The winter season brings about some of our favorite food holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and with those holidays come some special baked good we only get to see once per year. Traditional Christmas celebrations in Italy would be incomplete without an authentic panettone, a Christmas cake that has made a name for itself in the US and around the world.
Made with candied citrus, raisins and now, so many delectable fillings, each each city, village, or neighborhood in Northern Italy takes pride in their local bakers who discover and use specific ingredients sourced from trusted makers and growers to produce the most delicious panettone for all to enjoy. The Panettone we source never contains preservatives, and the beauty of each ingredient and detail is a delight for the senses.Â
What is Panettone?
Panettone is more than just a cake – it’s a combination of simple but high-quality ingredients and a baking method perfected over centuries that makes a holiday treat you’ll crave all year long! First baked in the region of Lombardy in 1470, panettone has become so ubiquitous that Christmas in Italy could not be without the presence of a favored panettone. Â
To make panettone, fresh eggs, butter, and sugar are combined with selected fruit inclusions. After it’s baked, bakers pierce the bottom with sticks so that it can hang upside to allow the starches to cool in a way that prevents collapse and makes for an especially light and fluffy cake. The cakes are finally packaged in beautifully designed paper wrapping and ribbon, or boxed, to protect their delicate texture and save you on wrapping paper.
The gift giving of these flavorful cakes has become a treasured tradition for those who cherish the most authentic of Italian cultural holiday celebrations.
Here at Liberty Heights Fresh, we have always sought to discover the most authentic and committed panettone bakers in Italy and bring their craft to our shelves. Our 2023 panettone selection possesses an abundance of authentic and specific ingredients to please all who wish to share in the festive celebration of Christmas.
Our panettone makers, Filippi, Loison, and Bonifanti produce some of the most authentic panettone in all of Italy. We are so lucky to be able to share these special cakes with our community! This season at Liberty Heights fresh we have an immense selection of panettone flavors like never before. I have trouble deciding which is my favorite, but this year the Pistachio Matcha is at the top of my list.
 This flavor is a brand new addition to our panettone lineup. It has a yellow, soft sponge cake interior filled with pistachio cream made from Sicilian Bronte DOP (Slow Food Presidium) Pistachios, speckled with juicy sultana raisins, and natural Mananara vanilla from Madagascar. The white chocolate coating is sprinkled with a very fine Match green tea powder and chopped pistachios, giving it a beautiful green display that is as equally delicious.
You can find ingredient and flavor combinations that possess tastes and textures for every palate, bringing the joys of Italian holiday season to your table, and providing a most memorable gift for the special people on your shopping list! If you’re looking for other Italian delights, we also have a selection of authentic panforte, Amaretti cookies, and Ricciarelli from our friends at Marabissi. Another carefully sourced maker of holiday treats to be enjoyed all through the season and beyond.
We look forward to seeing you in the shop and assisting with a good food gift for everyone on your list! Always eat well! Steven
About the Author
Steven RosenbergÂ
This Week’s SFF Spotlight: Flora​
This is the first new cheese Indiana-based Capriole Creamery has produced in twenty-five years, it is based on a French style Selles-sur-Cher style goat cheese. It is dusted in ash to balance the pH and support rind growth. Named for the owner’s grandmother, Flora has a dense clay-like texture and develops an oozy layer right beneath the rind as it ages. Flavors are bright, tangy, and briny with a mineral finish. Mushroom notes will appear over time.
Pair this pint sized cheese with fresh blueberries or lemon forward preserves. If you’re feeling creative, serve with crispy sunchokes, a little salt and a drizzle of olive oil.
What’s a Sustainably Farmed Food (SFF) Share?
Our Sustainably Farmed Food Share (SFF for short) program is a CSA-style food share subscription. Subscribers receive a bag filled with organically grown and ethically raised food items every week. Unlike a traditional CSA, our SFF program is avialable all year long and has options to add items like artisan cheeses, ethically raise meats, farm fresh eggs, fresh-squeezed organic orange juice, and more! We upload recipes and details about the delicious items going into your share each week on our What’s In The Bag.Â
Learn more about this opportunity to support organic farming and local businesses
