When I told everyone I was moving to New Haven, I got fair warning about the great pizza rivalry in this city. (For the record, in the Sally’s vs. Pepe’s debate, I am firmly in the Pepe’s camp.) But no one told me this town had dueling Italian bakeries, too.
Beyond assorted dry, neon-colored cookies (sometimes salvaged by a dunk in chocolate or a smear of jam) and maybe the odd cannoli, I had no experience with Italian pastry. But this weekend, we got a big box of cookies and pastries from Lucibello’s. Without setting foot in Libby’s, the rival shop, I know there are a few sweet treats that will forever be in my life from now on, no matter where they’re from:
Cuccidati. These little cookies are like homemade Fig Newtons, except way better and without creepy additives. Sometimes they have a little dab of icing and a few sprinkles on top which, I’m not gonna lie, increases their appeal even though I am 24 (and a half!).
Pignoli Cookies. Moist, chewy golden crescents. These cookies are made with almond paste and studded with fresh pine nuts—rich, nutty, and lightly sweet.
Good Cannoli. Accept no soggy, super-sweet imitations. Good cannoli have a crisp shell and smooth, creamy ricotta filling—chocolate chips not necessary, but strongly encouraged.
Sfogliatelle. (Pronounced, I am told, sfoy-dell) These clamshell-shaped pastries are the most interesting I’ve encountered, though perhaps not my favorite at first. But I have to say they’re growing on me. What’s not to like about layers of flaky pastry filled with barely-sweetened and spiced ricotta and candied citrus?
Pasticiotti. My hands-down, no-contest, absolute, can’t-stop-eating favorite. Pleasantly soft, slightly dense pastry filled with your choice of chocolate or vanilla pastry cream and dusted with powdered sugar. Simple. Delicious.
Having not given Libby’s a fair shot, I can’t come down on either side just yet. I suspect, however, that Lucibello’s pastries are top-notch precisely because they are in a constant, generations-long duel. (Also, part of me is hoping to uncover some tale of forbidden love between a Lucibello and a Libby…what’s with Italians and star-crossed love?) But, the bottom line is, when bakeries compete, everyone wins.
Oh, how I wish I had an Italian bakery here! I make pignoli, amaretti and biscotti, but I’d love to have a consistent supply of good cannoli and some of the other pastries!
Somehow I feel responsible for this new found love of Italian Pastry. Pasticiotti can be so good they can inspire long lost memories in a Proustian fashion!!! — At least for Italians who grew up with a pastry shop on every corner. I encourage all to find a sicilian pastry shop and try all of them!!!
Please don’t start pronouncing the names like so-called Italians. In “real” Italian you pronounce every letter.
Hey Sharon – I’d be interested to see if they let you take a tour of each shop so you could see what kinds of ingredients they use. I am always skeptical of these kinds of bakeries because I think they all use premade components and just assemble the pastries. Either that or they use lots of nasty shortening and other fake ingredients. Let me know if you get a chance to get dig up some dirt!
Was it Cuccidati that Tony and his Dad made at Christmas? Those were some of the best cookies I’ve ever had. I want the recipe for THOSE!
Oh yes, I’ll have a cup of black coffee and one of everything — thanks.
Oh man, now I want a Cannoli! Avec chocolate chips. Sharon, thanks for telling me more about something I really didn’t know anything about. As soon as I get to NYC, I’m going to scout out my nearest Italian Bakery!
I agree about Pepe’s vs. Sally’s….but you need to try the pizza at BAR if you haven’t yet!
Maggy-you MUST got to Veniero’s in the East Village the next time you are in town.
Lucibello’s no question.
Contrary to what “Andy” said above, real Italians pronounce words according to whatever their particular dialect of Italian is.
Despite there having been a “standardized” Italian language for generations, every region retains their own pronunciation — as well as differences in vocabulary and grammar. The standardized Italian language is based on Toscano (the dialect of Tuscany) but is not identical even with the modern Tuscan dialect!
Here is a map showing all the different varieties of Italian spoken in Italy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Languages_spoken_in_Italy_Bis.svg
(I found that on Wikipedia, obviously.)
There are over a dozen different dialects. So if one person’s Italian parent or grandparent came from, say, Napoli (Naples), and another person’s came from Fiorenza (Florence), and their Italian-diaspora families pronounce “Italian” words differently? Most likely they’re both right!