Just as we strain to remember the sweetness of the holiday season, thankfully, it is time to prepare for the arrival of Colomba.

If you don't know, Colomba is the dove-shaped Panettone that arrives just in time to lift us up from the winter doldrums.

Colomba was created to celebrate Easter, which falls on the 31st of March this year. Easter is determined to be the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or after the spring equinox, which are the two moments in the year when the sun is exactly above the equator and day and night are of equal length.

The dove is the symbol of reconciliation, peace, and forgiveness, and even if you don't celebrate Easter, it is a great reason to celebrate the vernal equinox and get a good bit of panettone. I have been feeling a bit down lately, less than my usual happy self. Perhaps it is because it has been so long since I last laid eyes on a glorious Panettone!

Well, the good news is that my spirits have lifted with just the thought of seeing Colomba!

I am inspired, excited, filled with anticipation that I expect will explode with joy when the Colomba arrives!

It is not only about the Colomba; the Colomba is a symbol of spring, the spreading of the wings (thermoregulation definition) as the weather starts to warm up, our spirits start to lift, and one desires to cook more interesting foods.

Or, at least eat more cake.

I can't wait to unwrap and see the panettone shaped like a dove in all its glory, ready to be eaten! To pinch a mouthful with my fingers for a wonderful bite of sweetness!

FYI - we will not have the favorite Sorrento Lemon Colomba this year. We have a much smaller total amount of Colomba this year as well. So please order ASAP.

Click Here To See all the Colomba!

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This is like so many oven roasted vegetables recipes. The added herbs makes the dish stand out.

Watch the veggies as they cook and pull them out when they feel the way you like them. Touching, poking and prodding is a good way to determine the best results.

See the Oven Roasted Vegetable Casserole Recipe Recipe here!

With candied cherries and little bits of chocolate.

Shop now for Albertengo Cherry and Chocolate Colomba here!

Instead of the usual raisins and candied citron, this wonderful Colomba from Master Panettone Maker Albertengo is studded with chunks of local apricots, whose slight tartness are the perfect complement to the rich, sweet bread surrounding them.

Like all the wonderful Colomba from Albertengo, this one is light and buttery, has a soft texture with a delicate glaze that will melt in your mouth. Just like the lemon, everyone loves the single-fruit breads!

Shop now for Albertengo Apricot Colomba here!

Similar to the Christmas Pandoro, this Colomba Delice has no candied fruit or raisins added, just light, buttery bread. Plus a touch of orange essence to highlight the coming of spring.

Shop now for Albertengo Colomba Delice Primavera here!

Slightly sweet, traditional panettone bread with plump moscato raisins soaked in Moscato wine.

Shop now for Albertengo Moscato Easter Colomba!

This handmade bread wrapped in the traditional Easter wrapping is one of the most amazingly delicious colomba you will ever taste. Studded with raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and wild strawberries in a luscious panettone dough, the berry scent when you open it is so heavenly, it epitomizes the beginning of the fruit-growing season. It is covered with piedmont hazelnut icing, including the sprinkled sugar and almonds.

Shop now for Albertengo Colomba Frutti di Bosco!

Apple and walnut make a good fruit bread.

See the Apple Walnut Bread Recipe here!

Like a mini-panettone, this cake is made with the same "bread base" as Flamigni's Panettone and Colomba, it's just smaller, more cake like. This cake is studded with candied Ciaculli Mandarines and glazed with hail sugar. It's a candied fruit Panettone for one (or two depending on how much you eat)!

Shop Now for Flamigni Il Dolce Frutta Mandarino Cake Here!

If you know Drolo then you love Volo. The same cookie, just different. Almond instead of Hazelnut.

These cookies can be almost chewy and crunchy if you leave them out. Either way they are awesome! I eat these as often as I can! Get your daily requirement of nuts and cocoa in one bite.

They are going in the Magic 7 bars I am making this week along with some Effies!

Shop now for Primo Pan Volo Italian Gluten-Free Crunchy Almond Cookies!

These are made for their amazing combination of ingredients to make a chocolatey, crunchy hazelnut cookie divine! Just because they don't have flour in them doesn't mean they can't be unbelievable!

These crunch-filled Chocolate Hazelnut cookies are to die for. Well, perhaps not quite that far, but they are pretty gosh darn good!

Open the package, and you instantly get a sweet whiff of cocoa and hazelnut! Perfectly lovely! The bite has a nice crispness to it, and as you chew, you get crunchy bites of hazelnut bits.

I find these flourless chocolate hazelnut cookies hard to resist. Eat them with contentment.

Different from flour-based cookies, the crunch and the bite are a great experience. If you like crunchy and chocolate cookies, these are fabulous!

Raise your expectations to a new plane, and you will be happy and filled with hazelnuts and dark chocolate!

Shop now for Primo Pan Drolo Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies!

Sometimes a cookie is all you need to make the day better.

Take this recipe from the label (Borden's Eagle Brand of sweetened condensed milk) and change out the graham crackers with any of the Effie's Biscuits and make it much better.

You can also mix Effie's Biscuits with the graham crackers and still get the flavor, plus the extra crunch. The Pecan Cakes are perfect; the Oatcakes are always great to crumble on a fruit crisp, and the Cocoa Cakes work perfectly with chocolate recipes.

See the Magic 7 Layer Cookie Basic Recipe here!

The ever-versatile Piquillo Pepper is perfect for stuffing with your favorite amazing tuna.

See the Piquillo Peppers Stuffed with Tuna and Capers Recipe here!

These whole piquillo peppers are perfect for stuffing. Their slightly thicker skin compared to other peppers makes them easy to hold in your palm while you stuff them.

Piquillo peppers are a type of chili pepper originating from the Navarra region in northern Spain. These peppers are known for their small size, distinctive shape, and sweet, slightly spicy flavor.

The name "piquillo" is derived from the Spanish word "pico," meaning beak, which refers to the pointed shape of the pepper.

And these peppers are not just for stuffing! Think of salads, tapas, and incorporated into sauces and stews.

Shop now for Piquillo Peppers!

The three flavors of Crispy Nori Seaweed are a true delight. Keep in mind if you don't like the taste of seaweed, these will not change your mind. They embody the Best features of thin, crunchy, seaweed! The flavors are a joy!

Nori seaweed is a type of red algae that belongs to the genus Porphyra. It is widely consumed in various Asian cuisines, particularly in Japanese, Korean, and Chinese dishes. Nori is often used to wrap sushi, but it also has other culinary applications.

Nori typically has a thin, flat, and paper-like texture with a dark green to blackish color. It is harvested from the intertidal zones of coastal areas. The seaweed is grown on nets or other substrates, and it is harvested during the late autumn and winter months.

Nori is highly nutritious and is a good source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, B, and C, as well as iodine, iron, and protein. Nori is rich in nutrients such as antioxidants, which contribute to its potential health benefits. The iodine content in nori can support thyroid function. It contains certain compounds that have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, although more studies are needed to fully understand these potential benefits.

One of the most common uses of nori is for wrapping sushi rolls (maki) and hand rolls (temaki).

Nori sheets can also be toasted and cut into thin strips to be used as a garnish or a topping for salads, soups, and rice dishes. Crushed nori is also used for seasoning.

Shop now for Ariake Nature's Seasoned Nori Seaweed Snack!