Many legends revolve around the origins of panettone. First of all regarding Toni, the scullery boy in Ludovico il Moro’s kitchen who sacrificed his yeast on Christmas Eve to remedy the damage done by the Sforza head chef, giving life to the first great leavened product (the name would derive from “pan de Toni”).
The true story, however, starts from bread and from the Milanese custom of the past to enrich classic loaves with all the possible ingredients for Christmas. Considering how wheat bread at the time was a product of great value, and until 1395 bakers in Milan were allowed to bake it only at Christmas to give it to regular customers.
