Sista’s Helpful Tips…Where To Buy Vanilla Baking Powder

     In 1972 brothers Gus and Frank Sclafani, made their way from Sicily to America settling here in Gloucester. As young adults, and new to this country they set out together to live the American dream finding employment on the working waterfront at my paternal grandfathers Warf, Capt. Joey & Sons. While the brothers, worked off loading fish from day boats at the dock, their mother worked nearby on the assembly line at Capt. Joe & Sons, cleaning and packing fresh fish. In 1980 Frank and Gus’s father purchased the store front on the corner of Washington Street and Gould Court, from my maternal grandfather “Joseph Ciaramitaro, AKA Joe Popcorn,” and opened the doors of Sclafani’s Bakery. Two years latter Frank and Gus left their jobs on the dock behind, and took over their fathers’ bread business.  Today they continue to work sisde by side daily making their  families famous Italian bread recipe at that same location. Over the years in our Sicilian community, their store has become one of two remaining local  go to places to shop for Italian pantry staple items. They have a fantastic assortment of Italian specialty ingredients: imported  cheeses, dried pasta, Italian cookies, and olive oils, are just a few examples of items one can find among their famous Italian bread and fresh breadcrumbs. I personally shop there several times a week, and enjoy chatting with Gus and Frank about cooking Sicilian foods. While I was writing my cookbook, Frank, Gus and I had several conversations, about different Italian ingredients that were hard to find. One day I ask Gus if he could add Vanilla Baking Powder to their stock list, and he agreed to look into it for me. The very next week, Gus proudly showed me the new display of Vanilla Baking Powder adjacent to the cash register. So now when your making one of my recipes from my newly released cookbook ” Gifts of Gold In A Sicilian Kitchen with Sista Felicia, Harvest” you know where to go to purchase it. Don’t forget to tell Gus and Frank Sista Felicia sent you in!