Fra Noi Embrace Your Inner Italian
Tony Volpentesta, owner of Tony Cannoli in Mundelein, learned the trade from his Italian grandmother after a trip to Japan inspired him to open a pastry shop.
Volpentesta had studied business and was working in the running industry when he found himself in Japan for a marathon in 2012, the Lake County News-Sun reported.
“Afterwards, we traveled around to a bunch of different places,” he told the newspaper. “I fell in love with Japanese food, Japanese culture and their culture through their food.”
The experience sparked a connection in his mind between Japanese sushi and cannoli. “It’s a three-ingredient dish best eaten served to order. Made immediately, eaten immediately,” he said.
When he returned to the U.S., Volpentesta spent months learning from his grandmother, and then tweaking her recipe to make it his own. He ended up removing the bubbles typically seen on cannoli shells, preferring a more consistent texture.
Tony Cannoli, which turns 9 years old this year, offers eight flavors of cannoli, along with cannoli cakes, cannoli shakes and cannoli classes. It is located at 460 N. Lake St. in Mundelein.
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