Welcome to our series sharing Food Holidays: August 2022. Did you know it’s National Panini Month? I don’t know about you but I like Club Panini’s. I wish I still had my Panini Grill as I would make me a Bacon and Fried Egg Panini for dinner this evening. Would you like to join me for dinner?
National Panini Month
Craving tender goodness? Then August is the month for you because we’re celebrating National Panini Month for 31 days straight. The Italian food item has become a staple in many bakeries, restaurants, and grocery stores around the globe. The simplicity of this unsliced Bread with the usual fillings of Veggies, Meat, and Cheese is enough to satisfy all types of hunger pangs. Whether you are in a hurry to get to school or work, or whether you want to grab a quick bite or meal, Panini is the way to go. Just like its interesting and tasty flavors, the Panini also has quite an interesting origin, involving fashionable Italian hipsters and cafes.
HISTORY OF NATIONAL PANINI MONTH
National Panini Month in August takes us to the streets of Italy back in the 1980s. Starting from the word ‘Panini’ itself, it comes from Italian, and means ‘unsliced Bread.’ Panini is a noun, derived from ‘pane’, referring to a Bread roll. The ‘Panini,’ which today means a sandwich, has been around for quite some time, in fact, since the 16th Century. Yet, the Panini did not gain popularity until the 1980s. Young hipsters in Italy flocked to Coffee and Sandwich Bars all the time. They became known as the ‘Paninari,’ and it was their rejection of the dull and drab Italian culture that made them famous in Milan and then all over the Country. Their choice of high and colorful fashion combined with their preference for fast food soon became the headlines for many fashion magazines.
Soon globalization led to the Panini traveling to the rest of Europe, the U.S., and the rest of the world. A traditional Panini is made of unsliced Bread like the Baguette, Rosetta, or Ciabatta. Tomatoes, Meat, and Cheese are the usual fillings, but you can mix the Panini up with your choice of Vegetables, cold Meat slices, and Cheeses. There’s also a Panini press that presses the Bread and fillings flat, making the Panini easier to handle and bite into. The grill marks on a Panini also form part of the aesthetic and eating experience. Take this month as an opportunity to try a sweet Panini, too, if you haven’t done so yet. The sweet fillings can range from anything like Chocolate, Fruits, or Marshmallows to sprinkles and Cake.
HOW TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL PANINI MONTH
- A panini has some of the simplest ingredients out there. All you need is Bread and your choice of Veggies or Meat and Cheese. There’s nothing more to it, but if you are looking to customize the sandwich to your liking, the stage is yours because a Panini is as versatile as they come.
- Host a Panini party by inviting your family and friends over. You can get a variety of Bread, Vegetables, Meats, Cheeses, and Condiments. Your guests can also bring their own ingredients.
- The best way to celebrate this month and pay homage to the Panini is by having a traditional Italian Panini. Scope your local areas for an authentic Italian Bakery, but do not fret if you can’t find one. Find a traditional Panini recipe get started creating the recipe.
5 FACTS ABOUT SANDWICHES
- John Montagu, the Earl of Sandwich in the 1700s, invented the sandwich after he started eating Beef between two slices of Bread.
- The largest and heaviest sandwich in the world weighed about 5,440 pounds.
- Did you know the most expensive sandwich cost around $470 and was created by Tom Bridge.
- Americans absolutely love PB&J sandwiches, so much so that an average American eats around 3,000 PB&J sandwiches in their lifetime.
- Reportedly, pressed sandwiches are healthier as all the ingredients are pressed together, making it easier for your digestion system to break all the sandwich down..
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL PANINI MONTH
- Did you know the Panini has a permanent place in the list of comfort foods. Panini can be Cheesy, filling, and crispy, all at the same time. Most importantly, the Panini can also be a complete meal so you don’t need to worry about having a proper meal if you have a good-sized Panini.
- It’s amazing how much culture and history can be attached to food items, and Panini is no different. If you want to learn about the fashion styles and what was ‘hip’ during the 1980s, you need not look further than the Panini.
- Sandwiches are some of the most underrated food items out there. You are busy and cannot whip up a hearty and healthy meal for yourself? Then a sandwich is your answer. If your craving a light snack in the middle of the day? Sandwich’s to the rescue. If you just feel like munching on something? Turn to a Panini.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
