Little Italy

Fried Calzone.. Emphasis on the FRIED

Fried Calzone.. Yes.. a FRIED Calzone

From: Il Piccolo Bufalo in New York City, NY
This is one of my family’s favorite places to go in Little Italy and there is a reason why (pictured above.) This might look like your classic mutz and ricotta calzone, but it is actually fried. Fried calzones are a specialty my grandmother used to make, but this place brings back great memories of that crispy, cheesy deliciousness. I think it is safe to say that anything fried tastes that  much better, especially when it comes to dough stuffed with cheese. Let’s just say once you’ve tried the fried… baked will get put to the side.

Ferrara’s Pignoli Cookies

2015/01/img_7124.jpg
From: Ferrara’s Bakery and Cafe in New York, NY
Ferrara’s is a family-owned business since 1892 and just for that I think it is something special. If you are getting dinner in the Chinatown/Little Italy area of New York City, I would highly recommend stopping by Ferrara’s to pick up some pignoli cookies. As a side note, I am a big movie buff so if you have ever seen the classic Moonstruck (featuring Cher and Nicolas Cage), you will see Cher pull up in a parking lot and Ferrara’s is featured in the back. #FunFactOfTheDay

Whether you like movies, Cher, or Italian cuisine, I would definitely stick to pignoli cookies. Pignoli cookies are a delicacy if you enjoy light, almond-flavored treats. The outside is nice and crispy but my favorite part is the soft almond paste that you find on the inside.