When you are a small business like ours, space comes at a premium, especially as we approach the all important holiday season.

Even though the sun came out this week for us here in the Northwest, just a few days ago it felt like winter. And next week looks like more rain. Sigh, the inevitable darker, longer nights are upon us. Having the time to get all those chores done before it is too wet to do anything outside is gone.

This past weekend, Don and I rearranged our warehouse to make room for the incoming pallets of food we ordered way back in June.

The biggest shipments come faster than we can incorporate into the "flow" and thus we spend a few panicked hours and days counting, checking, stacking and shelving items in. This panic will set in next week and last until December.

We order your Panettone from Italy (from 4 or 5 different bakeries making 40+ versions) in June for delivery in November. It can take up to three weeks to rise, bake and cool these kilo-sized cakes.

And if you ever wonder what all the rage is about, especially if you had one of those "panettone" that is "a tough-spongy-gross-dry breads" that is mass-produced, our magical panettones are airy, light, moist and fluffy and almost melt in your mouth!

Our anticipatory taste buds are salivating for the soft, supple, gentle, eye-closing first bite of Sorrento Lemon Panettone this year. Even our fingertips are tingling as they imagine pulling the first handful of effervescent dough away.

All this happens as we dream of the wonderful packaging and the round dome of the Panettone!

Order now, as soon as they arrive they go right back out! And we start selling out of certain flavors as soon as this email drops every year. Remember, we don't charge until they arrive in the warehouse and are ready to ship!

Why are we mentioning this so early? Even though we just made them live so we can get them on the (virtual) shelves, the early shoppers are ordering, snapping some of them up.

Please note, placing your Panettone order in a separate order from other items is best to ensure each of your orders get processed on time.

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Panettone, the wonderful butter-rich Italian Christmas Bread, is very often consumed straight without leaving a crumb. But should you find yourself with the chance half loaf left, this recipe is a perfect holiday breakfast favorite.

Ever since we discovered the divine Sorrento Lemon Panettone from Albertengo, it's been our favorite for this recipe. But any of the wonderful panettone will work great. This recipe is so divine you'll want to buy two panettone just to make sure you have enough!

See the Panettone French Toast recipe here!

This hand wrapped package tied with a shimmering gold ribbon contains one of the most delicious panettones we've ever tasted.

This Sorrento Lemon Panettone is from Albertengo, 4th generation baker and master panettone maker.

Unlike a traditional panettone that is studded with raisins and candied citron, this ethereal panettone is made with lightly candied Sorrento lemons, and I swear that you can almost smell the heavenly scent right through the wrapping. Light and buttery, soft in texture, it will melt in your mouth, and the aroma and flavor of the Sorrento lemon will drive you to distraction.

It is the perfect dessert for that holiday feast or open house. Serve it with some espresso or Vin Santo, and Buon Natale.

Click here to read more about why people love the Sorrento Lemon Panettone from Albertengo!

If you like chocolate with your panettone, then this is the cake for you.

This Borsari chocolate panettone made only with bits of quality dark chocolate and nothing else. Topped with a chocolate glaze and bits of hazelnut—you cannot believe how good it is. What sets Bosari panettone apart from most other's is the quality of the chocolate. Nothing but the best, locally made couverture chocolate.

Preorder Borsari Gran Chocolate Panettone w/ Icing Now!

Pandoro is taller and without any fruit or nuts. Just cake bread inside. Perfect. And slice it parallel to the earth and you get a wonderful shape to your piece! Top with powdered sugar—perfection!

Preorder Borsari Pandoro Classico now!

Producing fantastic, moist panettone fruit cakes since the 1930s, one taste and you will understand why G.Cova is simply the best. This is G.Cova's Panettone Classico fruit cake delightfully hand wrapped with their vintage blue wrap and tied with twine. A delight to open at the Christmas table or before if you can't wait that long!

Preorder now Breramilano Panettone Classico - Traditional Blue Wrap here!

The same amazing flavor as the cherry and chocolate panettone, but without the chocolate. Really delicious. We ordered more this year than last year, but not by much. So, if you like amarena cherries, don't wait to order this one.

Please note that we are not sure what the packaging will be this year on this panettone.

Preorder now Breramilano Panettone with Fabbri Amarena Cherries!

