Last week when we talked about cioccolata calda, maybe you were wondering what you could eat with it. Well, since it's Christmastime, you can have panettone.

Very loosely described as Italian Christmas Cake (please wipe the images of hard bricks from your mind though!), panettone is something truly unique that comes from Milan but is enjoyed all over the Bel Paese. It's light like a poundcake but chock full of candied fruits, making it nutritious as well. OK, maybe it's not exactly good for you, but if you're in Italy in December or January, chances are good that you'll be offered a piece of panettone, and you wouldn't want to offend your hosts by turning it down, would you?

Panettone cakes are actually quite common as gifts for Christmas, which is perfect timing to enjoy a big slice with prosecco at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. You can otherwise eat it with your coffee or cioccolata calda or even with a bit of creamy mascarpone. Recently there's been quite a bit of talk about making French Toast with leftover panettone, smothering it with an egg and cream mixture and then frying it on a griddle, but I've never seen an Italian do that. Yet.

The following videos are in Italian, but there's very little speaking, and anyway, some things, like baking panettone, are beautifully transmitted solely by visuals. Now watch the panettone process--from the cutting of the "ears" (you'll see what I mean) to their rising before your very eyes to the topsy turvy method of cooling them off.

Have you had panettone? What do you think?