The Christmas Curse
Panettone, what’s the best thing to do with one?
It’s many years now since I trained to be a baker and it’s only in the later part of my life I was introduced to something which has become the blight of my life, it’s Panettone. During November and December you can’t move in the shops without almost falling over a stack of them as high as the leaning tower of Pisa. Come to think of it, I can’t ever recall seeing an Italian actually eat one.
It seems like almost everybody who would like to buy me a Christmas gift, but not sure what it should be, all seem have the same genius idea ‘Ah, a Panettone’. It’s the most disappointing baked item I have ever encountered, neither a bread nor a cake, as dry as a stick and to quote the Guardian newspaper, “It taste like Gandhi’s Flip-Flop after three months in the desert”. Not to mention it comes in a box bigger than my microwave.
It appears, way back in the 1500’s it was classed as a luxury cake item in Italy (they have quite a lot to answer for in the food department) and was only eaten for religious celebrations. Perhaps that was the original cause of the decline of the Church in Italy!
I think some of the ones I have been given in the past were actually some of the original ones from the 1500’s. So, not knowing what to do with all these very generous gifts and I hate wasting food, I decide to feed them to the birds. That went down well for a few years, until one day I noticed a suspicious absence of birds in the garden, I wonder why??
Now it was time to seek out a new method of disposal as the gifts kept on coming, I was getting desperate. So I took to Google to see if I was the only person in the world who hated this thing, the answer was certainly not. I found so many alternative things one could do with a Panettone to make at least edible.
I did try a few and this one was my favourite. See Full Recipe HERE
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I love your sense of humor and I totally agree!
I totally agree Mr Paul! Not worth the time and effort to make and give me a slice of good old malt loaf, buttered of course, any day
If it’s dry, could you make french toast with it?
Haha, I love those things. I toast and eat it with a good marmalade. It’s addicting!
Ha! I’ve never eaten one of these or been gifted one but they glare at me from every Christmas gift shelf. At least the packaging is colorful?
Finally – someone who feels the same way as me about this sick joke of a loaf (from Santa’s evil Italian twin no doubt). I’m glad you found a way to use it up. The ducks at the park like it too – they must not be quite as particular as your garden birds! 🙂