Summer Sweets: Rosciglione Bakery Offers Crunchy Italian Treats

Rosciglione, how do I love you? Let me crunch the ways.

This was my first trip to Rosciglione Bakery. I heard it was good. Actually, the word a friend used was “epic.” I had heard that it was a real Italian bakery.

These are not typical American cookies. Instead of chocolate, you’ll find figs and dates. Instead of pasty icing you’ll find a thin layer of colored sugar syrup that enhances the cookies’ flavor rather than distracting from it.

I wanted to try everything in the store. At $10 per pound, that was almost achievable.

One of the friendly staffers saw me eyeballing the small selection of sugar-free cookies. Honestly, they mostly caught my eye because they were the most American-looking cookies in the shop. The chocolate somehow seemed out of place.

“If you’re diabetic, you should try these.” She pointed at a couple trays filled with fingers of plain, peanut and sesame biscotti. “We’ve had them tested, and they shouldn’t mess up your blood sugar.” She assured me the entire bottom row of cookies had a minimal impact as well.

I’m not used to bakers bragging their cookies aren’t too sweet. I’m not diabetic, but I have friends who are. I had to give them a try.

The peanut biscotti rocked my cookie world. If you’re looking for a solid, dunkable cookie that adds texture without detracting from the flavor of your drink, this is it. I tried mine in a big cup of iced chai. The spicy flavor crept through the cookie’s pores, soaking in without leaving it crumbly. I was impressed. Eaten on its own, the peanut biscotti was still remarkably satisfying. It had the barest hint of sweetness, relying instead on the natural flavor of the peanuts and the crunch of the cookie itself to keep your mouth interested and happy.

The tiny white flour twists with a hint of anise and a thin drizzle of sugar on top were also rated as safe for diabetics. The flavors here were subtle. They didn’t beat you over the head with either the sugar or anise. If you like ouzo, you’ll enjoy these.

The pink, white and brown spice balls were another subtle delight. The thin icing offered a small texture variation. Inside, they were like a crunchy spice cake full of aromatic nutmeg and cinnamon. After the peanut biscotti, they tasted surprisingly sweet.

However, my favorites were the fig cookies and date bars. This is Mediterranean baking at its finest. Figs are naturally sweet with a wonderful, strong flavor I adore. (I keep a bag of them next to my desk for snacking.) The fig bars had a soft layer of cookie on bottom, a smear of fig with more cookie on top, crowned by a drizzle of chocolate. I found them addictive.

For people more interested in a traditional thumbprint cookie, they offer a crunchy, sugar cookie-shaped base with a dab of fig in the middle and a drizzle of pink sugar icing on top.

The date bars looked exactly like what you expect from apricot, peach, or any other fruit filled bar. They were hands down the sweetest offering in the shop. Both top and bottom crusts were made from sweet buttery crumbles reminiscent of a pie topping, bisected by the earthy, sweet flavor of homemade fig spread.

Grocery store aisles are filled with variations on chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, and peanut butter cookies. You won’t find any of those at Rosciglione. If you’re interested in a taste of the Old World, or if you just want to wake up your sleepy tastebuds and remind them there is a world beyond processed food and high fructose corn syrup, you are in for a treat. At $10 per pound, it’s a very affordable treat. The next time you need something for a party, skip the $12 grocery store fruit tray and pack a pound of fresh bakery cookies instead.

I rate the bakery an enthusiastic A for excellent sweets, affordable prices and friendly service.