For a while now we have been focussing our efforts on making the best panettone we can, and this year with some added research and development, we are continuing to do so with new techniques and new flavors.
This being said, panettone isn’t the only talent we have. Antise Chef Emiddio Isernia has in the past won awards for his cakes and tiramisu. As such, we are looking forward to sharing with you all some new varieties of treats, especially traditional ones close to our heart.
The first of these treats will be La Zeppola di San Giuseppe. It is simple and extremely delicious! These zeppole are commonly eaten in and around Naples, but also throughout the country of Italy on March 19th, the day of Saint Joseph and the national Father’s Day.
The first actual written recipe of La Zeppola di San Giuseppe dates back to 1837 in the work “Cucina Teorico-Pratica,” a compendium of traditional Neapolitan cuisine that became a milestone in Italian gastronomic literature, written by the Neapolitan gastronomist Ippolito Cavalcanti, Duke of Buonvicino. This Zeppola is crafted of a baked or fried choux pastry, or in North American terms, a cream puff. On top of this pastry lies a swirl of pastry cream topped with sweet and sour amarena cherries.
Like many traditional desserts and pastries in Italy, the origins are generally unknown but many tales are told of their origins. One particularly sweet story tells the tale of biblical Joseph (Giuseppe), who when obliged to escape with Mary and Jesus in Egypt, found himself frying sweets on the side of his typical carpentry duties in order to pay the bills. And so, in Naples, where any and all saint related festivities come with an excuse to eat different delicious treats, the tradition was born of the “Zeppolari di strada” (fried street food chefs) in honor of San Giuseppe.
If you wish to indulge in this Neapolitan treat, it is now available in our store for the next 2 weeks, between the dates of March 3rd and March 17th.
Orders can be placed for a box of 4 or 6.
Pastries such as the Zeppole di San Giuseppe are not available for delivery, and therefore we will be making them available for pick-up on weekends. Please note the following details regarding pick-up:
Pick-up shall be, as always, at our Gastown Pastry Lab at 360 Carrall Street, Vancouver, BC, V6B 2J3.
Orders placed by the end of Thursday will be ready for pick-up the same Saturday or Sunday. Orders placed by the end of Friday will be ready for pick-up the same Sunday or the following weekend.
The pick-up dates and times are:
- Saturday, March 11th from 11:00am to 3:00pm
- Sunday, March 12th from 11:00am to 3:00pm
- Saturday, March 18th from 11:00am to 3:00pm
- Sunday, March 19th from 11:00am to 3:00pm
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]
Buona Festa del Papa!
Antise Vancouver
