A hot tip from a well connected Italian friend sent me almost to the end of the line yesterday. The word was that her family bakery was making hot cross buns in the Bronx, and while the Buhre Avenue location levitates on city limits nearly 30 stops from Grand Central, it was a pilgrimage worth making. The Pelham line was made famous by the movie The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, but in both versions neither Walter Matthau or Denzel Washington revealed the real reason behind the heist – Zeppoles!

Zeppieri & Sons have been kneading for their neighborhood for over 50 years and on Easter Saturday most of their community were queuing when I arrived. Regulars knew what they wanted, ordering dozens of cannoli’s, whole coloured egg pastries and apple horseshoes. There was bread of every shape, biscuits in multi colors and happily masked white coconut bunny cakes. The hot cross buns I had been hunting for weeks were on offer but were overshadowed, nay hidden, by towers of honey rolled Struffoli’s – no doubt an indication of divine direction to new temptations. And so to the Saint Josephs… The special sweets looked misshapen and would not have been my first choice. But who can anticipate a religious experience? Of the alternate offerings, custard or connoli cream filling, I went with the latter and Easter will never be the same.

Only available on St Joseph’s feast day or now, Zeppoles, named for the saint, are the new hot cross bun. So I am officially letting go of the quest for heaviness of fruit and balance of spice – at least for Easter time. By all reports I can always come home to Australia in January and find the perfect HCB in abundance…