NY - New York City ... Little Italy

[VickiQ]

Yesterday we went to Little Italy with the future in-laws.The sites and aromas of Mulberry Street are enouigh to keep your stomach growling even after you have eaten "a little something".We had dinner at Pellegrinos,the food was incredible. The Zuppa de pesce seemed to be filled with every last delicatable fish from the ocean.The veal sorrentino was so delicate and tender little chewing was required! Laurie (the future daughter in law and not much of a food adventuress) ordered baked ziti which was amazing as well.We opted to get dessert from a bakery and bring it home. We went into a place called Cafe de Palermo and ordered just about one of every pastry in the case. This place advertises themselves as the cannoli king and they weren't kidding.The cannolis as well as all the other pastries were fresh and delicious.
Now when I first came to DC I had asked for an Italian cookie recipe -Shavolette or Saviata as it's known, I have searched ALL over the internet for the recipe to no avail.The bakeries in the entire county where I live no longer carry this particular cookie so imagine how happy I was when in the window of Caffe de Roma was this beloved cookie!!! So here I sit with my coffee and box of cookies typing away!!!Of course I will be working out twice as often this week but, it is soooo worth it!
I hope this message finds everyone content with life and well!!!
Love and energy, Vicki

[urmaniac13]

Vicki, cara mia, what a wonderful experience you had, I am so happy for you!! Great that you found an awesome cannoli, and the cookies you have been looking for!! Well you found it at "Cafè di Roma", but after 4 years in Rome I haven't even heard of either Shavolette or Saviata.. What are they made of, and look like? Maybe I will go for a further search here!!
Try to have fun working out too... wish I could join you!!

(((hugs))) Licia


p.s. you need to work with Laurie and teach her about all the good food and how to make them!! I bet Dennis will like that idea too

[TexanFrench]

Would a saviata/shavolette cookie be the same as a "savoie" (aka genoise) cookie? I know this is a basic in a lot of Italian desserts. Could you give a description of this elusive cookie?

[VickiQ]

I took these two pics of the cookies before I ate them all .These cookies are a crisp cookie with a delicate almond flavor.The top has a shiny meringue glaze. They do look like the flavorless savadori used in alot of desserts such as tiramisu but, these are flatter and crispier and oh so heavenly. My father's scilian family calls them shavolette or savolette but,I have asked for them by that name in certain bakeries when I could find them and was told they were called saviata- I have no idea what origin of Italy they originated or if even maybe they were created here.But, I was like a kid at Christmas yesterday when I saw them in the bakery window!!
Love and energy, Vicki

[urmaniac13]

Indeed, as soon as I saw the pic, I thought "ah, they are savoiardi!!"... in fact I am quite fond of savoiardi even by themselves, the ones made well are actually quite tasty and much lighter than other types of cookies and sweets, I often munch on them heartily... But additional almond flavour must be wonderful to go with them, I know several good pasticcerias aroud town, so I shall ask around!!

[C-Sicily]

I copied your picture of cookies....This is the one! Please help if anyone has the recipe to make these cookies! No one is sure what they are called but some Saviordi or Lady Fingers recipes have not given the result like this picture that I am looking for. These used be be common in NY bakery, I live in Florida now and would really like to make some. Any one out there that may be able to help me? I will thank you 100 times.

[TheBrainchildGroup]

Awesome post and thanks for sharing. I'm hungry now

-Aaron

[Rom]

I'll be keeping an eye on this post. I want to make some...dip them in my caffe` latte :)

[*amy*]

Those cookies do look yummy. While I have not tried these recipes, I found a few in a search:

Savoiardi

[C-Sicily]

Well I was able to find some more recipes to try. None of the Lady finger or Saviordi recipes have come out exactly right. This cookie is more crispy and like merigune melts in your mouth. But it also has substance with a chew to it. So far one of the past recipes I made titled self frosting Anise cookies has really come the closest but it must take a lot of skill to make these cookies and that is why it has been so hard to get the recipe. Even all the italian cookies my mom and grandma made this is one we never made at home they always just bought it from the bakery....now I think I know why...but it is really making me crazy, I just gotta have them!

