Legend of Panettone
The Legend of PANETTONE cake
Panettone appeared in Northern Italy around the 15th century. It probably originated in Milan, since this naturally leavened bread has always been closely associated with this Northern Italian City,the capital of Lombardy.
However ,somewhat similar although less sophisticated breads have been made throughout Italy since at least the days of the Imperial Roman Empire.
The most likely history is that professional bakers developed Panettone and were largely or entirely responsible for its production from the begining,since the process involved is highly complex and requires facilities and equipment that the home kitchen usually lacked in the past. It is doubtful that this famous specialty bread appeared on the scene in a form familiar to consumers throughout the world today.
It evolved over the centuries as new techniques were adopted and the quality of the raw materials used in its preparation improved. The custom of consuming Panettone ,especially during the year-end holiday season, spread from Milan throughout Italy, from the Alps in the North to Sicily in the South.
As the breads popularity grew, people began to speculate about its origins,and as a result Panettone spawned many legends.
The most popular concerns a young nobleman from Milan, a member of the Atellini family, who fell deeply in love with the daughter of a baker named Toni.
To impress the girls father, the young nobleman disgised himself as a bakers boy and invented a sweet wonderful bread of rare delicacy and unusual size with a top shaped like a church dome.
This new, fruitcake-like bread enjoyed enormous success, with people coming to the bakery in droves at all hours to purchase the magnificent Pan di Toni { or Tony's Bread } PANETTONE
And yes the baker gave his concent for his daugher to marry the young Nobleman .
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