Pasticcerie (pastry shops) in Sicily are veritable altars of culinary history.
One of these “culinary altars” is certainly Pasticceria/Bar Gardenia, a splendid showcase of culinary creations in Cardillo, a nondescript borgata (small suburb, an outcrop) just outside of Palermo. Pino grew up in Cardillo, though the bar – opened just over 40 years ago – was not there in his childhood.
On an early December visit to Pino’s family in Cardillo, my mornings always started with an espresso, often accompanied by un cannalicchio (“a little cannolo”), at the Bar Gardenia.
On some days, next to the cannolicchi were colorful mini-cassate.
I’ve written a note on the origins of the cannoli – with links to the Arab domination of Sicily (9th-11th-c.) – and la cassata, too, most probably dates to the same period.
In fact, the name of this cake, another Sicilian pastry highlight, probably derives from the Arabic quas’at, (“small basin”).
Made of sponge cake, sheep’s milk ricotta, candied fruits and almond paste, more than one cassata was always on display at the Pasticceria/Bar Gardenia:




And not only the cannoli and la cassata are linked to palermitano history but so is the iris, another morning favorite of mine, filled with ricotta (starring in many dolci siciliani):

I often ordered “un espresso con l’ris, per favore” from barista Giovanni, working behind the counter at Bar Gardeniai:

Not related at all to the flower, the origin of the name is quite curious and tied to the very early 20th-century, The famed pasticcere palermitano (Palermo pastry chef), Antonio Lo Verso, created a new pastry in honor of the opera “Iris” written by Pietro Mascagni and premiering in Palermo in 1901.
The fame of the pastry eventually inspired Lo Verso to change the name of his caffe’, re-baptizing it “Iris.”
In Via Roma 148, Palermo, the caffe quickly became a gathering point for the palermitana aristocracy and upper class, meeting there and chatting over cafe’ and iris.
And local history (and ricotta!)are linked not only to the culinary goodness in the Pasticceria/Bar Gardenia, but even to the origins of this pasticceria/bar.
One morning, I chatted with one of the owners, Giulio, between the numerous calls coming in for orders as he worked at the register:

…..and helping his staff package orders..

He told me that when he was a child, his parents managed the lands of thenoble estate of the nearby Villa Bonocore Maletto:

One of their tasks was the care of the herd of sheep and the making of the cheeses and ricotta after milking.
In 1979, Giulio’s father later decided to open the Bar Gardenia, specializing above all in sweets of ricotta.
Giulio and his brother, Giuseppe, now work with a hard-working staff in the creation of splendiid pasticceria palermitana,
The two brothers are took back row spots in their Christmas photo of Pasticceria Bar Gardenia staff:

When you’re next in Palermo, detour to Cardillo and drop in to Pasticceria/Bar Gardenia.
The pasticceria will entice – and not only.
See the goodness at Bar Pasticceria Gardenia here.
See my video on Sicily as a “culinary mosaic.”
Read about a stunning historic villa, not far from Bar Gardenia
See my video of Villa Boscogrande, historic Palermo villa setting of a famous film
Read about a famous Palermo open market with Palermo buonissimo street food
See my video about a noted seafood stand in Palermo.
Read about a past visit to Bar Gardenia
Read about the festival foods at Pasticceria/Bar Gardenia for the Feast of Santa Lucia, December 13th
Read about la cassata, another famous Palermo sweet
Read about the cannoli history


