me.

Do you know Panettone Bread?
I buy some every year-it is on sale at Christmas time, a very rich, sweet, egg bread with pieces of citron, raisins, etc. mixed into the batter, baked in a round tall pan, with waxed paper like a big cupcake paper lining the bottom and sides. I have some in the freezer as we speak.
I make a really decadent Baked dessert with it, but it is best just toasted-trust me-you don't need to use jelly, jam or butter, or nothing-but of course you may if you wish! Whatever floats your boat.
Here is my version and the original version of this recipe.


Giada is THE Giada from the Food Network. We are best buds-OK, big lie, but I do use a few of her recipes.

A SFriend of ours gave us a piece yesterday from a Panettone which she received from a former Foreign Exchange Student who lived with their family in the 1970's.













He loves her family dearly and sends her one of these prized specialities every year. Here she is with her SHusband celebrating their recent Anniversary. I think it was 65 years, God Bless them.
They are one of those special couples that you can count your blessings if you know them, and they are feisty too-you can depend on them to be straight up with you-like many in their no-nonsense generation. You might recognize her as one of my lunch ladies seen in pictures on this blog in the past.

There is a Romantic story behind the creation of this bread, and the website at the end of this blog has it, and it also gives a recipe for the bread and has some suggestions on how to serve it and other maaaarvelous Panettone recipes-French toast Panettone: gilding the Lily!

I hope you can get a taste of this bread, even though it is usually seasonal, I am sure stores still have them around. I come from an Italian (mostly) family, and yet to do not remember this bread as a child. Maybe it was one of those things that I thought was disgusting at the time? What kid hates spaghetti with sauce, yep, me.

disclaimer: some people think of Panettone as the dreaded fruitcake of the Italian culture-1o foot pole mindset-but they are the unenlightened ones!

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