Back in Rome for its fourth edition, “Panettone Maximo,” is the festival that awards the best artisan panettone in Rome and Lazio, scheduled for Sunday, Dec. 4, at the “La Serra” event space at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni.
Considered the flagship product of great Italian pastry, panettone is the new frontier of experimentation of skilled Italian pastry chefs, the object of desire of many food lovers, the magnificent obsession of cooks, chefs and bakers.
To best celebrate this extraordinary artisanal product that encompasses all the warmth, richness and goodness of the Christmas holidays, Panettone Maximo 2022, organized by RistorAgency, is proposed as a not-to-be-missed event for all fans of the mouth-watering Made in Italy leavened product.
Discovering Artisanal Panettone in Rome
Many activities will be on the program, all oriented to the discovery of the best artisanal productions of Rome in the field of great leavened products of the Holidays. An enchanting high-ranking Christmas Market that will include, in addition to panettone tasting counters, show cooking by great pastry chefs of the restaurant industry and a contest for the best pastry shops of the Capital and Lazio which, in addition to being evaluated by a jury of world-caliber pastry chefs, journalists and pastry experts, will also be able to be voted by the public present for the award of a Special Prize.
“Panettone Maximo has now become a must-attend event both for the best pastry chefs in our region, who here have the opportunity to have their leavened products evaluated by a jury of internationally renowned pastry chefs and industry journalists, and for panettone lovers, who come here not only to taste it, but also to buy or give it as a gift. Although it was born in Milan in the 1500s, panettone has now become the typical holiday dessert throughout Italy, so much so that it is masterfully produced in every region. Our event focuses on the best artisanal productions of pastry shops in Rome and Lazio,” explains festival creator Fabio Carnevali.
Panettone Maximo 2022: the contest and the Art of the Panettone
There are 24 bakeries attending the event and competing in the competition that will determine the “Best Panettone in Rome,” in two different main categories: Traditional Panettone and Chocolate Panettone.
The jury, composed of the most authoritative experts in the field, will be presented with panettone cakes strictly without labels or identifying marks, for each competing bakery. At the end of the tastings, the winning panettone will be proclaimed.
Four special prizes will also be awarded: best packaging, best digital communication, audience prize and foreign press prize.
All the competing bakeries will present their leavened products made according to the specifications set forth in the decree issued by the Ministry of Economy and Finance on July 22, 2005, which specifies the mandatory ingredients, optional ingredients and the production process of some typical desserts including panettone, pandoro, colomba and savoiardi. The same decree defines panettone as a “soft dough bakery confectionery product, obtained by natural fermentation from sourdough, with a round base shape, with a characteristically cracked and cut upper crust, a soft structure with elongated alveolation and a typical aroma of sourdough leavening.”
Panettone Maximo 2022 the participating bakeries
The event will feature the region’s most renowned pastry shopscompeting with their creations to win the title of “Best Panettone in Rome and Lazio.” All provinces except Viterbo are represented.
From Rome will be Caffè Delizie di Sicilia, Con.Tro Contemporary Bistrot, Cristalli di Zucchero, Le dolcezze di Giano, Max Pasticceria, Panificio Nazzareno, Pasticceria D’Antoni, Pasticceria delle Rose, Spiga d’oro bakery and Vizio. From the province of Rome Arte del dolce (Velletri), Arte e cioccolato (Campagnano), Bonfì (Santa Severa), Pasticceria Panzini (Subiaco), Pasticceria Patrizi (Fiumicino), Zest (Ardea).
From the other provinces Belsito (Serrone, FR), Cakao (Cisterna, LT), Casa del dolce (San Felice Circeo, LT), Cocco Sweet Lab (Rieti), Luna Pasticceria (Rieti), Maciste Pasticceria (Cori, LT), SolodaManduca (Aprilia, LT), Un Sacco Goloso (Pontinia, LT).
The star of the tastings will certainly be panettone, but there will be no shortage of other Lazio delicacies to enjoy, such as chocolate from Divino, selections from small producers selected by Vero Italian Traditional Food, drinks from Chinottissimo (PNeri) and wines from the ROMA DOC protection consortium.
Panettone Maximo 2022: the jury of experts
There are two expert juries, one of food journalists and one of master pastry chefs, including no less than four world pastry champions, Lorenzo Puca (2021) and the trio composed of Fabrizio Donatone, Francesco Boccia and Emmanuele Forcone (2015), pastry chefs Gianluca Fusto, Attilio Servi and Angelo Di Masso, restaurant pastry chefs Fabrizio Fiorani (best pastry chef of Asia 2019), Dario Nuti and Marion Lichtle, and chocolatier Valerio Esposito.
Three expert juries also for the special prizes, which will judge the best packaging, best digital communication and award the foreign press prize. Finally, the audience prize, decreed by visitors present at the event.
Panettone Maximo 2022: the cooking shows
There will be no shortage of special guests and exciting show cooking by some of the Capital’s best-known pastry chefs who will try their hand, in front of the spectators’ eyes, at extraordinary dessert recipes based on the unmistakable taste and aroma of artisanal panettone.
Among the protagonists of the show cooking will be pastry chefs Cristina Passini (Enoteca La Torre, Rome, 2 Michelin stars), Andrea Cingottini (Acquolina, Rome, 2 Michelin stars), Irene Tolomei (Aroma, 1 Michelin star), Andrea Amato (Il Vistamare, Latina) and Andrea De Benedetto (Vilòn, Rome).