One of the most enjoyable parts of the holiday season has got to be the desserts on offer everywhere you go. Every gathering has some sort of dessert plate, usually with an ethnic connection to the host.

When I was growing up, the holidays meant Italian goodies (served at my maternal relatives’ houses). My sisters and I were raised on pizzelles, biscotti and cannoli. Recently, I enjoyed all three of these tasty treats at three separate places.

My sister, Nancy, and my niece, Laura, brought over some delicious pizzelles. A pizzelle is a flat waffle-like cookie. It is usually about eight inches in diameter and often has fairly intricate patterns stamped on both sides. Pizzelles can be soft (and even rolled into cannoli shells) or crisp. I prefer the crisp, with a mild smearing of butter.

While holiday shopping, I stopped at my favorite pastry place, Sarah’s Pastries and Candies. After getting a good assortment of sweets for others, I treated myself to a pistachio biscotti. Okay, actually three of them. Biscotti are twice-baked cookies also known as cantuccini. It was like a trip back to my grandmother’s kitchen. Sarah’s never disappoints and often overwhelms me with the goodness offered.

Finally, while driving home after more shopping, Laurie and I stopped at DiMaggio Cafe, where I devoured a cannoli (and bought three more for later consumption). The cannoli there are wonderful. As a true cannoli connoisseur knows, it’s the cheese which makes or breaks it. At DiMaggio Cafe, they get their cheese fresh and straight from Wisconsin. DiMaggio serves the best cannoli I have ever tasted (and I have tasted a lot).

It’s not even Christmas yet, but my holiday season is now complete. Of course, there is still the possibility of nabbing a Greek pastry or two at fellow distribution specialist Louie’s house.

— John Wroblewski, distribution specialist