I would go along with edot's recommendation of panettone (or pandoro) with espresso.
This should probably not be unexpected, as colomba means dove in Italian .
According to the french consumer program, Tre Marie is available in the supermarkets in Switzerland and the Globus/Jelmoli brands were scored very poorly.
http://www.tsr.ch/emissions/abe/2630...r.html#2630518
Literally tons of panettone is made in Switzerland. But that's not necessarily a good thing. The production is not regulated like it is in Italy and what is called panettone in Switzerland would not be legal called panettone in Italy.
After watching the consumer protection show about panettone (linked above), you need to check the ingredients list they should absolutely have butter instead of vegetable fat.
The best supermarket brand for us is Bauli, especially price/quality. But personally I'm not a panettone fan. I like pandoro much better. Yum.
Le Tre Marie products are definitely available in Switzerland, Manor, Migros and Coop stock a large variety (at least here in Basel).
Agree with the Bauli recommendation. Although I don't think that Bauli is a supermarket own brand, they are a genuine Italian confectioners based in Verona.
Bizarrely, the packaging of the Bauli pandoro I bought in Basel appears to indicate that it was intended for import into Australia!
What is Pandoro....never seen it or heard of it.
It will be stacked up right next to the panettone. It is just the light spongey cake - no 'bits' inside for true pandora but some have flavored cream inside. I prefer panettone as pandora is very plain - but you can dunk it in coffee - or my grandfather preferred red wine .
here's my proud answer for all your doubts, guys, since I'm italian and come from Milano:
Panettone is the typical XMas cake from Milano, while Pandoro is a slightly different version (sweeter and without any raisin or canded fruit) coming from another region.
They're both very good and you already named good brands available here in Switzerland:
Bauli, Le Tre Marie and so on.
Motta is a bit more commercial but widely available and easy to find (Coop for example).
In terms of cost, since they're factory made (even in such a great advance, that you won't believe it) and street price is around 10CHF.
My psychological limit it the 2 digit price, so I usually buy it for less than 9.99CHF.
Of course, just after XMAs you can find them in the store even at 1€.
They're usually served as dessert after the big family XMAS lunch-dinner, together with mascarpone cream.
I also recommend them for breakfast fresh and warm from a toster, which helps releasing the taste of the BIG ammount of butter used in the preparation.
In Italy they're also available handmade from bakeries with costs up in the range of 20-40€.
enjoy them, cheers
Stefano
You are correct. It's not a supermarket own brand. I meant "of the brands sold in supermarkets".
The real panettone does NOT:
Have a chocolate topping
Have any kind of cream fillings (choco, vanilla, etc)
It should contain:
- plenty of butter (hence the nice yellow colour)
- candied fruits (bergamot, orange, cedar, raisins)
- additionally may contain nuts, and dried fruits such as figs
It is usually served for dessert or to entertain visiting guests. It is of course delicious @ breakfast. In order to make it nice and soft it can be slightly heated in the oven (v. low temps!).
Unfortunately for the discussion, in our family we never buy the commercial brands, as the local patisserie makes an excellent panettone.
We have also received 3 shop-made ones from Latina (Italy), freshly made... Stunning stuff!!
OK - all this talk about panettone has made me hungry.
I'd better go to the gym tomorrow, or else
Ciao from The South
Paul
Hmmmm..... some red wines may even be appropriate..who knows?
Gotta give it a try
I once met an american (of course) who liked his panettone:
* toasted
* spread with honey
* dunked in some kind of vegetable broth
Yaaargh!
P.
Man - you HAVE to try the "black and white" from the Pasticceria Piffaretti in Mendrisio... Everything else just pales in comparison (he's won more than a prize for this specific panettone)
Maybe we should organize a "panettonata" for the expat community...?
Hmmm....
P.
Slightly ot, but my great-grandmother came from Latina. Is it known for panettone?
All at that same time???!!!!! (i'd go with the first two - maybe with a dusting of cinnamon...........)
Well.... panettone has become quintessentially pan-italian over the course of time.
Some acquired parents have their own bakery and produce it over Xmas.
In Mrs. GroOve's opinion - being the pro cook - it was "quite excellent" indeed. Moist, just the right touch of buttery fattiness, sweet but not artificially so, the candied citrus peels had an organic texture to them (not the usual plastic hardness typical of more industrial products...).
I don't want to know how many calories per 100 gr.... ... I must have eaten half a kilo !!
P.
My favourites (also from the Ticino area):
Panettonata sounds amusing. We just snarfed down the chestnut one over three days. Whoosh.
So, other than you and I, who else here lives in Ticino (or even knows where Mendrisio is)?
Tom
I live in Zug, but for a nice Panettonata in a reachable area, count me IN !!!
"panettonata" ?
Is that when it's served smothered in tuna sauce?
Tom
LOL !
I believe that would be a Panetonnata (mind the doubles), Tom
Yeah - sure
But in this case the panettone is filled w/ tunafish paté
Just kidding
P.
P.s. except in the case of the "panettone gastronomico", which is a plain, non-sweet panettone that is sliced horizontally in layers, each filled with tuna, salami, salmon, cheese, etc, and then in quarters.
Damn - I'm hungry again.....