What a treat to tag along with Gloucester’s own Schooner Festival welcoming committee Brett Ramsey and his sons Max and Nick. Each year Brett purchases and assembles baskets of fresh fruit. Along with loaves of yummy bread still warm from Virgilio’s ovens (donated by Joe Virgilio), Brett and his family welcome each and every participating schooner. You could tell that the recipients were really grateful and touched by the gesture.
Special shout out to GMG FOB Schooner Green Dragon’s captain Al Bezanson. I was out filming early this morning and stopped by Rocky Neck Accommodations to say hello to Al and his wife Phyllis. This was Al’s idea to cover the Schooner Fest welcome for GMG, so thank you Al Bezanson!!
Schooner Lannon’s Captain Heath Ellis
Captains Al Bezanson (Green Dragon), Fred Murphy (Ishmael), and Matt Sutphin (Tyrone)
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Hungry? Pack light. You’ll pass great sandwich shops, locally owned and operated, en route to Gloucester’s magnificent beaches. Jeff’s Variety can set you up for a good lunch to go wherever you’re headed including Good Harbor Beach, Long Beach, or the back shore. Jeff says that there are many repeat customers that come back each and every season–for years–on their way to Good Harbor Beach. IF you have a big group, you can order trays with finger sandwiches. Sandwich platters featuring Virgilio’s rolls need at least two days notice to prepare. They’re open Sundays. What else? “Yes!” the answer to my question if they have plenty of call ahead requests from cars caught in traffic. Passengers calling only, please!
Scroll down the post for a one-stop, sub-shopping Gloucester directory with phone numbers and links. I could add in our favorite choices from each place.
Marshall’s Farm Stand (picnic route rather than sandwich counter) (978) 283-2168 (pints of fruit, munchies, loaf artisan bread, mozzarella specialty cheeses)
I haven’t forgotten Magnolia–just missing Magnolia’s House of Pizza. ON Mondays there’s Cape Ann Farmer’s market for Magnolia. “M” for Mondays, “M” for Magnolia.
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Joe Virgilio Makes Saint Joseph Rolls is a wonderful addition to Gloucester’s Feast of Saint Joseph Community Film Project. So many thanks to Joe for taking time from his busy work day to allow filming! Highlights include Joe sharing stories about the early days working alongside his grandfather and cousins, when the thousands of rolls needed for Saint Joseph’s Day were made by hand.
To order your Saint Joseph rolls call 978-283-5295 or stop by. Store hours are from 8:30am to 5:00pm.
Virgilios is making their usual mountain of rolls for Thanksgiving. Walk in service is available and for a large order, it’s best to let them know ahead of time. Virgilos is open through Wednesday at 5pm, closed Thanksgiving Day.
Joe and Nancy Virgilio wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!
Yummm, Virgilios cookies look so inviting arrayed with Thanksgiving pies!
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During two previous Physical/Occupational Therapy sessions Fred made pizza and Liz made cookies. On this day Shelley made calzones, covered with Virgilio’s chunky Tomato – Basil pasta sauce. That’s a delicious combination. The next course consisted therapeutic exercises.
My physical and occupational therapists Jess and Shelley with their gifts from me: Fish City shirt from my gallery and “Bad Ass” socks from the POP Gallery. Small gifts for two people who played big in my recovery. A diploma, signed by the therapy team and Den Mar staff, celebrates how I got my mobility back. As the three of us walked back to my room, Jess played the Pomp and Circumstance march on her iPhone. People the length of the hall clapped and cheered. I could only purse my lips to contain the emotion and concentrate on my walking.
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Producer manager Tom and his coworker Andrew at Stop & Shop has a beautiful display of Cauliflower and Anise Bulbs ready and waiting for St. Joseph Feast customers
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Scalafani Bakery # 978-283-6622 & Virgilio’s Bakery # 978-283-5295. Both are currently taking orders for St. Joseph bread rolls, nd both have amble supplies of semolina flour, and dried fava beans
Café Sicilia is located on 40 Main Street # 978-283-7345. Café Sicilia has announced that they will be selling St. Joseph Pasta on Wednesday March 19, and they are also currently taking orders for St. Joseph Zeppole. Call Nino & Maria and reserve your orders…They sell out quickly!
Cape Ann Fruit Company 978-281-5176 ~ Scott and his crew have been busy all week supplying host families around town with cases of lemons Oranges, Anise, and Cauliflower all week. They provide fresh produce and are great to do business.
…I hope this directory is helpful…and please don’t forget to tell them Sista Sent you !
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This morning we continued filming for Gloucester’s Feast of Saint Joseph Film Project; today at Virgilio’s! So many thanks to Joe Virgilio for taking time from his busy, busy work day running the bakery.
We talked a bit about the history of Virgilio’s, founded in 1934, and at its current location since the 1950’s. At that time, Virgilios was not only a bakery, but a full grocery store as well (before there were supermarkets) and you could purchase goods such as whole chickens and sausages.
The Virgilios began making St. Joseph rolls in the early 1950s, specifically for the Feast of Saint Joseph and today, they make them year round. Back then, there were so many families that celebrated the Saint Joseph traditions that even as young kids, Joe and all his cousins had to hurry to the bakery after school to help their grandfather fill the St. Joseph roll orders. Now the bread is made with state of the art equipment but in his grandfather’s day it was all made by hand. Joe smiled thinking about how his grandfather would love today’s mixing and baking machines. I went home with a camera-full of stories and bag full of Joe’s bread, both generous, and much-appreciated gifts.
Virgilio’s Saint Joseph rolls are super yummy plain, with a touch of butter, or olive oil, and are even more super delicious made into one of their world-famous sandwiches!
