Once upon a time there was the panettone from Milan, and it used to have no rivals. It was impossible not to link panettone to the “Madunnina” of Milan, to Po’ Valley’s fog, to managers wearing fury collars, to the economical boom, and so on. Well, something has changed. Panettone only comes from Milan no longer. Secretly, southern confectioners made panettoni so tasteful that they got really positive opinions and, sometimes, they are thought to be better than Milan’s panettoni.

How is it possible? Panettone’s industry has to face handmade panettoni, and the latter has won. The Milan’s sweet has taken advantage from this fight, because it was losing its shine over the years. Thanks to southern confectioners and their new interesting, fanciful ideas, panettone is the main Christmas sweet again. The most important cooks prepare their own handmade panettone, and if customers appreciate them, cooks try to sell them “outside” their own restaurants.

Massimo Bottura is the most loved chef because of his panettone made in his house’s attic. Fiasconaro and Castelbuono brothers have launched on the international market an unbelievable amount of panettoni, and they have managed to sell them all around the world. Fiasconaro brothers come from Sicily, and they are in third place after Alfonso Pepe – coming from Sant’ Egidio, Monte Albino, Salerno – and Igino Massari – from Pasticceria Veneto, in Brescia. A man from Campania and a confectioner from Sicily are at the top of the list. It is really hard to believe.