Panettones in Peru

One of the great advantages of the new monastery in Lurin is the number of workshops, where the community can produce goods for sale as they seek to develop their economy and become self-supporting. At Pachacamac the brethren were already making bread and yogurt for sale and producing and painting candles, especially Paschal candles. There was always great demand for these products in the small monastery shop.

Since moving to Lurin in April, this work has expanded quite dramatically. An example of this were the 10,000 panettones handmade in the monastery bakery in the run up to Christmas, New Year and Epiphany. A large number of these were ordered by local parish shops, whilst others are being sold at the monastery and in the local shopping mall. Our photographs show the brethren working in the bakery and Brs. Mario and Percy selling their panettones directly to the public at the entrance to the shopping mall. The brethren also make pandoros, brioches, cakes and a variety of breads for sale.

You might be asking why is panettone so popular in Peru. Well, the tradition was brought to Peru and other Latin American countries by Italian immigrants in 19th century. In Peru, Christmas dinner is eaten after Midnight Mass, yes, in the middle of the night, and usually consists of turkey, pasta, potatoes, panettone and thick, sweet hot chocolate. Don’t forget that turkeys, first cousins of the vulture, are indigenous to Peru. The potato, of which there are over 300 varieties, originated in Peru.

The brethren, together with our oblates, have organised a number of “chocolatadas” (parties where hot chocolate and panettone are consumed) for poor children from nearby villages and shanty towns. As well as playing games and singing religious songs and generally having a fun afternoon, each child receives a present, probably the only present they will see this Christmas. Unfortunately, there is still a great deal of poverty and deprivation in Peru. The brethren are very keen to continue the charitable work we did for so many years in Tambogrande and San Lorenzo.

The brethren, together with our oblates, have organised a number of “chocolatadas” (parties where hot chocolate and panettone are consumed) for poor children from nearby villages and shanty towns. As well as playing games and singing religious songs and generally having a fun afternoon, each child receives a present, probably the only present they will see this Christmas. Unfortunately, there is still a great deal of poverty and deprivation in Peru. The brethren are very keen to continue the charitable work we did for so many years in Tambogrande and San Lorenzo.