Top Holiday Desserts From Other Lands and Where to Find Them
TRADITIONAL HOLIDAY DESSERTS!
GERMAN
Deising’s Bakery will offer an array of Christmas cookie trays, stocking stuffers, holiday candies imported from Europe, and New Year's Eve cakes. The bakery cases will be chock full of decadent desserts including pfeffernusse, spice drops rolled in sugar glaze and also their delectable stollen, a German Christmas bread.
Deising's Bakery, 111 North Front Street, Kingston, NY. 845-338-7505
LATIN AMERICAN
The origin of the name “Los Hornitos" comes from a Chilean restaurant famous for its mud and brick ovens located so that their customers could see the authentic empanadas being cooked to perfection. Hector Lorca worked here for many years and met Monica, the love of his life. For many years their dream was to come to America and open a bakery-café similar to where some of their fondest memories lie and what a more perfect name than the place where it all began."
With honors like “Best of the Hudson Valley” and customer reviews such as, “The best sandwich I have ever had!” this is the place to try out some ethnic holiday treats.
Los Hornitos Bakery will feature Pan de Pascua, part bread and part cake made with coffee, cognac, run, raisins, walnuts and spices.
Los Hornitos Bakery, 1582 U.S. 9, Wappinger Falls, NY. 845-298-8683
ITALIAN
In 1941, Paolo Strippoli opened Caffe Aurora on Main Street in Poughkeepsie.
Paolo apprenticed as a baker in Bari, Italy, and immigrated to New York in 1935 where he worked for several years at Caffe Puglia in Yonkers until he saved enough money to start his own pasticceria (pastry shop). Because of the war, he was advised not to choose an Italian name for his new shop, so he called it “Aurora” which means “the dawn”.
Today, Caffe Aurora continues the traditions instilled by Paolo, and it’s still possible to hear customers having conversations in Italian like they did in the days when Eleanor Roosevelt's limousine would pull up to the curb and her chauffeur would run in for a box of Petit Fours to take home to Hyde Park.
Cafe Aurora’s Christmas specials will be cuccidati, a short dough cookie filled with figs, raisins, and apricots and quaresimali, a twice baked biscotti made of hazelnuts, almonds, cinnamon, and cloves.
Cafe Aurora Pastry Shop,145 Mill Street, Poughkeepsie, NY. 845-454-1900
SCOTTISH
The bakery was named The Alternative Baker because they make everything in the bakery from scratch. No bags, no boxes, no buckets. The bakers start with unbleached flour, fresh milk, and whole eggs, “just as if grandma were baking 100 years ago.” They are also alternative because they bake all day long. “You can watch it bake and eat it hot.”
During the Holidays, there may be a long line waiting to buy their famous Scottish Dundee cake made with dried fruits and marinated in dark run for 11 months. It must be ordered early, because they always SELL OUT.
The Alternative Baker, 407 Main Street, Rosendale, NY. 845-658-3355.
What's your favorite holiday dessert?