We have a weakness for the sweet treat called Zeppola (AKA Zeppole di San Giuseppe) that appears for a brief spotlight appearance in time for March 19th, Saint Joseph Day.
Our all time favorite is found at Modern Pastry in the North End.
Last year a friend took Penny to Antoine's Pastry Shop in Newton. There she found a Zeppole more like the ones we used to buy by the dozen in Rhode Island.
While a few bakeries may keep these around until Easter, some places will only make them until the 19th, so get out there this weekend and find your favorite!
When it comes to Saints' Days, March 19th, Saint Joseph's Day has corned beef and cabbage and green beer beaten by a mile with a great Italian pastry, Zeppole or Zeppole di San Giuseppe. Some bakeries will keep selling these until Easter but check before you make a special trip.
Many of the delicious Zeppole we've found in Boston (like the one above from Modern Pastry in the North End) are big enough to share.
When we lived in Providence, we would buy much smaller Zeppole by the dozen like donuts (which is sort of what they are) from Federal Hill bakeries.
Here's a video that shows one way these little beauties are made. This smaller, baked version is the style that Penny, a native Rhode Islander, first knew. Today, we both enjoy the giant Boston-style and are most willing to get out and try your favorites if you'll let us know where to find them.
What is your source for Zeppole and what style do you love? Add your thoughts in the comments below. Tweet them to @BostonZest or send us an email and we'll add your suggestions to this post as an update.
And, if you want to know more about the history of this pastry, I refer you to one of my favorite food writers, Clifford Wright. I'd rather call him a food scholar. His cookbooks are amazing reference manuals.
Here’s our yearly list of places to buy or rent costumes for most any occasion. We find the costume season gears up at Halloween and continues for New Years, Saint Patrick's Day and Mardi Gras.
Whether you only think of altering your appearance on Halloween or also like to dress up for holidays, special events, parties, or other reasons …
Check out these Costume Haunts:
Please let us know if we've missed one of your favorite sources of costumes and accessories. And, tell us about your all-time favorite Halloween Costume in the comments below.
The Garment District in Cambridge is probably the best known spot to outfit yourself for any costume party.
They sell and rent costumes and have lots of vintage & secondhand clothing if you want to create your own.
They also sell items to finish the look, like:
washout hair color in tones of atomic turquoise and cotton candy pink
prosthetics like scars, bullet holes, horns, pointed ear tips, and witch noses with the materials to attach them
masks from simple gold, or black eye masks, to elaborate Venetian designs, or feathery carnival styles
heads to transform you into a bear, lion, or gorilla
an endless selection of wigs includes: mullets, afros, clown colors, pigtails, geishas, ragdolls, cornrows, dreadlocks, flappers, and glam styles
accessories include: hats, boas, go-go boots, and wings
Their "Boston Costume"division rents the full rigs for the likes of Batman, Green Hornet, and Marie Antoinette. Or, you can be a minute man, cowgirl, knight, or belly dancer.
Soon you'll find people were lined up, like this, waiting to enter Dorothy's Boutique on Mass Ave. near Symphony Hall. They call themselves "Boston's Halloween Headquarters" and display masks, scary arm stumps, strange shoes, and accessories in the window. The website makes it clear that these are costumes for adults. Risque is their specialty.
Army Barracks Across the street from Dorothy's is the Army Barracks store. With a little imagination, you can use their surplus gear to create a costume for that upcoming party.
And, remember to visit the Halloween Shop at Blackstone's of Beacon Hill. They have a fabulous selection of fun and tasteful decorations, masks, and accessories for the holiday.
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those comments add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
Here’s our yearly list of places to buy or rent costumes for most any occasion. We find the costume season gears up at Halloween and continues for New Years, Saint Patrick's Day and Mardi Gras.
Whether you only think of altering your appearance on Halloween or also like to dress up for holidays, special events, parties, or other reasons …
Check out these Costume Haunts:
Please let us know if we've missed one of your favorite sources of costumes and accessories. And, tell us about your all-time favorite Halloween Costume in the comments below.
The Garment District in Cambridge is probably the best known spot to outfit yourself for any costume party.
They sell and rent costumes and have lots of vintage & secondhand clothing if you want to create your own.
They also sell items to finish the look, like:
washout hair color in tones of atomic turquoise and cotton candy pink
prosthetics like scars, bullet holes, horns, pointed ear tips, and witch noses with the materials to attach them
masks from simple gold, or black eye masks, to elaborate Venetian designs, or feathery carnival styles
heads to transform you into a bear, lion, or gorilla
an endless selection of wigs includes: mullets, afros, clown colors, pigtails, geishas, ragdolls, cornrows, dreadlocks, flappers, and glam styles
accessories include: hats, boas, go-go boots, and wings
Their "Boston Costume"division rents the full rigs for the likes of Batman, Green Hornet, and Marie Antoinette. Or, you can be a minute man, cowgirl, knight, or belly dancer.
Soon you'll find people were lined up, like this, waiting to enter Dorothy's Boutique on Mass Ave. near Symphony Hall. They call themselves "Boston's Halloween Headquarters" and display masks, scary arm stumps, strange shoes, and accessories in the window. The website makes it clear that these are costumes for adults. Risque is their specialty.
Army Barracks Across the street from Dorothy's is the Army Barracks store. With a little imagination, you can use their surplus gear to create a costume for that upcoming party.
And, remember to visit the Halloween Shop at Blackstone's of Beacon Hill. They have a fabulous selection of fun and tasteful decorations, masks, and accessories for the holiday.
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those comments add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
Here’s our yearly list of places to buy or rent costumes for most any occasion. We find the costume season gears up at Halloween and continues for New Years, Saint Patrick's Day and Mardi Gras.
Whether you only think of altering your appearance on Halloween or also like to dress up for holidays, special events, parties, or other reasons …
Check out these Costume Haunts:
Please let us know if we've missed one of your favorite sources of costumes and accessories. And, tell us about your all-time favorite Halloween Costume in the comments below.
The Garment District in Cambridge is probably the best known spot to outfit yourself for any costume party.
They sell and rent costumes and have lots of vintage & secondhand clothing if you want to create your own.
They also sell items to finish the look, like:
washout hair color in tones of atomic turquoise and cotton candy pink
prosthetics like scars, bullet holes, horns, pointed ear tips, and witch noses with the materials to attach them
masks from simple gold, or black eye masks, to elaborate Venetian designs, or feathery carnival styles
heads to transform you into a bear, lion, or gorilla
an endless selection of wigs includes: mullets, afros, clown colors, pigtails, geishas, ragdolls, cornrows, dreadlocks, flappers, and glam styles
accessories include: hats, boas, go-go boots, and wings
Their "Boston Costume"division rents the full rigs for the likes of Batman, Green Hornet, and Marie Antoinette. Or, you can be a minute man, cowgirl, knight, or belly dancer.
Soon you'll find people were lined up, like this, waiting to enter Dorothy's Boutique on Mass Ave. near Symphony Hall. They call themselves "Boston's Halloween Headquarters" and display masks, scary arm stumps, strange shoes, and accessories in the window. The website makes it clear that these are costumes for adults. Risque is their specialty.
Army Barracks Across the street from Dorothy's is the Army Barracks store. With a little imagination, you can use their surplus gear to create a costume for that upcoming party.
And, remember to visit the Halloween Shop at Blackstone's of Beacon Hill. They have a fabulous selection of fun and tasteful decorations, masks, and accessories for the holiday.
Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those comments add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
. I'd rather call him a food scholar. His cookbooks are amazing reference manuals.