With Halloween finally over and done with, it’s time to start thinking about Christmas. Whilst many might already be debating whether it’s too early to put up their tree, there’s one thing we can all agree that it’s never too soon to start thinking about: food.
The festive shopping season has finally arrived in full, and with it there are some spectacular Christmas treats out now on the shelves.
None is more spectacular this year, though, than Selfridge’s giant 8kg beast of a panettone – created exclusively for the department store by the Perbellini family in Verona, who have been baking incredible Italian recipes for 130 years.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
The huge Italian Christmas cake, an Italian type of sweet bread originally hailing from Milan, is the biggest you can buy on the market this year.
It serves a whopping 100 people and has been designed to celebrate the return of big Christmas parties, after two years of relative isolation.
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Priced at £300, every penny goes to support the young people’s homeless charity Centrepoint to fund housing and support for those who find themselves with nowhere else to go here in the UK.
Handmade by the Perbellini family in Verona, the panettone has been made using a recipe that is exclusive to Selfridges.
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Pierluigi Perbellini, head pastry chef, said: “Since the 1700s, panettones have been a traditional staple on every Italian table at Christmas.
“Our panettone is made extra-special by the ingredients we use, from our 55-year-old mother dough to the bourbon vanilla beans all the way from Madagascar. It really stands out from the crowd, and will be the centre of any feast.”
Image: Supplied
Image: Supplied
Last year sales of panettone were up 41% on 2020, as the sweet Italian bread soared in popularity, overtaking both Christmas cake and Christmas pudding.
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In 2021, Selfridges sold 75% more panettone than Christmas puddings, and 200% more than Christmas cake, so it seemed like a no-brainer to create this beast of a fruit cake for parties in 2022.
Read more:Manchester to ‘remember the fallen’ with ceremony and parade this Remembrance Sunday
Andrew Bird, Head of Food at Selfridges, said: “Our 8kg panettone is the ultimate centrepiece for a festive party or get together.
“Inspired by our Christmas theme, Season’s Feastings, and the power of food in bringing people together, especially at Christmas, we wanted to create something to be shared and enjoyed by many, with the added benefit “
The giant panettone, alongside Selfridges’ other varieties, is available to view and purchase at the Manchester Exchange Square store from now until Christmas. It can also be ordered online here.
Feature image – Supplied
News
Simon Wood announces gutting closure of Manchester restaurant after seven years
Danny Jones
Celebrity chef and Manchester local Simon Wood has announced that his self-titled WOOD Restaurant has sadly closed its doors.
The Oldham-born chef-owner who won MasterChef back in 2015, revealed the unfortunate news on Wednesday, 2 October, confirming that the First Street site will be closing immediately. Truly gutting.
Wood has remained one of Greater Manchester’s most-renowned chefs for the past decade, not to mention a huge advocate for supporting the hospitality industry, especially post-Covid and during the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Sharing an emotional post on Instagram, he wrote: “It is with much regret that I have to inform you that I must close the doors here at WOOD for good, with immediate effect.”
“We have had 7 years as part of the Manchester city dining scene and I’m very proud of what the team and I have achieved”, the 48-year-old continued.
“Sadly with COVID rent arrears now being demanded by our landlord and an increasingly difficult marketplace, energy increases, ingredient costs and soon-to-be spiralling business rates we just cannot make this work.”
“I’d like to thank everyone for your support and patronage over the years. Thank you, Simon.”
It was only at the start of the week that Wood shared a frustrated post about a group of no-show customers over the weekend that failed to even pre-warn that they would no longer be attending one of his most exclusive and costly experiences.
We’re starting to lose count of how many local businesses are unfortunately struggling in the face of the rising business rates and energy bills that all independents are facing at the minute.
It was only last month that we saw Almous Famous had to call it a day with their Withington location and beloved sandwich spot Micky’s sadly suffer the same fate. Even cult favourite Cafe Marhaba looks to have gone up for sale. So tough to swallow.
We’re genuinely gutted for everyone involved with the brand. All the best, Si – we know you’ll be back stronger than ever one of these days.
Featured Images — The Manc Group
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No trams to run through major Manchester city centre station this weekend
Emily Sergeant
Arguably Manchester city centre’s most important tram stop is set to be out of action this weekend, with no services running through it.
In what is another part of Transport for Greater Manchester‘s (TfGM) ongoing programme of works intended to “maintain and improve” the Metrolink system and ensure tram journeys in Greater Manchester remain “safe, reliable, and accessible”, it’s been confirmed that no trams will run through Cornbrook this weekend.
Due to this, there will be a change to operating patterns across the majority of the Metrolink network on both Saturday 5 and Sunday 6 October.
As is often the case in instances like these, disruption to passengers is expected.
On Saturday and Sunday [5 and 6 October], no trams will operate through Cornbrook.
There will be a change to operating patterns and replacement bus services will be in operation.
On Saturday (5 October), the tram service pattern will change to Altrincham – Old Trafford, Bury – Ashton-under-Lyne, East Didsbury – Firswood, Etihad Campus – Bury (peak time only) / Victoria (after peak only), Manchester Airport – Firswood, Rochdale Town Centre – Deansgate-Castlefield (via Exchange Square), and The Trafford Centre – Wharfside.
Similarly, on Sunday (6 October), the only difference to the above service pattern is that the Etihad Campus tram will only run to Victoria, not Bury.
Services will operate every 12 minutes, except for on the Eccles line, where no trams will run at all.
TfGM is also warning that there may be changes to the first and last tram times during these works, but, in bid to help people still get to their destinations, three bus replacement services will operate from Firswood to Victoria, Old Trafford to Piccadilly, and Eccles to Piccadilly.
No trams will run through major Manchester city centre station Cornbrook this weekend / Credit: TfGM
The Old Trafford to Piccadilly bus service will run through Wharfside, while the Eccles to Piccadilly will travel via MediaCity.
“These works are a vitally important part of maintaining a safe and reliable network for all our customers,” explained
Ian Davies, who is TfGM’s Interim Network Director for Metrolink, said these works are “a vitally important part” of maintaining the Metrolink, and that work has been scheduled by TfGM to “minimise disruption to passengers and residents as much as possible”.
Georgina Pellant -
8th November 2022 
