Il Panettone vero Milanese

Panettone is roughly translated as "luxury bread" from the Italian. It's a tradition during the Holidays, and we have the authentic version, made with a natural leavening, plus lots of butter, sugar, egg yolks, candied orange peel, and raisins. Pretty much every country in Europe has its own version of what were known as "hearth cakes", breads made with rich ingredients that were not affordable during the year, but were included in these winter treats as a way to celebrate as well as to show off a bit of opulence. As (manufactured) yeast simply did not exist until around 1900, these breads/cakes were leavened with, well, sourdough. Our panettone Milanese is made with the same starter we use for our other breads. And it gives the panettone a unique texture and much better keeping quality than versions made with baker's yeast. It's a 36 hour process, and requires patience and attention to detail. We think it's all worth it. Bohemian Panettone Milanese is available at Hunger Mountain Co op and at Healthy Living Natural Foods. 2 lbs., around $17.00.