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South Philly Bakery Ready For Christmas Ordering Season

By Hadas Kuznits

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A South Philadelphia bakery is starting to get holiday orders, and they are more than prepared.

Giovanna Varallo Boughanmi of Varallo Bakery says they tend to start in December, and they don't slow down until after New Year's:

"It's all we dream about. Instead of white snow, we dream about cookies."

Her mother, Rosa Varallo, describes one of those traditional Italian cookies:

"And we do the Mustacciuoli. That's a big thing in Italy, but a lot of people they don't know about it here, so we only make it for us for the family, the Mustacciuoli. It's shaped like a diamond and they're covered with chocolate and they're delicious."

varallo bakery rosa
Rosa Varallo of Varallo Bakery (Credit: Hadas Kuznits)

She says they also make something called "honey balls" for the holidays. What are they exactly?

"It's a big thing in Italy where we come from, outside of Naples, like Avellino you know, in the little city, little town."

"And my dad also makes a traditional candy, that's called 'torrone'," adds Giovanna. "It's an Italian nugget candy that my dad makes with my brothers all by hand the old fashioned way."

As far as more traditional cakes, they'll also be serving up some Italian fruitcake.

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