Tre Mari Bakery has been serving Toronto’s Corso Italia community for over 60 years. The family-run business started as a small neighbourhood mom and pop shop on St. Clair West. Since then, the bakery has become a city staple, carrying on its legacy under the operation of the Deleo family’s third generation.
Hailing from Calabria, Italy, Vincent and Maria Deleo opened Tre Mari Bakery in 1960. During this time, Italian immigrants flocked to St. Clair West and College Street in search of newfound business opportunities and a place to start a family. Italian folks from all walks of life were drawn to the bakery as it reminded them of back home. Today, Tre Mari Bakery is run by Maria’s grandchildren and brothers Franco, Alessandro and John Paul Deleo. While Tre Mari is a bakery, it also imports coveted Italian DOP products like Parmigiano Reggiano DOP, prosciutto di Parma DOP, Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena DOP and more beloved Italian pantry staples.
“My grandparents were pioneers in starting the Italian community on St. Clair. They were some of the first businesses that started during the time when people were just immigrating from Italy, and they helped so many people to start their life,” says Franco.
CANNOLI
Originating from Sicily, Italy, cannoli are a popular treat year-round and on special festivities like Carnevale. At Tre Mari Bakery, the cannoli are available in a wide range of flavours including classics like ricotta, pistachio and hazelnut. Monthly, Tre Mari Bakery also carries specialty options like blueberry crumble with peach liqueur, Nutella, espresso, sambuca, lavender and more.
SFOGLIA CAKE
Sfoglia cake is a crunchy treat from Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region. It is known for its versatility, as many Italian desserts are made using this base of puff pastry, cream and fruit. Tre Mari Bakery makes a traditional fruit sfoglia cake with layers of vanilla custard cream, fresh strawberries and chocolate drizzle — perfect for any celebration. They also make a marble version with two layers of chocolate cream and of course, one layer of vanilla custard cream.
FRUTTI DI BOSCO CAKE
With origins in northern Italy, frutti di bosco — literally translating to ‘berries of the forest’ — is named for its mixed berry topping. Tre Mari Bakery creates this fruity treat with a vanilla cake base, custard and berries on top with a dusting of icing sugar to finish it off.
ZEPPOLE
This dessert is arguably one of the most beloved in Italian culture. To celebrate La Festa di San Giuseppe, Tre Mari Bakery offers this fried dough specialty topped with powdered sugar, Amarena cherries and vanilla egg custard. But be warned — when Zeppole season approaches, run, because these sell out quickly.
PANETTONE
Getting panettone for Christmas is definitely something to look forward to. Every holiday season, Tre Mari Bakery imports these seasonal sweet breads dotted with raisins, candied fruits or chocolates and topped off with powdered sugar. Nothing says Buon Natale like a good panettone.
TORRONE
The history of torrone differs from place to place as many Italian regions have claimed who or where this Christmas treat originated. One thing we know for sure is this white nougat candy has origins dating back to ancient Rome. Scholars wrote texts detailing this delicacy with mentions of seed oils, honey, egg whites and studded with nuts. While traditionally torrone is made with almonds, some are flavoured with hazelnut, vanilla or pistachio.
AMARETTI
Also known as Italian macaroons, amaretti are biscuits made using egg whites, sugar, almond flour, and almond extract. While these particular amaretti hail from Saronno, a comune of Lombardy Italy, early records show they may have roots in Venice during the late Renaissance period of the 17th century. Rumor has it amaretti is the creation of Francesco Moriondo, a pastry chef at the House of Savoy during that time period. There is also a more romantic tale credited as the origin story of amaretti. In this version, a couple owning a bake shop wanted to give biscuits to a cardinal visiting from Milan. After baking ground apricot kernels, sugar and egg whites, the biscuits appeared to be gift wrapped in a delicate paper. While Tre Mari Bakery prepares its own amaretti, they also import boxes of these almond flour cookies from Italy.
The next time you find yourself on St. Clair West, be sure to stop by Tre Mari Bakery. Not only are you guaranteed to enjoy the endless selection of Italian foods — from the hot table to the sweets and assorted bread — but this bakery will also remind you of the Canadian-Italian history of the area and the family who started it all.
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