Italian Day 2019: 8 authentic sweet treats to savour in Vancouver’s Little Italy

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      With June come summer and prime-time weather, which kicks off outdoor festivals around the city. One of those highly anticipated events is the 10th annual Italian Day on the Drive that takes place on Sunday (June 9) from noon to 8 p.m.

      The 14-block cultural celebration will feature attractions like Italian musical performances, family-friendly activities, and countless gourmet Italian bites. Besides savoury foods like pizza and meatballs, a big part of this year’s outdoor fete is Italian desserts.

      Indulge your sweet tooth with these delicious treats, which can be found at various locations around the festival.

      Italian Day

      1. Granatina

      One of the new items that you’ll find at this year’s Italian Day is granatina, a pastry with hazelnut-cream filling that’s dusted with healthy amounts of powdered sugar. Those who love sweets won’t want to share this dessert with anyone.

       

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      2. Bombolini

      Another new dessert to check out are the bombolini, also known as Italian-style deep-fried doughnuts. These small, sugar-dusted balls of dough are traditionally stuffed with pastry cream, and we hear that it’s impossible to only eat one.

       

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      3. Milano’s Biscuits

      Look out for the Milano cookie street team, which will be roaming the streets on Sunday. They will be giving out samples of the traditional S biscuits, which are S-shaped cookies with a crisp and dense texture. These sweet treats are Italian household staples, similar to the chocolate-chip cookies known to many North American families.

       

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      4. Chiacchiere

      These authentic and regional Italian deep-fried pastries are made of thin strips of fried dough sprinkled with powdered sugar. Depending on where you get your hands on them in Italy, they may have a different name.

       

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      5. Cannoli

      These tube-shaped shells made with fried pastry dough and stuffed with a creamy filling are famous Italian treats. The traditional Sicilian-style cannoli is made with a sweet ricotta filling, chocolate chips, and almonds. Go try one if you haven’t already.

       

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      6. Granita al caffè

      Quench your summertime thirst with one of these iced-espresso slushie refreshers. These semifrozen Italian treats are made with sugar, water, and syrups, which come in flavours such as almond and lemon.

       

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      7. Tiramisu

      Does this classic Italian dessert need an explanation? Made with coffee, mascarpone, and ladyfingers, this treat tastes best when it’s made with a simple and traditional recipe, and that’s what you’ll find at Italian Day.

       

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      8. Gelato

      No dessert list would be complete without this renowned Italian-style frozen treat. Besides vanilla and stracciatella, many gelato flavours that aren’t normally found in the city will be served at the festival.

      Italian Day on the Drive takes place from noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday (June 9).

      Follow Tammy Kwan on Twitter @ch0c0tam and Instagram @ch0c0tam.

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