No way. Once again this year Milan has failed to regain possession of its panettone which saw the light here centuries ago in the time of Ludovico il Moro. And once again he has to suffer the shame of having an award of excellence awarded to a company from the South.
The "King Panettone" competition which for ten years has been evaluating and rewarding - in Milan - the best panettone in Italy was in fact won this year by the Panificio Ascolese of San Valentino Torio (SA). And always in the South, the honorable mention of the Award went to Pasticceria Mennella in Torre del Greco (NA). As a consolation, Lombardy can at least boast the second honorable mention that has been assigned to Pasticceria Marra di Cantù (CO).
It went even worse with the innovative panettone category. In first place was the Pasticceria Ferrante of Campomorone (GE), while the honorable mentions were reserved for the Pasticceria Beverara of Castelmaggiore (BO) and the Pasticceria Picchio of Loreto (AN).
With the holidays approaching, for 3 out of 4 Italians, the shopping rush has begun. The 2017 trend sees a growing interest in guaranteed made in Italy panettone, confirming an ever greater sensitivity of consumers towards the origin of what they bring to the table, especially with an eye to spending: the average price is around 8-9 euros . But for the "richer" artisan desserts prepared in pastry shops and small workshops, the cost can even rise to 27-30 euros. And it is in this sector that the greatest rush to purchases is recorded because the offer – due to the qualitative characteristics, humidity, absence of preservatives, fragrance of the raw materials – is small due to the perishability of the product.
Panettone is still the Italians' favorite dessert for the holidays in front of the pandoro, which will end up on 70% of the tables (at an average price of 6-8 euros). Among the confectionery trends of the end of the year 2017 there is also a decisive return to home DIY to surprise family and friends with the rediscovery of ancient recipes
of the local tradition. If - underlines Coldiretti - in Calabria cross-shaped figs covered with chocolate and nougat, citron and bergamot sweets are consumed, in Campania it is the time for struffoli and roccocò, while in Molise of calciuni based on flour, wine, chestnuts boiled, rum, chocolate, honey, almonds, candied citron, cinnamon, in Puglia porcedduzzi (small pancakes with honey or sugar). Gubana (walnuts, almonds, raisins, honey, wine and rum, wrapped in pastry) returns to Friuli in the north, Bologna Christmas Panone (based on flour, quince mustard, honey, cocoa, dark chocolate and dried figs), in Liguria of pandolce (a mixture of flour, raisins, candied pumpkin pieces, essence of orange blossom, pine nuts, pistachios, fennel seeds, milk and marsala wine).
Finally, there is no shortage of specialties in the islands such as in Sicily with the buccellati of Enna (typical desserts filled with dried figs), cassata, cannoli, mustazzoli made with almonds, cinnamon and cloves and cubbàita (honey nougat with hazelnuts and almonds or pistachios.But for those who don't have time to prepare it at home, Coldiretti announces an interesting novelty this year: the first panettone with 100% Italian wheat, the result of the collaboration between Sis, Società Italiana Sementi of Bologna, the Pivetti mill of Cento (Ferrara), Coprob (cooperative of sugar beet producers) and the Deco Industrie cooperative of Bagnacavallo (Ravenna).
To produce it - explains a note from Coldiretti - soft wheat of the "Giorgione" variety was used, from which a top quality flour is obtained for transformation into bakery products. Selected, cultivated, harvested and ground in Italy, Giorgione is a soft wheat resulting from Sis research, obtained with natural crossings and without the use of transgenic organisms, but enhancing the best of the wheat production tradition in the
our country. In addition to the basic ingredient, flour, the 100% Italian panettone uses butter, sugar, eggs, mother yeast and candied orange peel, all from national producers.
