Golden brown, crispiness with a creamy filling. The two tastefully combined textures have the ability to compose a dynamic range of desserts, but when in the North End, one sweet treat comes to mind: cannoli. There’s no better way to wrap up a meal of the finest spaghetti and meatballs than with plain ricotta cannoli. The only question that remains is where to get it.
Cannoli are a classic Sicilian dessert that have become very popular here in the states. They are tube-shaped shells made of pastry dough that have been fried until golden with a sweet, rich and most often ricotta filling. They are often dressed up with a variety of nuts and chocolates.
By all means, you could order one off of the dessert menu at the restaurant you had your dinner at, but where’s the fun in that? The two hot-spot, Italian bakeries on Hannover St. in the North End are Modern Pastry and Mike’s Pastry.
Mike’s Pastry is known as the “tourist” bakery. If you are visiting Boston, Mike’s is the place to go. It’s understandable why Mike’s Pastry is a popular attraction. The employees are warm and welcoming and make you feel like you are apart of one, robust, Italian family and the menu has something for everyone with an assorted display of desserts that varies from gelato to cream puffs and even traditional American cupcakes. However, no surprise, the cannoli are the main attraction.
If you are new to cannoli, trying a plain ricotta one first might be your best bet. Know the basics before doing something “crazy.” But, if you want something a little more adventurous, go for the amaretto cannoli. The plain cannoli with toasted almonds on each end with a chocolate drizzle on top is beautifully appetizing. You can get your desserts wrapped up to go in the iconic white and blue take-out boxes and watch them get tied up with the matching butcher string, or you can enjoy yourself with an espresso and the accompaniment of friends or a newspaper right then and there. Mike’s has a nice sitting area, but during the store’s busy hours, it might be more satisfying to eat your Italian pastry in the comfort of your home.
The lesser known Italian bakery across the street from Mike’s is Modern Pastry. Even though Modern is not as well known by tourists, they have many loyal customers. Modern Pastry, a family-owned bakery, has gone through generations of employees and patrons in their spot on Hanover Street. Modern Pastry is a smaller store than Mike’s, but it seems to have just as many desserts, including their infamous torrone, a nougat candy made with almonds. One thing that Modern Pastry is praised is their made-to-order cannolis. Instead of having the cream-filled tubes sitting in a shelf all day, they fill the shells once they are ordered. Customers are also not limited to certain combinations. When ordering cannoli, the customer chooses what kind of shell, filling and topping he or she wants. This aspect is nice for customers who know what they like and are familiar with cannoli, but for a newbie this process could be a little daunting.
