Emiddio Isernia never wanted to specialize in making panettone. The acclaimed Italian pastry chef had other pursuits.
But a visit to Vancouver a few years ago found him searching for the Italian bread and coming up empty.
Isernia decided to travel home to Italy, learn the craft, and return to Vancouver to open a pastry shop, called Antise Vancouver.
“Back in Italy, I never wanted to do panettone because it’s such a long process,” he said.
“When I moved here, I realized that there was a product that people didn’t really know, so I saw an opportunity.”
Trusting his intuition paid off.
Since opening Antise a few years ago, Isernia has churned out hundreds of panettoni.
“Our product is growing every year by about 20 per cent,” he said.
“Last year, between November and December we did 5,300 units.”
‘Why wait for Christmas?’
The bread is traditionally eaten at Christmas, with a similar version called colomba served at Easter, but Isernia believes it should be enjoyed all year.
“It’s such an amazing product, so why wait for Christmas?” he said.
Isernia’s artisanal creations are a labour of love.
It takes about three days to make each panettone and every ingredient is carefully chosen.
The yeast he uses is 10 years old and is from Italy. Isernia tends to it like a family member.
“Even when I go on vacation, I have to find someone to babysit this,” he said.
Patience, persistence
Originally from Naples, Isernia’s Italian roots permeate through the bakery.
A Napolitan saying is painted on one of the walls and has become a guiding principle for him.
“To get to some point, you need a lot of patience sometimes,” he translates.
That patience is evidently paying off.
“I read a comment of a customer on Instagram, she was saying, ‘Oh, you know, I’m done with Christmas cakes. I’m just buying panettone,’ and it was really rewarding,” he said.
What was once an unlikely career path, has become his story. A story he continues to tell with every panettone he bakes.
