The Italian Chrimas Cake: PANETTONE
Panettone is a typical cake of Milan, associated with the culinary traditions of Christmas and widely distributed across Italy.
The true story of the birth of the famous Ambrosian cake is shrouded in the thick of mysteries.
However, other legends tell of the origins and among these the most reliable tells of a grand Christmas dinner by the Sforza family.
The powerful lords were very pleased with their dinner, where each course had exceeded the previous in tastefulness and anxiously awaited the moment of desserts.
The cook noticed suddenly that the oven had played a bad joke! All cakes he had prepared had burned.
So in despair he was preparing to go into the room to apologize to the guests, when Toni, his scullion proposed to bring the lords the cake he had prepared with the leftovers.
The cook, having no other choice, accepted and presented “that kind of bread”.
Soon a chorus of cheers and congratulations rose from the room. And the cook, that was a very honest person, despite being praised by all, confessed that the recipe came from his credit went to his scullion Toni.
Since then the cake was named “Pan di Toni”, later changed in Panettone.
Another legend tells of a young hawk, Ughetto Atellani, madly in love with a baker named Algisi.
Business was not going so well for the baker, for another oven was opened nearby.
Christmas was coming, but customers continued to prefer the other shop.
So Ughetto decided to use his last money to buy butter, sugar, eggs and raisins, all kneaded with flour and … The success was enormous … …. the power of love!
The long queue in front of the shop said that the fate of Algisi had been overturned and, needless to say, the couple married and …..lived happily ever after!
However, the legends, we recognize that the Panettone has always been for Italians, a symbol of Christmas and it symbolizes the union of family around a table to celebrate the birth of Baby Jesus!
Photos from the Albums of: yuichi.sakuraba, DavidErickson,stijn.
