A trip to Boston this past October would not have been complete without a journey to Mike’s Pastry. Having missed out on this experience during past visits, it was a must-try, a bucketlist item for Beantown.
The crowd was at first overwhelming. People seemed to be standing in semi-formed lines, snaking through the entire storefront and spilling onto the sidewalk in a marginally orderly fashion.
Reviewing the plethora of choices and plastic pictures posted along the back wall, we debated the flavors. It was tough to make a decision and before we knew it, we were up, the employee’s hand poised at the ready, grasping a disposable paper. We opted for a strictly cannoli-oriented experience. It is, after all, what this legendary establishment is known for. Selecting the pumpkin spice, chocolate dipped, espresso and peanut butter versions, we surveyed the scene, taking in the additional sweets available for purchase. Decadent whoopie pies, frosted cupcakes, little Italian cookies all beckoned but we held fast, watching as the skilled worker crowned each with a dusting of powdered sugar.
The weight of the box surprised us as we made our way outside to eat. The crunch of the chocolate-dipped version combined with the smoothness of the chocolate was wonderful. The pumpkin spice did not particularly remind me of pumpkin or fall, but possessed hints of the quintessential pumpkin spice combination of nutmeg and cinnamon. The espresso was certainly coffee-infused, and the peanut butter was exactly as expected – luscious, flavorful and filling from the first bite.
Overall, they were delicious – the chocolate-dipped was definitely my favorite – and quite substantial. One cannoli per person total, and we barely managed to finish them as a group (we felt morally obligated to not leave a morsel behind). Walking away, wiping the last remnants of powdered sugar from my fingertips, I couldn’t help but think about the other desserts that had been left behind, the non-Italian staples that had looked tantalizing behind the glass counters. Guess another excursion is necessary…
Until next time,
SugarSource
SugarSource 