My second bakery adventure...how did I not know about this place???

Hello everyone!

Today I stumbled upon (I'd like to say "discovered" but this place has been around for over 50 years) a bakery that I'd never been to...in a city I grew up in! It was a very exciting and SCRUMPTIOUS adventure!

What: The Italian Bakery (http://www.italianbakeryedm.com/index.html)

Where: Two locations, but I visited the one at 4118-118 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta.

What I brought home: cannolis, Italian biscuits, a coconut streudel, coconut tarts, a chocolate cigar, gnocchi, ravioli and a tomato basil sauce.

The details...
Absolutely. D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S. I was EXTREMELY satisfied with my purchases, everything was tasty and reasonably priced. The bakery was HUGE and had ample parking in the back. Not only did they sell baked goods, but also fresh and dried pastas, sauces, empanadas, deli meats and cheeses!

Now for my ratings...

Cannoli

A deep fried crust filled with light and fluffy cream. I am actually embarassed to say this, but this is the first time (after a lifetime of dreaming of doing so) that I have EVER tasted a cannoli! So I really don't have anything to compare it to, but I still give it an 8/10. YUMMY!

Coconut Streudel

A flaky pastry; a beautiful union of coconut, apple pie filling and pecans. This was VERY different than your average grocery-store streudel. I am afraid I will have to leave my grammar behind in order to describe this treat: coconutty, pecanny, with a hint of lemony. I give it 9/10.

Savoiardi (I HOPE I spelled this correctly)

A light, crispy but airy Italian biscuit. It had a hint of lemon, with a light dusting of icing sugar on top. Can be enjoyed alone, dipped in your favorite hot beverage, or immersed inside a yummy tiramisu! I give it 7/10.

Chocolate Cigar (I'm not a smoker, but I'd have one of these ANY day!)

MMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. This delight tasted like a thick, chocolate-infused, croissant. It was simply amazing and had a JUST-sweet-enough chocolate flavor. I devoured it slowly and piece by sinful piece. 9/10!

Coconut Tart

DELICIOUS!!!! (Honestly, I am going to have to start using my thesaurus more.) I think this was definitely one of my favorites. The coconut, cinammon/nutmeg(?) and lemon flavors just ERUPTED into a symphony of nuttiness. At the same time, the sweetness of this dessert carried a thick and creamy texture - a sweet heaven of delectable flavors. 10/10!

All of the above came in a lovely box for about $8.50! AWESOME deal!!

And finally, the savory part of my adventure.
I also purchased gnocchi (dough-ey potato balls), roasted vegetable ravioli and a tomato basil sauce. Both pastas and the sauce were in the frozen section, but they had been made fresh, locally and without preservatives. A perfect meal in a pinch!

Gnocchi

Sadly, as I did not cook the gnocchi tonight, I've only posted a picture of the package.

Roasted Vegetable Ravioli with Tomato Basil Sauce

This meal was a perfect end to today's adventure. The ravioli was HUGE. It was stuffed with a paste of mushrooms, spinach, onions and spices - truly delightful. The sauce was a perfect balance of tomatoes, sweet basil and a deliciously spicy aromatic flavor. 10/10!

Oh yes, and I also bought Pistachios! The shells had been roasted and coated in lemon and coarse salt...which you don't taste unless you put the whole shell in your mouth. A very unique treat! 8/10

That's all for now folks, until next week, HAPPY EATING!