In case you missed the Virgilio’s Phantom Gourmet episode, here it is:
As did Maria, Nina, and Domenic from Caffe Sicilia, Joe took time from his tremendously full work day to allow time for filming and sharing his stories. We’re so blessed to have these fabulous and welcoming bakeries/grocerias in our community. Next week, filming at Sclafani’s is scheduled!
Addendum ~ Al Bezanson writes in the comment section (see below):
“As a side note, did you know about the tradition of delivering donated fresh (sometimes warm) Virgilio’s bread to schooners as they arrive for the Labor Day Schooner Festival? When you get around schooner people you may hear them talking about the need to have extra butter aboard in Gloucester. This is a very big deal in fending off other ports that are vying for schooners that same weekend. Thanks Joe and the high speed Ramsey/Nesta delivery guys!”
THANK YOU AL for your always super helpful comments. This is information about Joe’s generosity that we would never have know without you sharing!
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From the distinguished Cape AnnMuseum’s fresh coat of paint and ongoing preservation
To many weathered, copper-clad architectural details like these rare repeat oriel windows
Elegant oriels along Parsons’ pedestrian street, too, though no pressed metal. But look up for the green tiled roof!
Creating a nice umbra mix alongside the newish-ish green exterior for the Jeff Weaver/Restoration Works, 16 Rogers Street – the newcomer (former Old Timers/Catch 22/Fiesta Pub) joins the green in Gloucester. Check out its distinct porthole window on the door.
Then and then: 16 Rogersbefore photos (green middle elements against textured and well acclimated exterior).
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GloucesterCast Podcast With Guest Ron Gilson and Host Joey Ciaramitaro Taped 6/1/13
Click to play-
Topics Include: Summer In Gloucester,The First Upscale Breakfast joint In Gloucester, the Makings of The Union Hill Coffee Shop, Au Beaujolais, Relationship Between Restaurant Patrons and Servers, Flags On The Boulevard, Differences Between Generations Honoring Veterans, Paul Frontiero Sr, Death Row Sub, Death Row Meal.
If you enjoy the podcast could you help get it recognized in the iTunes directory by rating it here in the iTunes store
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My sister-in-law and her boyfriend are visiting from Cincinnati, Ohio. Liv is here too, taking a few days off from the hubbub of NYC. I am having so much fun giving the grand tour of our island that I feel as though I am on staycation while they are here vacationing. Our guests arrived late Tuesday night and we had a classic New England dinner waiting for them, with fresh off-the-boat Captain Joe and Sons steamed lobsters (two for each as they are so affordable), red cabbage and carrot coleslaw, potato salad, Alexandra’s olive bread, and blueberry cake with whip cream.
Yesterday after touring the Gloucester Harbor Walk, we stopped at Virgilios for take-out sandwiches to bring to the Dog Bar Breakwater for lunch. Then off to Good Harbor Beach for a swim before dinner.
We had a wonderfully fun dinner at The Pub at Cape Ann Brewing Company. Fried calamari for me, beer-marinated steak tips for Liv, delicious fish cakes for Tom, and Amy and Arnold both had the yummy haddock tortillas. Everyone enjoyed their beer selection from the unique and varied beer menu. Liv’s choice was especially interesting; a refreshing summer ale, their Saison, brewed with strawberries and rhubarb.
Haddock Tortillas
Calamari with a very light breading and fried to perfection
Liv’s friend Jess is a waitress at the Pub
Today we’re off to visit Willowdale Estate, whale watch, and then a late night birthday dinner for my husband Tom at the fabulous Duckworth’s!
The people, the sights, the natural beauty that surrounds–wouldn’t you agree that we live in just the most beautiful and the most interesting Staycation Destination anywhere?
The Pub at Cape Ann Brew Company
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No matter how good the ingredients for a sub, the one constant in the making a sub a sub is the sub ROLL.
When you start out with the absolute greatest sub roll in the known universe which is what Virgilio’s makes you already have a huge advantage over everybody else. I’m not sure how you can compete. The move? Get there at 9:30 when the rolls come out fresh. Close your eyes and throw a dart at the sandwich board. No matter what it lands on, it’s likely to be one of the best subs you’ve ever eaten and it’s a bargain.
#Boom!
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When we were kids our entire family- Grandparents right down to Grandchildren would sit in the chairs down at the Fiesta and listen to the Italian music. Even though we were only 7 years old our parents would send us to the nut vendor who had all the different kinds of cashews and semanse and gallia.
I’m not sure what year the nut vendor went away, but you can still get the semanse seeds at Virgilio’s and celebrate Fiesta Old School like we did in the 70’s.
Sista Felicia got some today.
$1.50 a bag. how can you go wrong? Tradition- Fiesta- that’s What I’m Talkin About!
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What could be sexier than your lady friend arriving at your house wearing this and carrying a nice mudiga steak sandwich from Virgilios for you? Right?
I believe Cape pond Ice packages their t-shirts in Ice Bags much the same way Virgilio’s packages their t-shirts in bread bags.
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What a treat to tag along with Gloucester’s own Schooner Festival welcoming committee Brett Ramsey and his sons Max and Nick. Each year Brett purchases and assembles baskets of fresh fruit. Along with loaves of yummy bread still warm from Virgilio’s ovens (donated by Joe Virgilio), Brett and his family welcome each and every participating schooner. You could tell that the recipients were really grateful and touched by the gesture.
Schooner Lannon’s Captain Heath Ellis
Captains Al Bezanson (Green Dragon), Fred Murphy (Ishmael), and Matt Sutphin (Tyrone) 
Nanci Lee Virgilio Photo
Good Morning Gloucester 
