The Genoese pandolce is a typical dessert of the Christmas period, similar to panettone even if of different consistency and characteristics! The Genoese pandolce, also known in the United Kingdom and the USA as " Genoa Cake" according to some historians it was originally from ancient Persia: it seems that it was the youngest page to offer the sovereign this cake, a custom also taken up by the Ligurians where the youngest of the family was invited to insert an olive branch in the cake as a symbolic good luck charm. Then the oldest had to divide the bread into two parts: one would be offered to the first wayfarer passing by and the second preserved to be blessed on the day of St. Blaise, protector " of the evils of the throat ", February 3.
