Taste Buds

Generally I hate shops that attempt to force the spirit of Christmas on me in October, or earlier.
But then I spotted this miniature Panettone on the shelves, and of course I couldn’t resist adding it to our shopping basket. But then, I reasoned that this was going to be eaten now, so I salved my conscience that it wasn’t for Christmas after all.
Even so, I can usually do without cake of any sort, yet this relish originating from the Italian city of Milan, is something else.  A bit like the fruit loaves you buy in supermarkets, and which in turn are a version of a hot cross bun in the shape of a loaf.
In Italy, much of southern Europe and other parts of the world it is a “must-have” decoration for the Christmas table wherever you go, and is particularly delightful with sparkling wine.
I’ve heard tell that one of my long time English favourites —traditional bread and butter  pudding also takes on a new dimension if you use chunks of panettone instead of bread.  I remember bread and butter pudding as made by mother when I was a youngster. Not that she would have had anything to do with making it with panettone, even if she had ever heard of it.
I have hunted up the recipe using this speciality, and even if I had any doubts, this is certainly not going to wait till Christmas. Tomorrow, more likely!