I live within walking distance of six bakeries, so I never want for bread, taralli, cakes, or pastries. Each one has its specialties, but whenever I make it to Villabate-Alba on 18th Avenue in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, I get genuinely excited—there’s something extraordinary about this traditional Sicilian pasticceria. Honestly, it’s a blessing I don’t live closer; I’d surely be 50 pounds heavier if I did.
Arancini al burro with meat and besciamella
Since I was working on 18th Avenue, I took the chance to enjoy a morning espresso with a cornetto. I also picked up a few savory treats to celebrate the close of my forty-day fast for Saint Michael’s Lent, which runs from the Feast of the Assumption on August 15th to Michaelmas on September 29th. Admittedly, my fast wasn’t perfect (especially during the Feast of San Gennaro), but I did my best—and the Feast of San Michele felt like the right moment to indulge.
Evviva San Michael!
Sfincioni 
Iris al forno
