Gianpiero Bakery: Last Days in LIC 07-05-2009

Location: 4417 30th Ave

Feelings: RB and I have about three weeks left in Long Island City/Astoria area, and one thing I will definitely miss is Gianpiero Bakery on 30th Ave. It is one of the most authentic Italian bakeries around. Every night around 11pm, I would smell the amazing aroma of bread coming from the bakery into our windows. Let me remind you, during 2006 Queens blackout, when Mr. Bloomberg could not care less about Queens, this was the only place that was open and kept baking for people in the neighborhood with their own industrial generator. While sitting in dark for over five days in our apartment, the aroma of bread coming to the windows kept my spirit up.

After five years in the area, I am still intimidated to go in and casually order due to their heavily local Italian neighborhood vibe. Thankfully, RB goes to the bakery every Saturday morning to grab some pasticiotti and coffee for us, so he has become one of them despite his Scottish appearance. I should really be brave and order for myself before I leave the area. He does tell me that they are quite friendly.

Their pasticiotti is quite addictive. They usually have the regular very tasty vanilla custard version, but they now have chocolate flavor, which is even better. The outer layer of pastry is crispy and buttery, and the creamy pudding texture inside is oh-so-smooth with a wonderful chocolaty aroma. It is never too sweet or never too buttery: it is just right.

I am not sure how I am going to survive without these authentic pasticiotti on lazy Saturday mornings. Farewell, Astoria.