The bread at Perreca's
The upper crust.
Some of the best Italian bread you'll ever eat can be found on Arthur Avenue
in The Bronx. But if you're not up for the road trip, make your way over to
Perreca's in Schenectady's Little Italy. It's not quite Arthur Avenue, but it's really good
stuff.
What makes a good Italian bread is the crust, and Perreca's crust is some of the best we've had in the Capital Region. Baked in a brick oven, it's crispy on the outside, but a quarter of the way through the first bite you find just the right amount of chewy underneath.
Small family bakeries like Perreca's aren't easy to find in the Capital Region. This one opened it's doors back in 1914 and three generations later, the family is still baking in the Electric City. There's a reason for that.
Now all we need is some really good olive oil and a glass of Brunello.
Find It
Perreca's Bakery
33 N Jay Street
Schenectady, NY 12305
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Comments
Stop spilling all the good food secrets around here!
Kathleen Lisson
... said Kathleen Lisson on Apr 22, 2008 at 4:47 PM | link
Oh sure, post that wonderful bread photo right in the middle of Passover while I munch on some matzoh! Stop torturing me!!! ;-)
... said Jason on Apr 23, 2008 at 1:48 PM | link
Don't worry...Perrecca's wasn't much of a secret...if it was..it wouldn't have lasted so long...Schenectady's "Little Italy" is awesome...get a muffaletta and then go across to Civitello's for the best italian ice ever....Jason you can have italian ice...
... said Amelia on Apr 23, 2008 at 3:07 PM | link
there is a reason why this is jack nicholson's favorite bread. perreca's is one of the best things to come out of schenectady. that and the braided mozzerella from cappiello's. pick up some spicy italian sausage from garofalo's around the corner, a cherry danish from villa italia, and you've got a perfect meal (minus the greens). who needs the 100 mile diet, when you can have the 2 mile version!
... said renee on Apr 23, 2008 at 5:59 PM | link
Perrecca's was never a secret, but I lived in the Scotia / Schenectady area for almost four decades before learning about the freshly made sausage at Garofalo's. It was recommended to me by an Italian gentleman who said it was the only sausage he would buy in America, and he insisted it was made from grain fed pigs raised in Ohio. I have no idea if that's true, but I can tell you that Garofalo's sausage slow cooked in a charcoal smoker grill is something that will have your friends raving for weeks after your barbecue party. Now that I live in Albany it's a little out of the way, but I make a point to stop in when I have a reason to be in Schenectady... and then of course hit Villa Italia for pastries and a real Italian style coffee on my way back to the highway.
... said Tim on Apr 26, 2008 at 9:31 PM | link
The post on Perrecca's caught my eye - we were introduced to it many years ago through my husband's cousin. They always brought a couple of large round loaves to our parties. I haven't had it in quite a while, but now I will definitely get over there ASAP. Thanks also for the info on Garofalo's sausage - will give it a try!
... said Christine on May 7, 2008 at 3:58 PM | link