The combination of cherry and chocolate is simply joyous and irresistible! Perfect for French toast or bread pudding or just eat this chocolate and cherry panettone bread toasted. You can't go wrong.

About Flamigni:

Started by three brothers in the 1930s, Flamigni continues to make their panettone in the main square of Forli, Italy in the Romagna region of Italy. Flamigni has a knack for not only making classic panettone, but putting scrumptious taste combinations together that are hard to resist. All their cakes are made the traditional way with the original mother yeast, along with quality, all natural ingredients.

Preorder now Flamigni Cherry and Chocolate Panettone here!

This mixed fruit has the perfect match of Pear, Apple, Peach and Apricot in the wonderful cake/bread of Flamigni Panettone. This Italian Panettone fruit cake has not too much of anything, just about perfect of everything. I never pass up having a sample when no one is looking.

Preorder Flamigni Contadino Panettone here!

Panettone, the wonderful butter-rich Italian Christmas cake, is very often consumed straight without leaving a crumb. But should you find yourself with the chance half loaf left, this recipe will turn a celebratory cake into a memorable dessert centerpiece! Lemon panettone bread pudding is a perfect holiday dessert or breakfast on Christmas morning.

Ever since we discovered the divine Sorrento Lemon Panettone from Albertengo, it's been our favorite for this recipe. But any of the wonderful panettone will work great. This Italian bread pudding recipe is so divine you'll want to buy two panettone just to make sure you have enough!

See the Panettone Bread Pudding Recipe here!

This one has dried figs and bits of chocolate!

Preorder now for the Flamigni Fig and Chocolate Panettone - half-kilo!

Tangy pieces of moist, dried apricot along with little pieces of chocolaty chocolate. The Flamigni Apricot and Chocolate Panettone combination is heavenly!

Preorder Flamigni Panettone Albicocca e Cioccolato - Apricot and Chocolate now!

A great specialty, rich with naturally candied orange pieces and drops of pure, dark chocolate. Orange and Chocolato in the mixture gives this Panettone an inimitable taste. A wonderful taste of rich, naturally candied orange pieces, drops of pure plain chocolate, and Piedmont Hazelnut icing.

And then it is all hand wrapped and tied with a ribbon to give it a touch of originality and elegance. Perfect.

Instead of the usual raisins and candied citron, this wonderful panettone from Master Panettone Maker, Albertengo, is studded with candied oranges and bits of pure, dark chocolate. It is a wonderful combination of citrus and sweet chocolate with great results. Like all the wonder panettone from Albertengo, this one is light and buttery with a soft texture that will melt in your mouth.

Note: Packaging may vary slightly from year to year.

Preorder now Albertengo Arancia Cioccolate - Orange and Chocolate Panettone!

Jesse spent two days in our kitchen perfecting this chocolate almond mousse cake recipe. Not only was it fun to watch Jesse do his work, but we learned a lot as we went along. Jesse has a magic touch when it comes to cakes. This recipe is perfect for a dinner party. It can be made a few days in advance, and frozen in the cake ring until the day of the party. It will definitely look like you just picked the cake up from your local, professional bakery.

See the Chocolate Almond Mousse Cake Recipe!

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

Preorder now Flamigni il Dolce Frutta Sorrento Lemone Cake!

A high Milanese panettone that's soft and sweet smelling. Filled with raisins, candied orange and lemon peels, this panettone is without icing. This traditional Italian panettone is finished with a beautiful burgundy ribbon...perfect!

This Classic tall Milanese Panettone is from 4th generation baker and master panettone maker, Albertengo.

Preorder now Albertengo Alto Classico Panettone!

The process of candying fruit is time consuming and nerve-wracking; what with making sure the sugar concentration, times, and temperatures are all correct—not to mention the quality of the fruit.

Candying cherries for baking is even more complicated since that beautiful red color is very fragile, and can be quickly damaged by heat.

Florian candied red cherries for baking are made from premium quality fruit and no coating is used after the candying process so that optimum moist texture and natural fruit crunch are achieved.

These gorgeous candied red cherries are packaged immediately to retain their full flavor. They are of the Bigarreaux variety, and these baking cherries are perfect for a whole host of applications.

Use these candied cherries whole, or cut them in half for cookies and cakes. Can you imagine a fruitcake without some bright, red candied cherries?

Shop now for Florian Candied Cherries!