panettone in Seattle

[chadum]

I like panettone this time of the year from local bakeries. I've tried Macrina and Grand Central with Grand Central being my current favorite.

What sources have other folks found for this seasonal goodness?

[tsquare]

Gelatiamo and Columbia City Bakery.

But I really like the Italian imports better - the truffle place in the Market has some fine examples - Buono Tavola?

Edited December 16, 2006 by tsquare (log)

[Ling]

From the local bakeries, I've only had Grand Central.

I tend to like the Italian imports as well. They are selling this delicious panettone at Metropolitan Market for $29.99...I think the brand is Mirabisse (?) A bit expensive, but so fragrant. The dried fruit is plump and soft as well. Another brand I like is Tre Marie.

Edited December 18, 2006 by Ling (log)

[malarkey]

I've had the Essential Bakery version and the Marabissi that Ling mentions above. The Essential one is nice, but the Marabissi with tropical fruits rocks. Really delish.

[rockdoggydog]

If you like the imports check out PFI.

Rocky

[Ling]

I tried another pannetone from Luzzi, which I gather is a very popular brand. Not bad, but I still like the Marabissi one best! (Thanks for the correction on the name. )

[FeedMaria]

When I was a youngster & worked for Louie DeLaurenti in the Pike Place Market we would get in a Panettone "wall" every year that I was too short to reach the top of! In the mornings Louie would break open a delicious import & we'd have it warm with sweet cream butter and hot coffee before opening the store. I always loved watching the "wall" shrink as the holidays grew near & it became more of a pyramid & then a small mound.

Sorry about rambling...even though Louie & I are no longer at the store, I'm sure DeLaurenti's still carries a mighty fine selection!

[Ling]

They had the Essential ones as samples at Whole Foods today. Very dry, no fiori di Sicilia aroma/taste.

[malarkey]

When I was a youngster & worked for Louie DeLaurenti in the Pike Place Market we would get in a Panettone "wall" every year that I was too short to reach the top of! In the mornings Louie would break open a delicious import & we'd have it warm with sweet cream butter and hot coffee before opening the store. I always loved watching the "wall" shrink as the holidays grew near & it became more of a pyramid & then a small mound.

Sorry about rambling...even though Louie & I are no longer at the store, I'm sure DeLaurenti's still carries a mighty fine selection!

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What a great memory to have!

[Ling]

Had the Columbia City Bakery panettone yesterday. (Boy, I visit a lot of bakeries. ) The imports still reign supreme!

[tsquare]

Had the Columbia City Bakery panettone yesterday. (Boy, I visit a lot of bakeries.  ) The imports still reign supreme!

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Hope you tried their "snowball" while you were there. Wonderful, and I'm afraid to ask if it a seasonal treat.

[Ling]

Ack, I didn't get the snowball. I only got the bear's claw, a lemon danish, a ham and cheese croissant, and a pecan sticky bun. I'll have to trek out to Columbia City again for the snowball.

[tsquare]

It may be gone - but Trader Joe's is quite good - I liked the tart cranberries and golden raisins better than most dried fruit versions. The crumb was shreddy as I prefer as well. Maybe $6.95 for a big loaf!

[techno foodie]

Sorry to butt my nose in here and offer up a slightly off-topic response, but if you love pannetone, you MUST make some french toast out of it.

It has become a Christmas morning tradition for me and my husband, topped with a homemade cinnamon syrup and served with mimosas (or some other fruity, bubbly drink).

Oh, and I tend to buy the penntone wherever I can find it - Trader Joe's, as someone already mentioned, offers it up on the cheap, for instance.

[vengroff]

We had a Tre Marie brand Pandoro (fruit-free cousin of the panettone) on Christmas morning. The texture was soft and fluffy and the aroma was rich and sweet. It also came with a generous packet of icing sugar to sprinkle over the top. Even the panetonne skeptics gave it high marks.

Unless, or perhaps even if, I teach myself to bake one at some point this year, I will buy another one of these next holiday season.

[Abra]

We had panettone for breakfast on Christmas morning too. We had a Balocco pandoro with limoncello curd and a separate sugar dust packet, which I think is delicious, and also a Perugina Bacio which is chocolate-covered and isn't my favorite, although my husband adores it. Both of those were from PFI.