By Kayla Haubert
Oh the cannoli, that divine pastry of simultaneous crunchy and creamy goodness . . . Cannoli, from the Sicilian word cannolu, which literally means “little tube,” is a pastry comprised of a fried dough shell filled with creamy ricotta filling. Cannolis can be traced all the way back to Palermo, Sicily during Carnevale, which was a huge public celebration with drinking, feasting, and fun. Think of the cannoli as Sicily’s version of funnel cake at a carnival—a nostalgic, staple festival food. Thanks to our Italian friends who emigrated to the U.S., we now have this exquisite treat right here in Boston.
But, the question remains, who really makes the best cannoli in town? From Mike’s to Modern to Bova’s, there is no shortage of players all competing for the stomachs and souls of crazed cannoli lovers in the city.
We’ve all been there—standing in the midst of a giant mob of people at Mike’s Pastry in the North End. No matter what time or day of the week it is, there always seems to be a crowd. But, we all deal with it because cannolis are #WorthIt, right? Mike’s may be the most popular—we’ve all seen that iconic white and blue box before, even on countless Insta and Snap stories. But is the popular and mainstream choice always best?
I’m guilty of jumping on the bandwagon…I’ve stood in that line and posted it on my story on more than one occasion. But, it wasn’t until recently that I heard from a professor about Maria’s Pastry. And thus begins the tale of two cannolis . . .
Mike’s Pastry entered the scene in 1946 when the infamous Michael Mercogliano, A.K.A Mike, emigrated with his family from Italy and set up his pastry shop on Hanover Street in the North End. Mike eventually passed on the shop to his stepson, Angelo Papa, and the rest was history. Mike’s is supposedly Boston’s OG cannoli, and whether that’s fact or fiction, there’s no doubt that it’s iconic.
But, 36 years later, a new shop popped up just down the block. Enter Maria’s Pastry Shop in 1982, run by Maria herself and three generations of the Merola family. Lesser known, shorter lines, no frills, yet Bostonians themselves voted Maria’s as the BEST cannoli in the city. That’s right. Maria’s, not Mike’s, holds this prized honor.
Award aside, Bostonians will never agree on who really makes the best cannoli. And, everyone is entitled to their opinion. But, moral of the story: perhaps the popular and mainstream choice isn’t always best. So, the OG or the Best cannoli—take your pick.
Sources:
http://www.mikespastry.com/history/
http://mariaspastry.com/?page_id=78
https://www.eater.com/2015/8/17/9163569/cannoli-recipe-history-boston-sicily