L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2018 www.italoamericano.org 14 L'Italo-Americano PAULA REYNOLDS Y ou want clear lights on the tree, I think multi-colored are prettier; you prefer ham on the holiday table, I say turkey is tastier; you rock out to modern Christmas carols, I sway to the oldies; you ins is t on a P anettone for dessert…wait, what?? Oh, no – only a Pandoro will do! And thus it begins…the Ital- ian Christmas cake face-off. The solution is simple, of course – have one of each! Yet prefer- ences run deep for the tw o beloved holiday cakes. Panet- tone's regal dome of butter laden yeast bread delicately cradles candied fruits, raisins, and nuts, while Pandoro's rich vanilla fla- vor and brioche style texture earn its star status, its sweet golden insides ready for a dollop of cream. It's easy to see how "true love" can occur for both! These delicacies, more bread- like than cake, are revered Christmas traditions in practical- ly every Italian home throughout Italy and abroad. It w as n't always that way, however. Like many Italian specialties, these cakes were only produced in a specific area. Panettone began as a local Milanese tradition and P and oro's inception w as in Verona, and if one lived else- where, they were out of luck. Both Panettone and Pandoro require lengthy and unforgiving methods for production which meant most were made by spe- cialty bakers. However, in the late 1800's and into the 20th century, ingenious bakers in Milan and Verona developed methods of mass producing an acceptable cake. It was now much easier for your cousin in Rome to get his hands on one or the other…or both. Today, over 117 million cakes, collectively, are baked and shipped around the world! Panettone's history is long and rich, even though no one knows precisely when it first appeared. Medieval documents from the 1200's suggest a simi- lar type bread originating in Milan, and it was referred to as "pane di tono" – "luxury bread" in the old Milanese dialect. Other stories are a bit more romantic, s uch as the one involving a nobleman of the 1400's known as Ughetto degli Atellani. It's said that he fell hopelessly in love with Adal- gis a, the daughter of a poor baker known as Toni. To win her favor, Ughetto presented himself as a baker and offered to work for free. He concocted a rich bread sure to wow the most reticent lover, filling it with creamy butter, eggs, and other rare delights. The bread, known as Pan del Toni, was an immedi- ate s ucces s . Its popularity brought great wealth to the hum- ble bakery, an d of cours e… Ughetto got the girl. Another legend would have us believe that Panettone came about in the 1500's as the result of a dessert gone bad. The baker for Duke Ludovico Sforza care- lessly lost track of his dessert baking in the oven and the result was a smoking disaster. Horri- fied that the Duke and his royal guests would be outraged, a young kitchen helper speedily took the remaining yeast dough, grabbed leftover bits of candied fruits, and mixed it with a few spare eggs and butter. His result- ing handiwork was a smashing success, and the kitchen helper known as…you guessed it… Toni was honored with the nam- ing of the bread. Whether it's legend A, B, or some other, it's quite clear that Milan's Christmas tradition of Panettone is a revered one. Cre- ating an artisan panettone is a challenging task combining sci- ence, experience, skill, and a w hole lot of patience. F or starters, literally, the "lievito madre" or mother yeast must be coaxed to a state of readiness. For several weeks the yeast is fed and kneaded several times a day. Micro-conditions such as humidity and the water used affect the madre; as a result, each producer's Panettone has a subtle but distinctly different flavor. If one factor is slightly off, the whole production can be ruined. It's s aid that the during the Christmas season, Panettoni bak- ers are easily identified by their worried looks and the dark cir- cles under their eyes! Two to three rounds of allow- ing the dough to rise and final- ly… the Panettoni are ready for baking. The lemon hued dough is plopped in a round paper mold called a "pirottino" which will support its upward rising during the baking. O nce out of the ovens, however, the baker's wor- ries are not over. The quintessen- tial golden dome will begin to flatten like a punctured balloon if the bread is not hastily hung upside down to cool, and all pains of preparation are for naught. The finished product is fes- tively wrapped in fine paper adorned with ribbons, ready to be gifted. The tradition of pre- senting friends and family with a Panettone as a symbol of good will and warm wishes is a special one, and it's not unusual for a household to end the season with more than one! Although Pandoro is less rich in leg endary tales , it by no means holds a lesser rank at the Christmas table. Elegantly tall and a striking saffron yellow, its classic star shape and powder sugar dusted top demand atten- tion. Slightly sweeter, this holi- day treat is often served as a graduated tier of horizontal slices stacked with whipped cream, its appearance mimicking a Christ- mas tree. Some prefer its simpler form – a powdery coating of sugar reminiscent of a snow-cov- ered mountain. Unlike Panettone, Pandoro can't boast of saving a true love, at least not that we know of. However, its predecessors were mentioned as far back as the 1st century by Pliny the Elder. He wrote of a rich bread "made with the finest flour combined with eggs, butter, and oil" quite simi- lar to modern Pandoro. Compa- rable breads were made during the Middle Ages, but only con- s umed by the w ealthy s ince wheat flour was a luxury. Called "royal bread" or "golden bread" (pan d'oro) only thos e w ith nobility running through their veins could afford such a treat. Things changed, however, when Pandoro as we know it today came to be. On October 30, 1894, Domenico Melegatti of Verona was awarded the first patent to mass produce the 8- point star shaped bread. And the rest is delicious history! As we enter the season of Natale, may the traditions of Ital- ian Christmas breads be a part of your celebration. And why not have one of each? A fresh panet- tone relished with a bubbly wine or a warm cappuccino AND a rich pandoro served in its royal simplicity or dressed in mascar- pone cream would bring together any family divided. After all, peace within your household is certainly worth the "sacrifice"! Panettone and Pandoro are more sugary breads than cake, and are typical at Christmastime all over the country © Travelbook | Dreamstime.com The battle of the Christmas cakes: which one is the favored? © Stokkete | Dreamstime.com Baking Panettone and Pandoro requires skills, patience and plenty of time © Corina Daniela Obertas | Dreamstime.com The Italian Chr istmas Cake Face-Off: Panettone or Pandoro? LIFESTYLE FASHION FOOD ARTS ADVICE

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