Mike G wrote:I send my five-year-old in to pick out stuff, I end up with stuff with colored sprinkles on it, even at Pasticceria Natalina. As it happens, that-- probably the "fig cookies" Sharona mentions above, or a close relative-- was probably my favorite thing out of the bunch, the fig filling with its hints of orange and various Christmassy spices was like the platonic ideal of a fig newton, multiple subtle and interacting flavors.
I havent been to this place yet, but the above Fig Cookies are my favourite
thing too. I believe you can find a good version at.. um. I dont know
the name
But, if youve been to Delightful Pastries, the home of the
most fantastic paczki (5927 W Lawrence)... there is this Italian
bakery just a couple of doors down from them. They make all sorts of
stuff (including sheet pizza, like D'Amato's), amongst them the above
iced-fig-cookies. D'Amato's doesnt make this cookie (at least they didnt
when I asked).
Me, I *love* these fig cookies... but I dont care as much for them iced, I prefer
em plain. The absolute best version of these Ive ever had are around
Christmas time, at Da Riv of all places! Found em entirely by chance a
year ago - was at Da Riv for my usual sandwich from the back, and
while at the counter they had this big tray with some cookies in there
for sale (usually its like lemon cookies or some such). I bought a couple
as a post-sandwich dessert... and they were just awesome, the most
amazing things. They were not iced (which made em even better to me).
The next time I went to Da Riv, I bought several more, and figured it would be
my new regular thing. But then they werent around after a couple of trips,
generating much consternation. On asking, I was told that they were
homemade fig cookies, made by little old Italian grandmothers who provided
them to Da Riv... and they made them only around Christmas time, and into
early January, so thats the only time Da Riv sells em.
This December and January I made several more trips for Da Riv's sandwiches
than usual, with the incentive of those fig cookies. I think theyd get a batch
from the grandmothers every 2 or 3 days and sell em until they were
gone. But now theyre no longer available - once again gone till next
Christmas. If anyone is around Da Riv late next December, I strongly
recommend you try some (post your regulation Will-special sammy).
c8w