Italian teams host cuccidati cookie contest, tumble fest in Pittsburg

The Sons & Daughters of Italy and C. Colombo Lodge 1315 will host its yearly Cuccidati Contest and Italian cookie sale and festival on Nov. 12 at a new location, the Pittsburg Youth Development Center.

Everyone is invited to enter the cookie contest but have to supply a bare minimum of 100 cuccidati, Italian fig-stuffed cookies also acknowledged as buccellati and typically served at Christmastime. The general public also is invited to sign up for in the enjoyable judging the cuccidati, which is usually coated with icing and included with rainbow sprinkles.

Also for sale will be sfingi (Italian doughnuts), cannoli (tube-formed stuffed Italian pastries), arancini (stuffed rice balls) and meatball sandwiches and Italian sodas.

Doorways will open up at midday and the celebration closes at 3 p.m. immediately after the profitable contestants are awarded their monetary prizes. The afternoon celebration will be crammed with costumed lodge members, Italian delicacies and espresso for sale, and singing by NickyD (DePaola) of Pittsburg.

Tickets at the door are $15, though presale tickets are $10. Presale tickets are accessible from Pam Bustos at 925-642-8658 or at pam.bustos2136@gmail.com. All income go to the Colombo Lodge community scholarship fund.

To enter the cookie contest or indication up for cuccidati-making classes, e mail Zelda LeFrak-Belleci at zlefrak @aol.com or call her at 925-518-7110.