It’s Christmas, and we are in Milan: what else could our TBS Taste be about this week, if not a tasting of panettone? This is the city where the famous Christmas cake comes from, and there are plenty of confectionery shops that produce the classic panettone version, with raisins and small candied fruits, as well as original variations that we can’t wait to try. We decided to focus on the latter, actually, during a diabetes-inducing afternoon that we spent in two shops that made panettone one of their signature products, so much so that they don’t just sell it during the holidays like everyone else, they actually sell it year-round: Peck and Pavé. These two places have an entirely different vibe and completely different audiences, but their artisanal products are equally excellent. Follow us for some panettone tasting… You’ll see!
Pavé. The first stop is this patisserie-cafe in the Porta Venezia area: we love it for breakfast and snack time, and we also love its cozy and slightly hipster-like ambience. Sitting in little vintage armhcairs, surrounded by the retro packaging of panettone, of marmalades and cookies prepared in the workshop behind the counter — if you look through the glass, you will see panettoni hanging upside down everywhere, a true treat for the eye — we tested two new versions of our beloved Christmas cake: the one with chocolate chips on the inside, and the very original pairing of hazelnut and chocolate gianduia with ginger. Delicious! Especially if you have them with a nice hot chocolate, in which you can dunk the whole thing. 😛 As one of the mugs for sale in the shop says… Chocolate is the answer!
Peck is our second stop. This shop is legendary and it has been around for decades, it is the go-to place for the gourmands of the city. We sat down at their new bar within the shop, Piccolo Peck, to try two more delicious treats: a panettone with orange, pineapple and ginger, and one with pear and chocolate. They were both served with Peck’s special Christmas tea blend, a mix of black tea and dehydrated fruits, which is exclusively available in the shop. Service is refined, and so is the ambience, which is taken care of in every little detail. And their panettoni? Well, we may have been full, but there was not even a little crumb left at the end!
Let’s be honest, we can’t really choose a favorite, even if we know that chocolate is always on top of the list, even at Christmas. How about you? Do you prefer the classic version, or the new, original ones? And are you a part of #teampandoro or #teampanettone? While you think about it, Merry Xmas, from TBS Crew! ♥