Modern Pastry

Posted by Edmund in Bakeries & Sweets, Boston, Featured Articles | 1 comment

Cuisine: Italian Baked Goods
Specialty: Cannoli
Location: 257 Hanover Street, Boston, MA 02113-2322
Price: $2.25 for a Cannoli

What’s the strangest thing about the Boston food scene? By far, the cannoli phenomenon.

Every town has to have a baking specialty, but in Boston, it’s taken to a new level. Not only does every baker in the North End have a version of the cannoli, but the competition is all packed within two or three blocks.

So imagine my surprise when I just finished reviewing the most famous of the cannoli makers, Mike’s Pastry, and walked onto the street only to be confronted by its arch-nemesis, Modern Pastry, located virtually across the street. That rivalry’s no joke either. The two bakeries have been competing for the honor of best cannoli for years, with Bostonians practically dividing into armed camps over the issue. While fans of Mike’s boast about the sweetness and the richness of the cream, fans of Modern brag about the freshness and the better balance of their version.

And when I say fans, I actually mean hordes. You’d think that a couple rather normal-looking bakeries in one of the smallest, most isolated neighborhoods in the city wouldn’t have all that much of a following, and yet both are packed almost around the clock, even at night.

Anyway, nothing quite excites me like a good food rivalry, and if ever there were a rivalry between titans, this would be it. I knew I had to get in on the action. So, immediately after I had my cannoli fix at Mike’s, I headed over to Modern Pastry. I wanted the experience of both to be fresh in my mind, so that I could truly compare the cannolis side by side.

As soon as I entered, though, I was a little bit turned off. While Mike’s has its touristy nuances, it’s still a pretty tame, clean, plain bakery. Modern Pastry, though, simply exudes the gaudy, touristy Italian vibe, and it does it like I’ve never seen before. Large green paper wrappers hang all across the ceiling, covering every inch. There’s not much else going on, but that sea of green just reminds me how fake the whole place feels.

That, however, isn’t such a problem with the cannoli, which has a couple big advantages. First, unlike every other store, including Mike’s, Modern Pastry loads cream into its cannolis on the spot—i.e. they fill those shells only after you order the cannoli. These cannolis are thus always fresh, and if you eat them within a reasonable amount of time (like within the hour), there will be absolutely no sogginess in the shell, since the cream will not have seeped through the dough. That’s really a big bonus because the cannoli not only tastes fresher, but it can really maintain its form easily, so that when you bite into it, the dough is just as crunchy as ever and doesn’t crumble apart or lose its shape as you eat it.

The cannoli cream also tends to be rather nicely balanced. While the ricotta is sweet, for example, it has a thick gritty cheesiness. Modern prefers to keep it just a bit lumpy, giving it that extra texture that is oddly satisfying, though a bit much at times. The creams can, however, also taste a bit artificial or light. The chocolate, for instance, feels almost whipped.

I also am not a fan of any of the more gimmicky toppings or additions. The chocolate chips, for instance, are overloaded onto the cannolis but are so bitter and thick that they interfere with the whole cannoli experience. Moreover, the chocolate dipped shell doesn’t contribute anything to flavor, either, as the chocolate is too light.

Given all that, you may wonder where Modern exactly ranks in the cannoli scene. Does this up-and-coming challenger truly oust the old-school, “sell-out” Mike’s?

No, it does not. Modern Pastry makes a phenomenal ricotta cannoli, but on the whole, Mike’s is just that much better. While Modern definitely wins out in the freshness department, Mike’s nails the flavor of the cannoli like no other baker can. I may not be the last word on the feud, but in my book, Modern’s cannoli will always be a close second.

What I Tasted

1. Vanilla Custard Cannoli with chocolate chips and a plain shell: Boy, when I said chocolate chips, I wasn’t expecting such a generous heap. There are in fact so many chips that you can barely see the custard. And they’re the bitter dark chocolate kind, so it’s a nice contrast, but it can be overpowering, especially for a treat that’s supposed to be so sweet and creamy. I’d definitely avoid them next time. The custard itself is delicious, though. It is, surprisingly, not too sweet. In fact, most of the sweetness comes from the powdered sugar on top of the cannoli, which is a really nice touch, as the cream can focus on other flavors. The vanilla definitely comes through, and it’s only made better by both the sweetness of the sugar and the flaky, perfectly crispy, fried dough exterior, which provides a nice contrast. Moreover, the shell isn’t too oily, so it doesn’t interfere with the other flavors but rather mainly adds a great crunch. Overall, this is a fantastic combo, and you can taste every component. 4.0/5.0
2. Chocolate Cream  Cannoli with a plain shell: This one isn’t bad, but there’s something wrong with it, and I’m pretty sure it’s the chocolate. While the same great flaky shell and sugar are there, the cream is just not right, in 2 regards: 1) The sweetness is a bit off, as it’s very light at first and then kicks in with a sugary surge that really is a bit too much, especially with the richness and bitterness of the dark chocolate (too much of a contrast, and too much of a confused flavor), and  2) The cream seems a bit artificial, since it’s made in a way that emphasizes its lightness and airiness—i.e. I think it’s been whipped—but that whipped taste just doesn’t suit the chocolate and somewhat downplays the naturally heavier and more intense flavor of cocoa. It’s really just not as flavorful as the vanilla, which is a shame, because all the other ingredients are still great. 3.0/5.0
3. Ricotta Cannoli with a chocolate dipped shell: Now this is a cannoli. I definitely saved the best for last. The ricotta filling is impressive. Normally, ricotta is too rich, too sweet, or both, but this one finds a way to retain the creaminess of the cheesy ricotta paste without making it too cloying. That’s largely because, while it’s very sweet, everything else helps to balance it out, specifically the shell. The fried shell, being nice and thick, gives some plain starchiness and a nice crunch. Again, it’s very crispy, so it just cracks like no tomorrow, creating a huge contrast between crunchy and creamy (and one that’s very satisfying when it all comes together). I also like that the ricotta cream is thick, so you get the sense that you’re actually eating cheese, as it has a great lumpiness. The powdered sugar is also a nice touch, adding both sweetness and an additional, refreshing powder texture. One complaint I have is with the shell, as the chocolate dip is very light, but I really can’t complain, because the plain cannoli is so fantastic on its own. More problematic is that, while I did say the shell doesn’t come off as too greasy, that starts to change after you eat a whole cannoli, as you feel the residue of the oil all over the insides of the mouth, creating somewhat of a nauseating feeling. Still, it’s a small cost to pay for such an excellent cannoli. 4.5/5.0

Scores

Ambience: 1.0/5.0 (Not factored into verdict)
Taste: 3.9/5.0
Value: 4.4/5.0. Still a great price, but not quite as monstrously large as the cannoli at Modern’s next door competitor, Mike’s.
Overall: 4.1/5.0