Sweets of Italy. While New York has a neighborhood with a concentration of Italian restaurants and pastry shops called Little Italy, there are delectable Italian desserts sprinkled throughout the city.
Gelato. Grom, first established in Torino, has at least two locations in Manhattan and is a great stand-by for gelato cravings. Though they have a variety of flavors, I would recommend the signature Crema di Grom, an eggy-based ice cream with crushed cookies and chocolate chips. A great feature of gelato places is you are encouraged to have at least two flavors in your cup, and Grom is no exception. The smallest size should satisfy your sweet tooth, and you can also order a dollop of fresh, thick whipped cream on top if you so desire.
Pumpkin Gelato,
Caffe Dante
If you are looking for more of a sit-down or café -like experience, I would recommend Caffé Dante on Macdougal Street in the West Village. The pumpkin gelato is wonderful – well-balanced, flavorful without tasting artificial, not too sweet and a great companion to a cup of Earl Grey in the afternoon.
Italian Ice. You will find little hole-in-the-wall Italian ice shops dotted throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn. In Midtown Manhattan I came across Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices, a walk-up window with a plethora of choices. You can select traditional Italian ices (made without dairy or eggs), dairy-based ices and ice cream flavors, and even soft-serve. My first experience on a hot June day was a simple lemon ice – pleasantly tart and satisfyingly sweet, it was a great way to break the heat. Feeling particularly bold on a different visit, I chose a peanut butter sundae. Crushed peanut butter cups layered within vanilla soft-serve, caramel and topped with a hefty flourish of whipped cream and more peanut butter cups. It was wonderful.
Peanut Butter Sundae,
Ralph’s
Pignoli. I found these small pine nut cookies at Caffé Roma on Broome Street, which has been in the same location – and within the same family – since 1891. Great eaten alone or as an addition to an afternoon cappuccino, these chewy, sweet, melt-in-your-mouth delights can be a quick sugar pick-me-up without too much guilt.
Italian Pastries. Veniero’s has been an East Village staple since 1894, and has the wide selection and quality desserts to prove it. From traditional cannolis and tiramisu to strawberry shortcakes and decadent chocolate layered mousse cakes (which come in a variety of sizes and slices), the toughest part is making your selection. The windmill cake was moist and rich with chocolate curls enrobing the entire single serving portion. In retrospect, it was probably a little large for one person to tackle, but I was up for the challenge that day.
There are many other desserts that remain – affogatos and tiramisu, and I have not come close to rendering a verdict on the best cannoli in town. The adventure continues…
Until next time,
SugarSource
SugarSource 