Free Republic

When thinking of Sicily, it's easy to imagine white sandy beaches, timeless architecture and a host of delicacies like arancini, caponata and cannoli. But panettone would not be among the first things to come to mind. The popular Christmas cake is traditionally baked in the north of Italy, particularly in the city of Milan, where it was invented. That's almost 1,000 miles — the length of the whole country — from Palermo, Sicily's main city. But not far from Palermo, Nicola Fiasconaro is upending panettone tradition — and exporting his upstart creation all over the world. It all started in...

It’s a holiday treat on Italian-American tables, this and every Christmas — sweet loaves of bread known as panettone. Shopping for one this year, you’ll find the prices range from humble, to high end. CBS2’s Tony Aiello decided to put a $60 panettone to the test — a taste test. At Cosmo Deli in Mamaroneck, the approach of Christmas brings stacks of panettone, an Italian bread that helps make a “Buon Natale.” “They’re moving. We sold a ton of them and they’re still going,” owner Pat Colalillo said. While the sweet loaves with candied fruit typically sell for $7 to...

There’s no Christmas without panettone. Or so say 70 per cent of Italians, who admit they cannot fathom a festive season without their beloved sweet bread. Before its recent rise to fame in the US and the UK, the staple festive treat had adorned Italy’s kitchens for centuries and in a variety of forms. From honeyed bread in ancient Rome, or a simple loaf with sugar and raisins in the Middle Ages, to the present-day buttery version, packed with raisins and candied fruits. For some families, however, this Christmas stands to be somewhat bittersweet. In addition to the financial impact...

Panettone is an Italian cake filled with raisins and sultanas, and is a typical Christmas treat. But the seemingly harmless dessert has led to backlash after some vegan activists claimed a famous cake-maker was mocking the plant-based diet. It’s all because of a TV advert created by Motta, a company which has been churning out panettone since 1919 and intended to celebrate Christmas culinary traditions in its festive ad campaign. The 30-second clip shows the preparation of the typical cake, and as eggs are cracked and dough kneaded, the voiceover says:“To make our panettone, we could have used tofu, papaya,...