in the weeks leading up to christmas, we embarked on a mission of reconnaissance at mediterranean wholesalers. down the back, where it’s normally wafers, stood a great wall of panettone. there was plenty to choose from, but our choice was mostly immediately clear: the etna. the year before, we saw actual etna from a great distance as we rode the sicilian railway from agrigento to catania. now was our chance to observe the volcano close up. the box was very persuasive: see how the candied fruit dances above the cake, just like an erupting volcano! before we left for the countryside, we returned to the shop to claim our own.

in fact, this was one of those times when the product matches quite closely the depiction on the packaging. despite the manhandling at the cash register, it was more or less perfect when unwrapped. the food technologists in italy are doing a sterling job. it was melty hot outside, but the stabilisers in the vanilla icing — rich and creamy — worked hard to maintain the illusion of a snow-capped mountain in our kitchen.

underneath, the chocolate cake was the bready sort, not too sweet and possessing a pleasant cocoa flavour. much of the sweetness came from the hidden reservoirs of blood orange sauce, and the candied… something.

it wasn’t orange peel; my memory seems to recall the packaging listing maybe arrowroot as an ingredient.

it made for a run of festive breakfasts as we counted down to christmas, but all too soon, it was gone.