A little Italian bakery almost out of time, perhaps not too much has changed since it opened in 1928. If you’re visiting Utica or just passing through, make an effort to stop at Florentine Pastry Shop [667 Bleecker St, Utica, NY 13501] for something sweet.
Everything looked and smelled delicious in the case, but we knew what we were here for. A traditional Italian pastry called pasticiotti, regionally known as a pusty: a mini pie-like crust exterior with a sweet creamy filling. We sampled four different flavors – seasonal apple and pumpkin along with raspberry and chocolate, and an almond cookie for good measure.
There is a little sitting area adjoined to the shop if you cannot wait to eat these treats, we were just traveling through so we got them boxed up and hit the road.
Each pusty was a divine entity. Fresh and soft buttery flakey exterior gave way to truly flavorful fillings – each essence represented so well. The apple is the only pusty whose filling survived to be photographed, perfect ratio of crust to filling – and unique to the others on account of the crumble on top.
We couldn’t decide which one we liked best so when you go, be sure to try as many as your stomach will allow, they’re all fantastic. The almond cookie was good, but the pusties are certainly the star of this pastry shop. It’s a blessing and a curse this bakery isn’t closer to home, I could see eating way too many of these delicious pastries!