I found the recipe for happiness. I abandoned self help manuals, yoga sessions, reading Marie Kondo and the Hygge, the Danish method. I found it walking in viale Mazzini, behind the Duomo intent finding my comfort with a compulsive shopping session. I found it coming from Serge, the first single-issue pastry shop in Milan, entirely dedicated to one of the most appreciated Italian pastries: Cannoncino.
The idea came from the visionary entrepreneur with great success in the fashion world, Sergio Gavazzeni. A Brescia native, like the great Iginio Massari: a land that is a guarantee of taste and competence. Together with the pastry chef Giovanni Cavalleri he decided to bring the concept initially born in the Orio al Serio airport to Milan. At the moment, Serge is unique amongst the Milanese pastry scene for two great innovations.
First of all the patent of the counter with a plate with pins where the 700 empty guns remain at a constant temperature of 35 degrees to preserve the quality of the dough and, secondly, the choice to fill them at the moment with one of the following options : custard, chocolate, pistachio or zabaglione (more limited edition or tastes made on special occasions). The cream is enveloping, delicate but firm, dense, caressing the palate leaving its flavor for a long time. The excellent quality of the pastry, fragrant at the right point blends perfectly with the cream. The consistency and balance of the two elements is perfect. They have this pastry down to an exact science, one small error in the weight of ingredients or cooking to break the spell.
The macarons deserve a taste, present in a high number of flavors. The brioches are large, handmade and soft, complete with a hot cup of coffee. Among the proposals of the coffee shop there is also the special coffee with custard. In short, if we have to give ourselves a break, we might as well do it right!
Serge is a small but very elegantly designed room: black and steel with a white logo that stands behind the counter. Clean and essential lines, with no frills as everything must focus on the cannoncini. The staff is kind, helpful and very knowledgeable. Great attention is also given to hygiene: each cannoncino is filled and served with disposable gloves.
If you want to share, because happiness is better when shared, Serge provides delicious and elegant on brand gift boxes to make the product unique and immediately recognizable. Therefore, the problem of last-minute gifts for a friends’ dinner is a problem of the past.
Tell me, isn’t this the taste of happiness?