Happiness, found- in a small, sugary pillow of dough, drizzled with chocolate

While my quest for a weekly hit of Westchester happiness continues, life also continues to sometimes get in the way of even the best laid plans. Recent weeks have been challenging, side-tracking my attempts at big new adventures or even just solid blocks of family time. I’m sure you know the feeling. I didn’t give up on my quest, though- I just adjusted my objectives. Sometimes a brief escape for a decadent treat is all you can pull off…so you might as well make it good!

Not long ago I was surprised to hear about a restaurant right here in Westchester specializing in none other than {my-childhood-definition-of-culinary-happiness}: ZEPPOLE. In my memories, zeppoles are indelibly linked with late nights and loud music at the Westchester County Fair or the local Italian Festivals, as well as lazy weekend mornings at The Raceway Flea Market. In other words, zeppoles are the culinary equivalent of  FUN. This week, that’s just what I needed.

Zeppoleme is a small, bright and cheerful cafe in Portchester, right next to nessa on North Main Street. The Italian coffee shop serves up soups, salads, and panninis along with a full coffee bar and wine and beer on tap…and, of course, a wide variety of zeppole options. Let’s be honest: I went for the zeppole.

I tried a savory option first, filled with vegetables, which I considered my lunch (there were carrots and celery involved…that qualifies as lunch, right?). In my own mind, this gave me the all-clear to move on to the main draw…the sweet zeppoles, covered in powdered sugar, complete with decadent dipping sauces. I tried both the classic zeppole – the one that lives in my memory banks – and the lighter, ricotta zeppole.  From the list of dipping sauces I chose the vanilla cream and the hazelnut nutella. I can’t really tell you what my favorite combination was…they were all good. Really good. Decadent. The only thing missing was the paper bag.

Zeppoleme is unique, casual, kid-friendly, fun and delicious. The perfect place for a quick happiness-hit.

Words of wisdom from Happy Day, Westchester: Life can be crazy and free time is sometimes hard to come by.  If you can’t find the time for a big outing or a family adventure…don’t give up. Instead, create a small adventure. Zeppoleme is a great place to start. Bring your kids – they’ll love it – or go by yourself and enjoy a decadent treat with a side order of childhood memories of the local Italian feast…

P.S.- If you know someone in need of a lift, you can get the ultimate care package here: a jar of  zeppole, wrapped in cellophane and tied up with ribbon. Guaranteed to brighten anyone’s day.

Follow this link to visit the Zeppoleme website to see the menu and get more details. Enjoy!