UnoLooTz's Profile
Cake Box in Bay Terrace - R.I.P.
Tina you are correct we do need a good bakery close by, d'aquilla on frany lew (i know i spelled it wrong) is the one i go to since M & S closed down. Storks is still pretty good, I like the rainbow cookies they have, it unique in that it has a minty layer between the sponge and chocolate top. Some people might not like that because it doesn't follow tradition but I am addicted to them and love the evolutionary step. I personally have worked as a side worker in many bakeries for over 17 years and back in the day there were only 2 bakeries that were the top dogs in the bayside/ whitestone areas. Storks and Mario & Sal's, no other bakery 16 years ago could compare to the amount of sales they both did. They both would have crowds in the store and lines around the block all day till close. Hopefully our economy comes back to what it was like in those days. I like the size of storks cookies and pastries everything is very petite, but things always change when new owners come in and they do not know the original processes and recipes. Its hard for customer to except a change in product when they are already in love with the original product that was sold there. Opinions are nice and I do read all the boards here very often. its hard for me to listen to some people put down bakeries with no reason. like "Mario and Sal's has been a dissapointment since it's birth", I know at birth this was the best bakery along with storks around and the quality fell off when the economy died and supermarkets starting putting bakeries in. Many bakeries were effected by this and were no longer able to afford the quality ingredients anymore. An example of this would be rainbow cookies. These should have a 20 - 30% of real almond paste (now extremely expensive) but private owned family businesses are no longer making a fraction of the revenue they did 15-20 years ago.These days you are lucky if you get the cheaper substitute Macaroon paste (also expensive). I went to a bakery called black forest in L.I. and all i got was a rainbow cookies that tasted like sponge with almond Flavor (this would be the cheapest example). I am a baker by hobby and still do it part time for extra cash. I new Ralph and times were very hard for him also. He was not heron addicted etc. as someone stated above, he was an ill old man that was trying to support a family. I would love to hear about more bakeries, I am very knowledgeable in the field and am always open to listen to people opinions that start with I like/dont like..........followed by a BECAUSE................ or else your opinion means nothing and its a waste of a read.
Good Bread on Staten Island?
Yea I miss them they had amazing bread unfortunately the owners hired someone to manage the place while they were away and he ran it in the ground. Owners fault for not recognizing the persons bad intentions and not kicking him out beforehand. But i guess that could happen to anyone when you trust too much.
cherry valley deli
When I am smashed, my favorite thing to get is "the beast." oh man so good
Cake Box in Bay Terrace - R.I.P.
Cake Box was a great place, but a bit old fashioned. The owner Ralph was real Old School and old in age himself. Just like other bakery owners who fell in the area just could not adapt to the new changes. Most of these old bakers do not even talk English so when a health inspector walks in he might understand 5/10 things he is telling him but the violations stack. Such as dent in can, towels over sink, whole in walls, traps under sinks. these old guys never had to worry about that stuff 20 years ago. In all fairness and considering the hard times these businesses are facing, I sympathize and hope the last few remaining bakeries pull through. But it will not get any easier unless they can dish out more addictive products. I have been talking to people in the area and have confirmed that the son of Sal from Mario and Sal's bakery will be bringing the tradition back. From what I hear those recipes that they had cannot be duplicated by the new owners because the new owners were left with no info about their products and everything in there is a different recipe. Seems the young man quit his corporate job after his father died and will be following his foot steps to bring us some good baking once again.
Matese Sicilian
Pasquale is the nicest guy, worked hard his whole life and I am happy he finally is able to relax now that his kids are grown. He used to come back in the morning from getting his Italian paper and would to tell me about how he wants to retire. He always looked so tired, I am sure the new people will carry the name well. Pizza Classica is still a bit new for me cause i been in the neighborhood all my life, but I admit I bought 1 Sicilian and I was hooked. I was eating it every day till my chick threw me back on the diet lol.
Cascon's Sfingi di San Giuseppe
Mario and Sal (juniors) are coming back to the neighborhood very soon, with a lot more than Pizza Rustica, rainbow cookies (with Almond Paste) which none can replicate because its too expensive, semolina bread and Struffoli (yea the ones that were always sold out because they were amazing). The neighborhood is missing mario and sal's bakery and they are coming soon possibly under a different name so keep your eyes peeled. hmmm hazelnut gelato made with nutella, and the honeydew flavor they had oh my god, orgasmic. I cannot wait please hurry back
