As I walked with my friends toward Arthur Avenue in the slight drizzle that felt like a downpour, I could smell the hot margherita pizza fresh out of the oven, the chicken parmesan with the cheese just melted, and the zeppoles being tossed out of the fryer all wafting down the street. I was clad in my rain boots and raincoat, ready to eat and experience some delicious food.
The Ferragosto festival in the Little Italy of the Bronx dates back to fifteen years ago. It originated to celebrate the end of the harvest season and “enjoy the fruits of those labors” (Ferragosto). This festival occurs annually, and is a perfect way to truly immerse yourself in not only part of the Bronx culture, but the culture of Little Italy as well.
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Zeppoles. Fresh, steaming zeppoles out of the fryer. My mouth watered as I watched them, still steaming, be tossed into a paper bag and then doused in powdered sugar. These melt right in your mouth and felt amazing in the cold rain. 7.5/10
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Pasta! Little bowls of perfectly al dente pasta mixed in fresh marinara sauce were being dished out to passersby- for free! This one is an 8/10, because things always taste better when they’re free.
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I might’ve had the best pizza in my life (besides Pugsley’s of course). The crust was perfectly crispy and thin, the cheese steaming hot and freshly melted out of the oven. The bottom crust was cooked just enough to not let the pizza be too soggy, or too crunchy. Basically, it was perfect. Enough said. 10/10, best thing I ate here.
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Chicken parmesan, my all time favorite. I was really looking forward to trying the chicken parm however, it wasn’t breaded which was what I was hoping for. It was also fairly pricey and didn’t include pasta- only bread. It was still tasty and the quality of the chicken was tender and juicy. Good, just not what I had in mind. 6/10
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Last but certainly not least, the cannolis. I couldn’t attend an Italian food festival and not try their cannolis. My stomach was bursting at the seams but I still had to manage to eat at least one cannoli. I always go for the original, and trust me, it did not disappoint. Despite the rain and the humid conditions, the shells were still perfectly crunchy, juxtaposing so well with the thick, cannoli cream on the inside. These were my favorite sweet treat at the festival, 9/10.
The food at Ferragosto was delicious and affordable; it was also nice to get away from the dining hall food.. So definitely check it out next year, and help yourself to a traditional Italian food experience!