Holiday helpers
Four local bakeries will assist with residents’ Thanksgiving dining prep.
Are you desperately seeking oven space as you plan your Thanksgiving feast? Need help prepping the culinary centerpiece? Looking for a feast without all the fuss? How about having fresh-baked bread with your meal? Four South Philly bakeries are here to meet your needs!
For starters, you can reduce your stress by having your turkey cooked in the ovens at Cacia’s Bakery and New York Bakery. Or skip cooking altogether and buy Cosmi’s Deli’s $15 dinner deal. And get fresh bread–on Thanksgiving morning–at Carangi Baking Company.
Here’s the details:
Cacia’s Bakery, 1526 Ritner St.
At Cacia’s Bakery, owner Sam Cacia will begin cooking the first of 125 turkeys at 7:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Thanks to his store’s spacious ovens, local homeowners can focus less on the holiday’s main culinary component and tend to other facets of their feast.
“Cooking turkeys for Thanksgiving is something we’ve come to pride ourselves on,” said Cacia, who relies on four staffers for help. “We’re thankful, too, that people rely on us year after year.”
Cacia, who uses his bakery ovens to prepare his own turkey, charges $26 for the service. He promises perfection to his patrons, and a reduction in stress as they plan their days.
“It’s nice to see the smiles each year,” Cacia said. “This is a festive time of year, so we’ll always be happy to provide such a service.”
New York Bakery, 2215 S. 11th St.
That same mindset guides Stephen Candeloro at New York Bakery. The second-generation owner can accommodate about half as many turkeys as the Cacia’s crew and charges the same for the endeavor.
“My family has been glad to give this help for as long as I can remember,” Candeloro said, giving a nod to his father, Domenic, as someone who took delight in easing locals’ holiday duties. “People often tell us how great their turkeys came out, so that makes us smile.”
He asks customers to bring their birds to his Lower Moyamensing shop before 9 a.m., in a roasting pan. If they fulfill those requests, Candeloro guarantees a splendid result.
“I’d say that our oven provides better heat distribution than a typical oven,” Candeloro surmised. “I think that definitely adds to the quality of the turkeys once people serve them.”
Cosmi’s Deli, 1501 S. Eighth St.
Passyunk Square-based Cosmi’s Deli has a different way of reducing Thanksgiving dinner prep stress–$15 Thanksgiving Specials. The $15 deal includes turkey breast and drumsticks, three sides, and pumpkin pie slices. Homemade stuffing makes its way into the combo, too.
“It’s our way of giving back and saying ‘Thank you,’” owner Michael Seccia said of the deal. “We’re happy to be a part of this community every day,” the owner said. “At this time of year, it’s especially good to be there for people through this special because it’s going to fill you up and definitely won’t break the bank.”
Carangi Baking Company, 2655 S. Iseminger St.
While potatoes and pies are the chief carbohydrates served with many Thanksgiving feasts, no meal is complete without fresh bread. Carangi’s will be open on Thanksgiving to provide just that.
Manager Santino Carangi noted that his family’s bakery, “likes being an option for people when they’re celebrating with relatives and friends…we’ll be happy to be open on Thanksgiving.” Available specials will include “anchovy bread, semolina bread, New York style lard bread, cranberry bread, and artisan old world bread on hand, so stop in to see us.”
