We all know panettone as a decadent treat for the Christmas season, but it’s the perfect symbol for the holiday of love, too.

It's just not an Italian Christmas without a panettone on the counter, ready to be sliced for guests, coffee breaks, and indulgent breakfasts. But thanks to its romantic origin story, we have a new tradition in mind: panettone for Valentine's Day! 

Like many Italian foods, the story of how panettone came to be is often argued over, and there are quite a few myths surrounding its origin. One of our favorite versions of the tale stars a noble Milanese man named Ughetto who used panettone to win the affections of his unrequited love. 

Ughetto loved Adalgisa, the daughter of the town's baker, from afar. She worked laboriously in her father's bakery, and as an effort to make her life easier, Ughetto posed as a peasant and offered to work at the bakery at no cost. While working there, he had the idea to enrich their breads with eggs, butter and sugar, all very expensive ingredients at the time. Ughetto purchased the ingredients himself and the new, deliciously enriched bread became a hit. He saved the bakery, ultimately winning Adalgisa's affections and culminating in a joyous wedding. Romance at the hand of an Italian pastry—what's not to love?

Is the tale true? There’s no way to be sure. Another delightful origin story tells of a man named Toni who created the famous bread by accident, giving the treat its name: pane-Toni. What we do know is that the sweet tale of Ughetto and Adalgisa gives us an excuse to eat Panettone well beyond the Christmas season and enjoy it as a Valentine's Day delicacy!

In celebration of this sweet love story, we’ll be enjoying our artisan panettone from Verona, an Italian city known for one of the most famous love stories there is: Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Incredibly rich with a perfectly sweet flavor and texture, the dough is worked by hand at the Perbellini bakery and is gently rested upside down after baking to achieve its towering height. We love the double chocolate version for dipping in dreamy chocolate fondues or topped with hazelnut and cocoa spread for an even more decadent chocolate treat. What’s a better treat to show your loved ones you care this February? 

Join in on the celebration like Ughetto and Adalgisa or Romeo and Juliet might have by exploring all of our artisan panettones here!