[VickiQ]

Originally Posted by C-Sicily

Well I was able to find some more recipes to try. None of the Lady finger or Saviordi recipes have come out exactly right. This cookie is more crispy and like merigune melts in your mouth. But it also has substance with a chew to it. So far one of the past recipes I made titled self frosting Anise cookies has really come the closest but it must take a lot of skill to make these cookies and that is why it has been so hard to get the recipe. Even all the italian cookies my mom and grandma made this is one we never made at home they always just bought it from the bakery....now I think I know why...but it is really making me crazy, I just gotta have them!

I know what you mean- they are addicting!!!I have an appointment in Waldwick,NJ today( I know that's a long way from Florida!!)and there is an Italian deli there that occassionally gets these cookies form a bakery in Hoboken,if I am lucky enough to be able to get some I will defintely have one or two for you!! Love and energy, Vicki

[justplainbill]

To me many Italian pastries have a cloying perfumey taste. Nonni's brand biscottti aren't half bad for factory made, reasonably priced, stuff and they're great for quick dunk in coffee. Gotta admit that, at least years ago, some biscuits from Italian bakeries were a bit more substantial (chewier) than Nonni's.

[ChefJune]

AHA! Vicki, you may have better luck finding these cookies if you ask for Savoiardi. I know the name is kinda tricky, with all those vowels together, but that's what they are, at least the ones I've had. I know different regions of Italy have different names for things.

Monteleone's in Jersey City has these cookies, but my favorites (for all Italian cookies and cakes) are at Modern Pastry in Boston.

[VickiQ]

Thanks June but when I ask for savoiardi I get the tasteless lady finger like cookies.When I ask for shavolette or saviatta I get those little delious slighty almond flavored cookies I love so much and seem to share a passion with C-sicily :) Love and energy, Vicki

[ChefJune]

Originally Posted by VickiQ

Thanks June but when I ask for savoiardi I get the tasteless lady finger like cookies.When I ask for shavolette or saviatta I get those little delious slighty almond flavored cookies I love so much and seem to share a passion with C-sicily :) Love and energy, Vicki

I have two cookbooks at home that are all Italian desserts. I'm going to have to look under those names when I get home tonight.

[C-Sicily]

Definitly do...and enjoy! Make some conversation and ask about the cookie. Maybe they can write down what they call it...really...or maybe they won't give up the recipe but will share a run down list of ingredients and at least I can narrow down some of the recipes I have that I haven't attempted to make yet......thanks so much.

[ChefJune]

i haven't had any luck finding any info on cookies with either name.

Nick Malgieri, the author of "Great Italian Desserts," has a web site at his name dot com. You might get some help there, or by asking him. I know he's researched desserts in every corner of Italy.

[lmarcas]

Has anyone found a recipe for this cookie? My Sicilian aunt said they are called Tarallas, but the recipe she gave me is not quite it.

[C-Sicily]

Unfortunately since no one is sure of it's name, yet most say it is Saviordi...but pronounced differently depending on the dielect of italian, and by the discription everyone thinks of other cookies that may look similar. My girlfriend recently went back to visit home in NY and spent an entire day just stopping by bakeries and only found one that still had the cookie. When she asked they say it's saviordi, of coarse they won't give her a recipe, but we also know that is not the cookie recipe to use, it definitly does not come out the same. The closest I have been able to find is a recipe called Self frosting Italian cookies. This has just been making me crazy with cravings, and now I see it has started everyong else dreaming of the shiney crackly white cookie that is hard when you bite it, melts in your mouth, then has a slight chew to it....tastes like almond or anise with a hint of cinnamon. Some describe it as shaped like a foot print, or shaped like a flat bean. I don't know....what the heck is it??????

[lmarcas]

I was raised in Bergen County, New Jersey. The cookies are available at the Lyndhurst Pastry Shop in Lyndhurst, NJ and Hackensack Pastry in Hackensack, NJ. I have also bought them at the shore at Fumosa Brothers Bakery on Rt 35 in Ortley Beach, NJ. I now live in South Jersey and they are hard to find. I'll keep trying and if I ever find anything I'll let you know.