Food — Photography — Travel
I Never Met a Cannoli I Didn’t Like
But some are far superior to others, for sure
It all started while living in the New York City metro area of Northern New Jersey for a few years. One late spring day I stopped by an Italian market named Antonio’s in the picturesque town of Springfield.
There’s just something about walking into a good Italian market that feels so indulgent but in just the right kind of way. I love getting that instant whiff of a myriad of scents — from the pungent odor of various meats and cheeses to the smell of staples like basil, oregano, onion, and garlic. And then there is a feast for the eyes, shelves full of goodies — pasta in various shapes and sizes, bottles of wine and olive oil, cookies, delightfully wrapped chocolates, and other treats. And then there is the ambient sound of people working — dishing up fresh salads, cutting meats and cheese, and brewing fresh coffee — as well as others milling about and doing their various degrees of shopping and chatting.
On this day, I’d stopped in to purchase some of their Caprese salad. If you are a true lover of Italian food, you will know this salad as the enticing arrangement of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and sweet basil, typically dressed up with some kind of olive oil or balsamic vinegar…
