290695 Thu Oct 31 12:10:04 -0800 2002 14 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1578974 We're discussing over on the Boston board how very few bakeries actually fry their cannoli shells in-house. Poster Linda From Boston mentioned seeing a food network program (perhaps a "Best Of") profiling a real old-fashioned cannoli place that does every step by hand....but she can't remember where the place was. So, two questions: 1. anybody see the show and remember the bakery? 2. anybody know any other sensational cannoli places where shells are fried in-house? The notion that there may be a cannoli on God's green earth more hypnotically toothesome than the ones at Boston's Modern Pastry fills me with trembling awe. I am myself a cannoli filled with chalky awe. ciao Thu Oct 31 12:10:04 -0800 2002 0 Jim Leff 1 1578977 I believe the bakery they showed was Termini Brothers in Philadelphia. I know that they make their own shells, and I remember seeing the show's host struggling to wrap the cannoli dough around a wooden dowl. www.termini.com/termini.htm Thu Oct 31 12:37:46 -0800 2002 1578974 0 Peter McCarthy 2 1578978 Twenty seven minutes. The hard work required to run this site is worth it. Many thanks, Peter. We clearly need to do some sort of Philadelphia - Boston - Philadelphia cannoli exchange so as to make final judgement. Problem is the limited half life of a cannoli (btw, here's a tip: when getting cannolis to go, ask for unfilled, and get the filling separately in a ziplock bag (I bring my own). Just cut out a small corner and squeeze the bag...it's VERY easy to fill 'em yourself). ciao Thu Oct 31 12:44:16 -0800 2002 1578977 0 Jim Leff 3 1578981 Please please please don't use Termini's as THE comparison for Philly cannoli's. Isgro's at 10th and Christian has been around as long as Termini's, also makes everything in house, and IMHO blows them away in terms of cannoli's (and everything else for that matter). So, if you do compare Philly cannoli's with anyone else's, at least get some from Termini's and Isgro's or just use Isgro's alone. Thu Oct 31 13:14:06 -0800 2002 1578978 0 David De Silva 3 1579058 Hey what about New York City cannolis? I've had excellent cannolis at Monteleone's in Brooklyn. Fri Nov 01 09:36:07 -0800 2002 1578978 0 DeeDee 4 1579099 DeeDee and others, let's not offer tips here on "General Topics" where locals might miss them! I was just hoping to get an answer to this one question, but lots of people will surely want to take up the gauntlet of "where to find great cannolis" on the regional boards! In fact, in a typical display of chowhound synchronicity, even before this appeared on General Topics, major cannoli threads were playing on at least four far-flung boards! it's raining cannoli! ciao Fri Nov 01 13:39:54 -0800 2002 1579058 0 Jim Leff 1 1578979 I have never had a bakery cannoli as good as the ones my mother makes. She got the recipe from an Italian neighbor. She would shape the shells around a broomstick which was supported between two kitchen chairs. I have done the same, even after I got the metal cylinder-type molds. Somehow the diameter of an old wooden broomstick is just perfect. I have the recipe at home if anyone wants it. Let me know. Thu Oct 31 13:08:09 -0800 2002 1578974 0 Pat Darnell 2 1578982 Please post your recipe! I'd love to try it. Thanks! Thu Oct 31 13:29:51 -0800 2002 1578979 0 ld 1 1578983 Do I see the first ChowRally Across State Lines taking shape? Perhaps we have teams start from Boston and Philly with a time handicap. Points awarded in several areas: - Additional savories collected en route. - Speed for the run with handicaps for the dif between Philly and Boston distances. - Quality of cannoli. - Other Italian pastries. Of course there would have to be an overall prize for the finest cannoli of them all. Now we just need a location for the judging. I am not entirely serious here, but it could be the cause for a hell of a party. Finally, I like Jim's idea for getting cannoli unfilled and filling them yourself. Nothing worse then a soggy cannoli. Thu Oct 31 13:36:11 -0800 2002 1578974 0 StriperGuy 1 1579004 The best cannolis I ever had were at D'Amores in the North End in Boston. No cannoli "shell" that I have ever tasted since came anywhere near to tasting as right as D'Amore's did. I have no idea whether or not the prepare them in-house or not. Thu Oct 31 16:29:20 -0800 2002 1578974 0 Chino Wayne 2 1579008 But D'Amore's is a restaurant, not a bakery. They buy their pre-made shells the same place everyone else does, and fill'em in-house... Thu Oct 31 17:06:17 -0800 2002 1579004 0 galleygirl 3 1579027 Did not know whether or not they bought em or made em, in either case, Boston cannolis beat L.A. cannolis. I have never had a cannoli in my stomping grounds that I liked. Thu Oct 31 20:40:19 -0800 2002 1579008 0 Chino Wayne 4 1579043 Well, we ARE proud! ;) Thu Oct 31 23:11:18 -0800 2002 1579027 0 galleygirl 2 1579013 I just had them last week. Unfortunately, the filling had an overly chalky texture. The shells were on par with those elsewhere in the North End. I'd put them behind the versions at Maria's and Modern's. Thu Oct 31 17:58:40 -0800 2002 1579004 0 Limster 1 1579095 For a couple of years my painting studio was in the Howard Clothing Building between Flatbush Extension and Jay Street at the entrance to the Manhattan Bridge. It had a motley crew of tenants, one of which was Ferrara's cannoli shell frying operation. There was never any doubt as to when they were working, for the air would fill with the smell of frying pastry shells. Frying food always smells good, so this was something of a distraction in the studio. I can't remember the last time I had a Ferrara's cannoli so I can't provide an opinion there, but I can say they make a LOT of cannoli shells. When they moved them out on Fridays the loading docks would be filled with a wall of boxes twelve feet high. The building was slated for renovation to office space a couple of years ago and all the small tenants were booted out. I don't know whether Ferrara's managed to hang on or not. Fri Nov 01 13:13:32 -0800 2002 1578974 0 Dancin' Cook