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 anettone appeared in northern Italy around the 15th
century. It probably originated in Milan, since this
naturally leavened bread has always been closely
associated with the city, the capital of Lombardy.
However, somewhat similar although less
sophisticated breads have been made throughout Italy
since at least the days of imperial Rome.
Most probably professional bakers developed
Panettone and were largely or entirely responsible for
its production from the beginning, since the process
involved is highly complex and requires facilities and
equipment that the home kitchen usually lacked in the
past. It is doubtful that this famous specialty bread
appeared on the scene in a form familiar to comsumers
throughout the world today. It evolved over the
centuries as new techniques were adopted and the
quality of the raw materials used in its preparation
improved. The custom of consuming Panettone, especially
during the year-end holiday season, spread from
Milan throughout Italy, from the Alps in the north to
Sicily in the south. As the bread's popularity grew,
people began to speculate about its origin. As a result,
Panettone spawned many legends. The most popular
concerns a young Milanese nobleman, a member of
the Atellini family, who fell in love with the daughter
of a baker named Toni. To impress the girl's father, the young man
disguised himself as a baker's boy and invented a
sweet, wonderful bread of rare delicacy and unusual
size with a top shaped like a church dome. This new,
fruitcake-like bread enjoyed enormous success, with
people coming to the bakery in droves at all hours to
purchase the magnificent Pan de Toni (or Tony's Bread).
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Recipes
BUDINO AL CIOCCOLATO
BUDINO DI PANE
COPPA AL MASCARPONE
PANETTONE RIPIENO
SOUFFLÉ AL PANETTONE
TIRAMISU' SPECIALE
TRAMEZZINI DI PANETTONE
ZUCCOTTO DELICATO
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