There are less than 60 days to go until Christmas, and the supermarkets have already taken notice: in fact, all round, we’re seeing a proliferation of panettone (euphemistically referred to as ‘summer’ panettone) beginning to fill the shop aisles. In any case, however, for those who work with their hands in the dough, it is time to put their ideas on the table and, above all, start production. A great leavened bake cannot be improvised: it requires time, patience, trial and error, and planning. That is why the October issue is entirely dedicated to them: leavened bakes. Because it is precisely when the festive season still seems a long way off that the bakery workbenches must already be ready. October is the right time to look ahead: to try, make mistakes, correct them, and arrive in November with something to offer that reflects your identity. As always, this issue is dedicated to those in the trade, to provide inspiration and new directions, and to offer advice on production and flours; but there is one thing you simply won’t find here: recipes to copy, because we believe it is better and more rewarding to take ideas and make them your own, reinterpreting them in your own way.

At the heart of this issue lies a question that concerns us closely: how are Italian leav-ened baked goods perceived around the world? Panettone is now a symbol recognised far beyond our national borders, but it’s a fine line between icon and stereotype. Exploring how it is perceived means understanding how our heritage of doughs, techniques and traditions is interpreted, desired and, at times, misunderstood by those observing it from afar. Pizza, focaccia, bread and fine baked pastries: our tradition is far broader than what often reaches tables abroad.

 

Then there’s the journey. Because Christmas, wherever you go, carries the scent of rising dough. From the German stollen to the Spanish roscón de Reyes, from the Czech vánočka to the sweet breads of Latin America, festive celebrations across the four corners of the world are told through leavened breads and cakes, each with its own climate, pantry, history behind it, and with its own rituals, ingredients and meanings. Comparing them isn’t just a matter of curiosity: it’s a way to broaden our horizons, find inspiration and remember that every tradition is, in its own way, a story of exchange.

Sixty days isn’t a long time. It’s enough, however, to create end-of-year celebrations that are worth remembering. Even for those – like myself – who don’t exactly have the Christmas spirit.
Enjoy the read and… good luck!