Two Years’ Rising––

Bake Shop Owner, Tony Posca, Still Loves His Work

By Dottie Evans

If you want to share the “best part of the day” with Andrea’s regulars, step inside the Queen Street bakery at 6 am and “have a fresh cup of coffee and a nice warm donut,” advises owner Tony Posca.

“People who come in early are more happy-go-lucky. They get up, so they’re more energetic.”

Mr Posca took off a moment Tuesday afternoon to sit down with a visitor at one of two bright red tables he has set out for customers who are not in a hurry. Stacks of newspapers are lined up neatly under a nearby window. And watching the sun come up is even better than opening the door to eager customers, he adds.

Usually Mr Posca or Perry Viselli, a former Andrea’s Bake Shop owner who continues to help out, are the ones who come to work in the pitch black darkness of 3 am to fire up the ovens.

“It’s so peaceful early in the morning, so quiet. Then you see the light and the hustle and bustle of people beginning their day. It’s a really good feeling,” Mr Posca said.

Another previous owner who has stayed involved and works during the holidays is Phillip DiSora. Andrea’s Bake Shop opened in 1981 and was named for Mr DiSora’s youngest daughter, Andrea, who is now 34. Mr DiSora and Mr Viselli sold the business to Mr Posca in June 2001.

Mr Posca had worked for years as a pastry and bakery chef. Starting out as a pot washer, he grew up in the Bridgeport, Fairfield, Trumbull area. Now he lives in Sandy Hook and loves being so close to his job that if a thunderstorm comes, he can “run home and close the windows before the rain gets in.”

Vincent and Sharlene Rigoli take care of paperwork and business needs.

When Mr Posca first bought the business nearly two years ago, Mr DiSora and Mr Viselli wished him well, but they warned that he did not know what he was getting into as far as demands of the job were concerned.

“This is their baby and I would like to be sure [the business] is a success,” Mr Posca said. “People want a bakery to keep going in this town.”

As for the early hours and the demanding schedule, so far he is managing. “It helps if you love what you do,” he adds.

 “Six weeks ago we finally redecorated with fresh paint and wallpaper. The girls at Newtown Color Center [next door] helped me select the border. I wanted it to reflect our ethnic background and green, white, and red are the colors of Italy.”

Another change since Mr Posca took over has been the expansion of the bakery’s already impressive cookie line. “Cookies are my forte,” he claims with modesty.

The same might be said about his specialty cakes, his desserts, and his filled pastries. In fact, the Firehouse Eatery & Tap Room in Sandy Hook has contracted with Mr Posca to provide desserts for its restaurant and take-out business.

As for the fillings –– ricotta cheese for the cannolis and custard crème for the cream puffs –– this is where Mr Posca feels he does his finest work.

“I’ve put together different recipes as I went along finding out what tastes best.”

He is quick to credit his sales crew, Ginny Sherwood, Nancy Jo Childs, and Alex Velush-Rogers, who serve customers from behind the glass bakery shelves, always with a cheerful smile.

“They’ve been with me from the beginning and we help each other,” he said.

His regular kitchen helpers are equally invaluable. They are Joseph Rotunda, the cake decorator, and Jessie Germain.

Italian breads are the bake shop’s staples, along with Russian, French, and Hungarian pastries, Jewish challah, and a wide variety of American sweet breads, including apple cinnamon-raisin, apple-raisin, and blueberry. Chocolate mousse cake is a top seller as are the marzipan crescents, poppy strudels and nut strudels –– all ongoing recipes made famous by the previous owners.

Mr Posca has added fancy cheesecakes and seven-grain bread that he bakes especially for weekends. He calls the bread “rich and dense” and recently brought a loaf home to his mother in Trumbull who pronounced it delicious.

At Easter, he looks forward to baking Babka, specialty egg braids and angel wings. He’ll offer panettone, which is a sweet loaf with currents that is baked off site.

“Slice it, spread a little butter on it, and put it in the oven. It’s amazing,” he said.

For some reason, the idea of toasted panettone reminded him of another reason why he loves his job. On Sundays, when people come in after church, “You hear all the stories of people remembering when they were children and went to the corner bakery.

“The sights and smells of fresh baked goods brings it all back.”

Andrea’s Bake Shop at 5 Queen Street is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 6 am to 2 pm. Open after 2, by chance. For more information or to place an order, call 426-7716.